How to Make a Pet an Emotional Support Animal
Emotional support animals (ESAs) are pets that provide emotional support to people with disabilities, which can be physical, mental, or emotional in nature. Emotional support animals differ from service animals, which perform specific tasks for people with disabilities. To get your pet qualified as an emotional support animal, you need to follow a few steps.
1. Determine Your Eligibility
1. You must have a disability as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
2. Your pet must be an appropriate type of animal to provide emotional support.
Common examples include dogs and cats. However, other animals, such as rabbits, birds, and horses, may also qualify in some cases.
3. Your pet must be well-behaved and under your control.
Your pet should not be aggressive or destructive and should be able to interact appropriately with other people and animals.
2. Get a Letter from a Mental Health Professional
1. You should contact a licensed mental health professional (such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, or therapist) who is familiar with your disability and can attest to the need for an emotional support animal. 2. The letter should include the following information: - Your name and contact information - Your disability and how it affects your daily life - How your emotional support animal helps alleviate your disability - The dates the letter was written and signed
3. Train Your Pet
1. Your emotional support animal should be well-behaved and under your control in public settings. 2. Train your pet to obey basic commands, such as sit, stay, and come when called. 3. Socialize your pet so that it is comfortable around other people and animals.
4. Get an ESA Letter
1. The ESA letter is a document that verifies that your pet is an emotional support animal.
2. You can get an ESA letter online from a legitimate ESA service provider.
These services typically require you to provide documentation of your disability and a letter from a mental health professional stating that you need an emotional support animal.
3. Once you have your ESA letter, you can provide it to your landlord, employer, or other authorities as proof that your pet is an emotional support animal.
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