From websites offering discounted prices and instant certifications to claims of being able to take your pet anywhere, the world of online emotional support animal (ESA) certification can be a minefield of questionable practices. While the idea of quickly and easily obtaining an ESA letter may seem like a golden opportunity for your golden retriever, the reality is far more complex. Not only are some of the claims on websites false, you may not even need a letter of certification.
What is an emotional support animal?
An emotional support animal (ESA) is a pet that provides comfort and support to individuals dealing with mental health issues such as, depression, anxiety, or PTSD. While the idea of having your furry friend by your side at all times may sound appealing, there are several reasons why certifying your dog as an emotional support animal may not be the best decision.
Emotional support animals are different from service dogs in that they undergo little to no training. Service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks to help mitigate a disability. ESAs simply provide comfort and companionship to help with mental health issues. Service animals are always dogs, but an ESA could be any pet commonly kept in homes. Even a goldfish could be an ESA. ESAs do not have the same legal protections as service animals and do not have access to all public places.
Who needs proof their pet is an emotional support animal?
Emotional support animals are protected by the Fair Housing Act. Housing providers that typically do not allow pets must make reasonable accommodations for people with certain mental health conditions who need ESAs. A landlord cannot require an additional pet deposit either, so it is easy to see how pet owners might try to abuse the system.
The law allows landlords to request some form of documentation from a health care professional that confirms a tenant has a true need for an ESA to have an equal opportunity to enjoy the dwelling. The tenant’s regular doctor or therapist would be the logical source of the documentation. Homeowners can decide for themselves what animals they will allow in their own homes and have no need to document medical needs.
Online services like Support Pets, US Service Animals, and Emotional Pet Support offer a shortcut to visiting a health care provider. For a fee, these websites, and other similar services, will provide a letters to landlords or university housing to certify an individual needs an ESA. They also might offer other services, such as registration numbers, identification cards, or certificates that hold no meaning in real life. The blog My Life with Milo has done a nice job of reviewing several of these sites and discusses which ones are more “scammy”.
False claims made by some ESA services
It is important to remember that ESAs are not service animals and do not have the same legal protections. These animals provide therapeutic benefits to individuals with mental health conditions, allowing them to live more independently and comfortably. Support Pets claims on its website that you can “confidently take your pet anywhere” with their help. Yet, the same web site admits that you really won’t be able to take your pet everywhere because most businesses can legally exclude ESAs. Do you really want to spend money on the hope that managers and business owners might let you in?
Some sites like Emotional Pet Support claim you can keep your pet with you on any airplane with an ESA letter. This is not the case. The Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 no longer applies to ESAs following high profile cases of abuse. (Do you remember the story of the emotional support peacock?). Major airlines like United, American, and Delta treat ESAs as pets. Pets must be kept in carriers at all times. Larger animals must be checked with luggage. Only pet dogs or cats can fly on these airlines, nothing more exotic.
What’s the harm in it?
Certifying your pet as an emotional support animal through online services without a legitimate need undermines the credibility of those who genuinely rely on ESAs for their mental well-being. It takes advantage of a system put in place to provide support and accommodation for individuals struggling with mental health conditions. By exploiting this system, you diminish the validity of emotional support animals.
Furthermore, by taking an untrained pet to public places, you risk causing harm to legitimate service dog users. A recent Support Pets ad on Facebook showed a dog wearing a “support animal” vest. There is absolutely no reason to place such a vest on an ESA, since these animals do not have public access. It perpetuates confusion over what a service dog is, and a poorly mannered dog in a vest may cause shop keepers to deny access to legitimate service dog users in the future.
States and landlords are catching on
Some states have laws making it illegal to falsly claim the need for an assistance animal. California law now requires a health care professional to have at least a 30 day relationship with a client before being able to perscribe an ESA.
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issues guidelines to landlords for evaluating a tenant’s need for an assistance animal. These guidelines state that HUD does not consider documentation from an internet service sufficient by itself that a tenant has a true need for an ESA.
Recommendations
Here are some recommendations to ensure that you are doing everything by the book:
1. Consult with with your own doctor or mental health professional. They can assess whether having an emotional support animal would truly benefit you and can provide the necessary documentation for no additional cost.
2. Avoid online services that offer instant certifications. Landlords are not obligated to accept the online service’s word by itself and may be suspicious of it. Some of these services make false claims of public access or will try to sell you additional services such as a “national registry” or ID card.
3. Understand your rights and responsibilities. Once your pet is documented as an emotional support animal, don’t insist on taking it to public places where pets are not ordinarily allowed. Pet-friendly venues are certainly okay, but don’t put your dog in a fake vest and do maintain control of your dog at all times. Don’t do harm to legitimate service dog users by taking a poorly behaved vest-wearing pet out in public.
ESAs are a legitimate therapy for those who need them. Ethical and responsible certification of ESAs maintains their credibility and prevents harm to legitimate assistance dog users.
