Interested in Emotional Support Animals? 5 Things to Consider

Do you feel like you could use some help managing your emotions? Emotional support animals can help people who are suffering from anxiety or other mental health conditions.

An emotional support animal can be a great way to manage your emotions and make your life easier. They provide companionship, love, and support – which can be helpful for people who are struggling with their mental health.

If you’re considering getting an ESA, there are a few things you’ll want to take into account. In this article, we’ll discuss five key considerations to make before welcoming an ESA into your life.

  1. Emotional Support Animals Help With Mental Health Conditions

An emotional support animal is an animal that provides therapeutic or emotional support to a person. Emotional support animals can help people with anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions by providing companionship and emotional stability.

Emotional support animals provide their owners with companionship and a sense of safety. This can lead to increased confidence and socialization. Additionally, emotional support animals can help ease symptoms of conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

While any type of animal can be an emotional support animal, the most common are dogs and cats.

  1. An Emotional Support Animal Is Not the Same as a Service Dog

An emotional support animal is different from a service dog. Service dogs are specifically trained to help people who have disabilities. Emotional support animals provide comfort and assistance to people who have mental health conditions.They are not trained, but they are expected to be well-behaved. 

  1. You Must Qualify For an Emotional Support Animal Certification

You may be able to get an emotional support animal if you have been diagnosed with a mental or emotional disability by a doctor.

The animal must provide therapeutic benefits to you and must be necessary for your treatment. Emotional support animals are not required to have any specific training, but they must be well-behaved and cannot pose a danger to the health or safety of others.

  1. You Need Proper Medical Documentation

People who want to keep an emotional support animal must provide documentation from a mental health professional. The documentation should state that the animal is necessary for the person’s mental health.

  1. Know Where You Can and Can’t Bring Support Animals

Emotional support animals are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Landlords, businesses, and transportation providers cannot refuse to provide services or goods to someone because they have an emotional support animal.

Emotional support animals do not have legal rights in public places in Washington state. Employers legally do not have to allow emotional support animals in their workplace. Since the infamous peacock incident, airlines do not allow emotional support animals in the main cabin.

Never Pay a Pet Deposit for Again

One of the biggest benefits of an ESA certification is tenants’ rights. ESA letters protect the rights of tenants with physician-approved support animals. This means no pet deposit or monthly pet rent!

If you think an emotional support animal could improve your quality of life, consider all the factors involved before you decide. With a little research, you can decide for yourself.