Emotional support animals (ESAs) provide comfort and support to individuals with disabilities. While ESAs are not considered service animals, they are still granted certain rights and privileges under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). One of the most common questions about ESAs is how many ESA pets an individual can have.

How Many ESA Pets Can You Have?

How Many ESA Pets Can You Have Under the FHA?

The FHA does not specify a limit on the number of ESA pets an individual can have. However, the FHA does require that the ESA be necessary to accommodate the individual's disability. This means that the ESA must provide some type of emotional or therapeutic benefit to the individual.

In most cases, one ESA is sufficient to provide the necessary emotional support. However, there may be some cases where an individual may need two or more ESAs. For example, an individual with a severe anxiety disorder may need one ESA to help them cope with anxiety in public places and another ESA to help them cope with anxiety at home.

If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation for an ESA under the FHA, you should be prepared to provide documentation from a healthcare professional stating that you have a disability and that the ESA is necessary to accommodate your disability.

How Many ESA Pets Can You Have on an Airplane?

The ACAA allows individuals with disabilities to travel with their ESAs on airplanes. However, the ACAA does limit the number of ESAs that an individual can travel with to one.

This means that if you are flying with an ESA, you will only be allowed to bring one ESA with you. You will not be allowed to bring two or more ESAs with you, even if you have a disability that requires more than one ESA.

If you are planning to travel with an ESA, you should contact the airline in advance to make arrangements. You will need to provide documentation from a healthcare professional stating that you have a disability and that the ESA is necessary to accommodate your disability.

Conclusion

The number of ESA pets that an individual can have depends on the specific circumstances of the individual's disability. Under the FHA, there is no limit on the number of ESA pets an individual can have, as long as the ESA is necessary to accommodate the individual's disability. Under the ACAA, individuals with disabilities are only allowed to travel with one ESA.