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If you struggle with mental or emotional health conditions, it can be helpful to get an emotional support animal, or ESA for short. An animal companion can play a critical role in easing symptoms of mental health issues and helping you live a healthier, happier life. Unfortunately, many places have no-pet rules in place. Plus, some housing providers charge exorbitant fees to keep your furry friend with you. However, a certified ESA letter can prevent you from losing money and ensure you receive the accommodations you need.
While ESA services can be immensely helpful, not all of them are legitimate. To help you avoid scammers and fake ESA letters, we’ve meticulously researched a multitude of options to bring you the most reputable and trustworthy services the industry has to offer. All of the services recommended below are partnered with licensed mental health professionals to help you get the legal protection you need to have your emotional support animal with you. Join us as we explore these companies and the services they provide.
Summary of the Best ESA Letter Services
What Is an ESA Letter?
An ESA letter outlines a patient’s mental health conditions and certifies their need for an emotional support animal. To be considered valid and legally binding, this letter must be written by a licensed mental health professional.
An ESA letter is given to landlords, hotel managers, school administrators, and other relevant persons to let them know that the patient suffers from a mental or emotional disability and needs their animal for support. These letters help patients bypass anti-pet policies, as emotional support animals aren’t considered pets and therefore aren’t bound by the same regulations that apply to pets. Emotional support animals are legally protected accommodations, and any domesticated animal of any age can be an ESA.
It’s important to note that while an ESA letter can help protect your rights to proper mental health accommodations, it doesn’t grant you unconditional freedom to take your animal anywhere. As we’ll discuss later, emotional support animals aren’t service animals and are defined differently in legal terms. An ESA letter may help you keep your animal despite the rules of your HOA, landlord, hotel manager, or airline, but it doesn’t give you carte blanche to take your animal everywhere. However, ESA letters do supersede no-pet policies and breed restrictions in some settings and circumstances. Furthermore, housing providers aren’t allowed to charge a pet fee to those who have a legitimate ESA letter written by a licensed mental health professional.
Best ESA Letter Services
1. Best Overall ESA Letter: Pettable
How it works:
If you’re looking for an ESA letter-writing service that provides a valid ESA letter in a timely fashion, then Pettable is a great choice. This service connects you with legitimate mental health professionals and offers a satisfaction guarantee, promising to fully refund your payment if your letter isn’t approved. Plus, it has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
The process is quick and easy and Pettable walks you through it, one step at a time. After answering a few simple questions about your pet and the reason you’re seeking an ESA letter, you’ll be matched with a therapist in your state. Then, you’ll have a 15-minute consultation with your licensed mental health practitioner to discuss your mental or emotional disability and symptoms. If the practitioner decides you qualify for an emotional support animal, you’ll receive your letter within 48 hours. It’s that simple!
About Pettable:
Pettable is a reputable company that can provide you with a legitimate ESA letter in as little as three days. Its website is filled with helpful information about the process of obtaining an ESA letter and the federal and state laws surrounding emotional support animals. Each mental health practitioner partnered with Pettable is licensed and board-certified, and the company is well-versed in the legal landscape of emotional support animals. With privacy protection at the core of its values, Pettable is HIPAA-compliant. It’s also compliant with the Fair Housing Act. Pettable backs its service with a satisfaction guarantee and has earned thousands of overwhelmingly positive reviews from pleased customers. Additionally, it offers online training courses to help your pup become a psychiatric service dog, if that’s something you’re interested in.
Pros:
- HIPAA- and FHA-compliant
- Offers online training courses for service dogs
- Money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-navigate website
Cons:
- Doesn’t cover air travel
Learn more about Pettable today
2. Quickest Screening ESA Letter: ESAPet
How it works:
If you’re struggling with a mental or emotional health condition and need an ESA letter fast, then we recommend trying ESAPet’s letter-writing service. This company offers a quick, streamlined process to help you connect with a qualifying practitioner and obtain an official ESA letter promptly.
First, you’ll need to answer a few short questions about yourself and your emotional support animal. You’ll need to provide your contact information, as well as the name, breed, and age of your pet. After you complete a quick pre-screening assessment covering your symptoms, a licensed mental health professional will contact you to complete the screening and determine your eligibility for an ESA letter. If the practitioner decides you meet the criteria for an emotional support animal and an ESA letter, you’ll receive a digital copy of your letter within three days.
About ESAPet:
ESAPet’s website is a library of information and resources, including where you can find training services, the nuances of ESA letters, and even links to suicide prevention and mental health services, in case your needs are more dire and immediate. The website is easy to navigate and takes you through each step of the process of obtaining a legitimate ESA letter. ESAPet will refund your money in full if, for whatever reason, your letter doesn’t work. Its responsive customer support team can address your questions or concerns via email or phone.
Pros:
- Fast, two-minute pre-screening process
- Offers PSD and ESA letters
- Partnered with board-certified mental health professionals
- Quick turnaround time after consultation
Cons:
- Longer turnaround time for California residents
How We Picked the Best ESA Letter Services
An ESA letter isn’t to be taken lightly. It serves as legal proof that you require an emotional support animal to live without excessive discomfort. Thanks to laws such as the Fair Housing Act, ESA letters have become a common way to help those with mental health conditions get the accommodations they need.
With so many scammers out there, it’s important to be a discerning shopper when looking for an emotional support animal letter-writing service. To ensure we recommended only the best options to our readers, we meticulously vetted a slew of services according to the following criteria:
Company Reputation
We only featured companies that have excellent reputations in the industry and are well-versed in state and federal laws regarding ESAs. Each service mentioned above pairs customers with a qualified healthcare professional and provides legitimate, legally recognized ESA letters. We gave preference to companies that received recognition for excellence, such as A+ ratings from the Better Business Bureau.
Ease of Use
Acquiring an ESA letter for your emotional support animal shouldn’t be a lengthy or stressful undertaking—especially when you’re struggling with a mental or emotional health disability. That’s why we only feature companies that don’t waste your time, ask for unnecessary information, or bog you down with hours of paperwork. Our selected services screen you and get you connected with a qualified professional fast and provide you with an ESA letter within days of your consultation. Additionally, these brands have user-friendly and educational websites to help guide you through the process.
Customer Reviews
We pored over tons of customer reviews as we were making our selections. We only featured brands backed by thousands of rave reviews and endorsements from satisfied customers. Companies with a significant number of negative reviews were quickly eliminated from our pool of choices.
Speed of Delivery
Time is often of the essence when choosing an ESA letter service. Whether you’re moving into a new apartment or have an upcoming trip, you may need your letter in a timely manner. This is why we only recommend services that deliver ESA letters within a few days of approval. Some of these services even offer expedited processing for an additional fee for those who need their letters faster.
How To Get the Best ESA Letter for Your Needs
Emotional support animals can help improve the health and wellness of people struggling with mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. If you suffer from an emotional or mental disability and require an ESA letter, consider the following factors to ensure you choose the best possible service for your needs:
Legitimacy
Unfortunately, not all companies that issue ESA letters are legitimate; some aren’t aware of the relevant laws and provide fake ESA letters. For this reason, it’s essential to be selective. Choose an ESA letter-writing service that’s compliant with HIPAA to ensure your privacy and personal information are protected. Make sure the mental health professionals partnered with your chosen service are board-certified with a valid license number—otherwise, any ESA letters written by them won’t be valid. If you’re seeking an ESA letter for housing accommodations for your animal companion, it’s important to ensure the service you select is compliant with the Fair Housing Act.
Reason for Needing an ESA Letter
Some people need an ESA letter to bypass their landlord’s or HOA’s no-pets policies; others need an ESA letter so they can travel with their emotional support animal or avoid paying pet rent. Consider your reason for seeking an ESA letter to make sure the service you choose can accommodate you. Some services offer different types of letters, tailored to specific needs.
Brand Reputation
A reputable brand will be knowledgeable about ESA rules and work with qualified, licensed professionals and ESA doctors. Read reviews written by past customers to get an idea of how satisfied they are with a particular service. Also, research the service you’re considering to gain a better understanding of its reputation. Companies that offer money-back guarantees should rank higher on your list.
Information Needed for a Valid ESA Letter
Before starting the process of getting an ESA letter, it’s important to be prepared to answer any questions your mental health professional will have for you. Below, we’ve outlined the things most practitioners ask for before they approve ESA letters.
Personal Details
Given the stigma surrounding mental illness, sharing private details about your life and condition will likely be the most difficult part of the letter-obtaining process. However, being prepared for this step can help ease some of the anxiety surrounding it. You’ll need to have a conversation with a licensed therapist and express the struggles and symptoms you’re facing. Be sure to tell them about any mental or emotional disorders you’ve been diagnosed with and answer whatever questions they ask honestly.
Provide your licensed therapist with realistic and accurate information about your symptoms, their intensity, and their frequency. We know this can be challenging to talk about and maybe even a little embarrassing, but your qualified mental health professional can only help you if you’re transparent about your condition and its impact on your daily life and ability to function.
Information About Your Emotional Support Animal
While you can begin the process of getting an ESA letter before having an animal, it’s often easier to get one if you already have an animal. Any domestic animal can be an emotional support animal.
To get an ESA letter, you’ll need to provide some basic, information about your pet, including their name, breed, age, sex, and size. Depending on where you live and what type of emotional support animal you have, you may also need to provide proof that your pet is up-to-date on their vaccinations.
How Your Emotional Support Animal Helps You
You’ll need to express to your mental health provider how your emotional support pet helps you cope with your symptoms. For instance, if your animal keeps you from feeling lonely or depressed or helps you avoid unnecessary stress, you should mention these things to your practitioner.
FAQ
What’s the difference between an emotional support animal and a service animal?
There are a few key differences between an emotional support animal and a service animal. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), only a dog (or a miniature horse, in some cases) can be considered a service animal, whereas any domestic animal can be an ESA.
A service animal needs to be specifically trained to do certain tasks, while ESAs don’t have to receive training or have any behavioral requirements or special skills. For example, service animals may be trained to retrieve objects for a person who uses a wheelchair or to wake an individual who has nightmares resulting from post-traumatic stress disorder. In contrast, an emotional support dog or animal provides support through companionship.
Service animals—such as psychiatric service dogs—are given access to more locations and are covered under the ADA, whereas ESAs aren’t covered and can be refused access to some locations including airplanes and restaurants. Both require a letter from a qualified therapist, recommending the animal as an accommodation for physical disabilities or mental and emotional issues.
Who qualifies for an emotional support animal?
People who struggle with an emotional or mental health condition may qualify for an emotional support animal. Some of the most common qualifying conditions include schizophrenia, phobias, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, PTSD, and bipolar disorder.
What’s the Fair Housing Act?
The Fair Housing Act prohibits a housing provider from discriminating against or denying housing to anyone based on their religion, race, sex, disability, national origin, or family status. ESAs are covered under this law, and a legitimate ESA letter can protect your legal right to reasonable accommodations for you and your ESA.
Who can write an ESA letter?
AN ESA letter serves as written proof of a person’s need for an emotional support animal (ESA) due to a qualifying mental health disability. As such, valid ESA letters can only be written by ESA doctors (i.e., psychologists or psychiatrists) or other eligible therapists and mental health care providers. Before writing ESA letters, these professionals must have a registered, valid license number and have passed board exams.
What’s the Air Carrier Access Act?
The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits airports from discriminating against passengers based on their disability or their need for accommodation to board and use air travel. However, as of 2021, emotional support animals aren’t covered under the ACAA; only service animals are covered.
Conclusion
An ESA letter can save you money on pet fees and prevent people from denying you reasonable accommodations for your mental or emotional health conditions. If you’re already being treated by a therapist, you can ask them for an ESA letter. However, if you need to get an ESA letter and you’re not currently seeing a therapist, an ESA letter-writing service, like the ones featured above, can help you get an ESA letter quickly and with ease.
These companies work fast to pair you with qualified ESA doctors and help you obtain an official letter stating your need for an emotional support animal. All three of our recommended services only partner with legitimate professionals who have a valid license number, so you need not worry about scams or fake letters. If you need an ESA letter-writing service, check out our top picks, all of which promise a quick, convenient experience.
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