The Importance of an ESA letterĪccording to federal and state laws, housing providers are required to make reasonable accommodations for emotional support animals. However, while ESAs are valuable for physical and mental health support, their role is more like a pet than a service animal. These animals are particularly beneficial for handlers with emotional or mental disabilities such as anxiety or depression or who require support following bereavement or a traumatic event. The primary role of an ESA is to provide comfort and security. Unlike therapy animals that work with a group of people - say, in a care home - ESAs are assigned to one handler and will accompany them in public places. What is an Emotional Support Animal?Įmotional support animals (ESA) provide comfort and support to a handler.
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While we feel it is not our place to list which companies are scams, below is a list of things to look out for to ensure you aren’t being taken advantage of.īefore diving into how to avoid a scam, we’ll first review what ESAs are and the importance of obtaining an ESA letter. Over the past few months, we have reviewed dozens of websites touting cheap ESA doctor’s letters, and nearly all are scams. If you don’t talk to licensed health professional, you are being sold an unenforceable document that will not get your pet into your chosen accommodation for free. If you only read one sentence in this article, it’s this: you NEED to talk to a board-certified doctor or licensed mental health professional to qualify for a legal ESA letter. Every day, thousands of people register their emotional support animal (ESA) online to access services like housing, but what are they really getting for their money? The shocking answer is that most are getting absolutely nothing.