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Pets are incredible companions and additions to people's lives. It’s so satisfying to give love to — and to receive love from — your pet. So many people feel so strongly about this that they consider their pets to be family members. And some pets are more than just companions, they’re also emotional support animals (ESAs). A support animal can greatly benefit your quality of life, as well as your emotional and mental health.
An emotional support animal letter can help you bring your pet somewhere he might otherwise not be allowed, like in a housing complex, in hotels or in restaurants. An ESA letter is important and even essential for people who need an animal’s company for their emotional and mental health.
To establish your pet as an emotional support animal, one key step is getting him certified. To do this quickly, consider using an ESA letter service. A high-quality and reputable service can help you get an ESA letter online that’s done correctly and meets all the requirements to get your pet certified as a support animal.
So if you want to get a legitimate ESA letter fast, you’re in luck. We found three ESA letter services that can help you get one step closer to certifying your pet as an emotional support animal:
- Pettable - Best Overall
- CertaPet - Top-Rated
- Emotional Pet Support - Fastest Turnaround
What is an Emotional Support Animal Letter?
An emotional support animal letter serves a specific purpose. It’s a document from a licensed mental health professional that states a person's need for an emotional support animal. Sometimes an emotional support animal letter is completed by a general practitioner or psychiatrist.
A legitimate ESA letter aims to get your pet certified and approved as an emotional support animal. ESA letters are necessary for many people because some landlords, airlines, and other places do not allow animals.
Having a valid ESA letter can get breed restrictions, pet fees, and pet deposits waived in housing complexes.
And with a legitimate ESA letter, you can bring your emotional support animal with you on airplanes or in hotels where he otherwise may not be allowed.
A valid ESA letter is written on the letterhead of a licensed mental health professional, and states the professional's credentials. The emotional support animal letter is also signed and dated by that specialist, making it an official document.
But it’s important to note that not every ESA letter service is legitimate — some are scams. If you’re looking to get an ESA letter, be very wary of fraudulent companies and steer clear of them. It is really important to know what to look for in a scam, though, to be able to discern what is a scam and what is reputable.
Best ESA Letter Services in 2023
1. Best Overall — Pettable
How it works
With Pettable, you simply complete an online form to answer some quick questions about your ESA letter needs. Then you have a consultation with a mental health professional who is matched to your needs and licensed in your state.
When you use Pettable to get an ESA letter, you get an incredible guarantee: If you present your letter and it’s not accepted as legitimate ESA documentation, Pettable will give you a full refund.
A licensed mental health professional can also help to complete and additional forms or ESA documents you might need.
What we love
Pettable has helped more than 25,000 people to get an ESA letter. So they have a long and solid track record, along with many favorable reviews from satisfied customers.
Pros
- Compliant with the Fair Housing Act
- Expansive network of licensed mental health professionals
- Legal support team helps with issues from
- Receive your ESA letter within 24 to 48 hours
Cons
- California residents will need two consultations to qualify for an ESA letter
2. Top-Rated — CertaPet
How it works
To get an ESA letter through CertaPet, it’s a relatively quick and easy process. First, you have to complete a five-minute screening test that asks several questions about your recent and current mental health and emotional well-being.
Next, CertaPet will match you with a licensed mental health professional in your state to set up a telehealth appointment. This specialist will assess your emotional and mental health to determine whether or not you qualify for an ESA.
If you do, you’ll receive an ESA letter as well as a custom treatment plan for your mental health.
What we love
People who go through CertaPet for a certified ESA letter are working with a trusted organization that has already completed more than 65,000 letters for other pet owners.
That level of expertise can provide new customers with the peace of mind in knowing that they are working with a seasoned organization.
People who come to CertaPet for an ESA letter also can appreciate the personalized attention they get when talking to the company’s licensed mental health professionals.
Pros
- Compliant with the Air Carrier Access Act and the Fair Housing Act
- Every licensed mental health professional is legally qualified and has passed board exams
- Has over 7,500 five-star reviews
Cons
- No money-back guarantee
Learn more about CertaPet today
3. Fastest Turnaround — Emotional Pet Support
How it works
Emotional Pet Support makes it easy to get your ESA letter.
First, you’ll fill out a questionnaire that asks about your moods, life circumstances, and challenges.
From there, you’ll be connected to a licensed professional who will assess your mental health and determine whether or not you qualify for an ESA.
If you do, Emotional Pet Support will email you a secure link you can use to download your ESA letter.
What we love
There are three pricing plans — for housing, travel, or both — and all of them provide same-day service if you need your ESA letter ASAP.
The company also offers ESA letter renewal at a pretty reasonable price. This is helpful because you may need to renew your certification after a certain amount of time if you want to keep it in place.
Pros
- Mental health specialists provide contact information on each ESA letter
- Three different pricing systems
- Offers same-day service
- 30-day 100% money-back guarantee
Cons
- Not as user-friendly as some competitors
Learn more about Emotional Pet Support today
How We Picked These ESA Letter Services
There are many ESA letter services to choose from, but it is important to take your time when selecting one to use. Thoroughly vetting a service will help you pick a reputable one and increase the chances that your letter will be approved.
These three ESA letter services are our favorites for several important reasons:
Quality
We only want to refer people to services that produce quality letters that are effective at getting pets certified as support animals. A legitimate ESA letter is on official letterhead from licensed professionals and must indicate mental or emotional reasons why you need a support animal.
Ease of use
We know people want a letter service that is easy to use and understand, because that will make the whole process smoother and quicker. The last thing people seeking ESA approval need is more stress than they already have.
A user-friendly service can cut back on unnecessary confusion and connect you to a mental health professional easily.
Speed
Many times, people need to have their ESA letters completed quickly, whether that is because they need to move quickly, travel soon, or some other reason. So good ESA letter services should offer a quick turnaround for their ESA letters.
Customer reviews
Many people take a look at what real customers have to say about a service they have actually used. We are no different. We wanted to ensure we were only recommending services that have received a lot of positive reviews for the ESA letters they provide.
Price
It is also important to consider price when selecting an ESA letter service. When picking our favorites, we prioritized services that offered affordable and competitive prices. We also favored companies that offered discounts, bundled pricing, or money-back guarantees.
Benefits of Having an ESA Letter
There are a few benefits to having an ESA letter:
Bring your companion to otherwise restricted places
A key benefit of having an ESA letter is, of course, that you can keep your emotional support animal by your side through thick and thin, whether you are at home or going places.
As long as you have a copy of your official letter on you, you should be able to bring your companion to places other pets aren’t allowed. So, you can receive all the love and comfort from your ESA at all times.
Better understand your own mental health
ESA letters are only deemed legitimate if they’ve been signed by mental health professionals who have assessed your psychological well-being. Since this assessment is being conducted by a licensed professional, they can help you understand more about a mental health disability you may be struggling with, or emotional issues you may be experiencing.
Not only will this help you obtain an ESA letter, but it will also help you gather more tools and information to improve your mental and emotional health.
Pet fee exemption
Having an ESA letter can get your pet fees waived if you’re moving into a new place, traveling, or visiting an establishment that isn’t entirely pet-friendly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are emotional support animals?
As the name implies, emotional support animals are animals that provide emotional support and comfort for their owners, who may be living with a mental or emotional disability. ESAs help to reduce symptoms related to mental health disorders. Some people who have an ESA have been diagnosed with mental and emotional disorders, or a mental illness, such as autism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, OCD, and ADHD. The ESA can provide a tremendous amount of support, comfort, and peace of mind. There are ongoing studies that look at the therapeutic benefits of having an ESA, but so far, the research is showing many excellent benefits.
ESAs can be:
- Dogs
- Cats
- Rabbits
- Birds
- Other animals
What’s the difference between ESAs and service animals?
Service animals and ESAs are both super lovable and super helpful. But an emotional support animal is different from a service animal.
ESAs are certified to help with emotional support by comforting their owners and reducing the symptoms of a mental or emotional disability.
Meanwhile, service animals have been specifically trained to perform tasks that are directly related to their owner’s disability.
A service animal may be:
- A seeing eye animal
- Trained to retrieve objects for a person in a wheelchair
- Trained to detect and help with seizures
- Trained to remind people with depression to take medication
- Trained to alert people with PTSD to panic attacks
There are stricter criteria to certify your pet as a service animal than to certify him as an ESA. There are sometimes species or breed restrictions that can prevent a pet from being certified as a service animal. Service animals may also have to wear certain clothing that will easily identify them, so people know not to distract them from the jobs they’ve been trained to do.
What is the Fair Housing Act?
The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing providers from discriminating against people for reasons such as:
- Race
- National origin
- Disability
Housing providers include landlords, real estate companies, and other groups or organizations. They also include towns, cities, homeowner insurance companies, and banks. The Fair Housing Act requires landlords and other housing providers to accept any ESA letters that meet the legal requirements.
When would someone need an emotional support animal?
Someone could have an emotional support animal if the comfort of an animal improves a psychological or emotional condition they have. Some of the qualifying conditions include:
- Insomnia
- Paranoia
- Depression
- OCD
- Anxiety
But you can’t determine on your own if you qualify for an emotional support animal. Instead, a licensed mental health professional has to determine whether or not you meet the criteria to. These criteria differ from state to state. That’s why ESA letter services will put you in touch with specialists who are certified in your state.
What is the Air Carrier Access Act (ACA)?
The Air Carrier Access Act (ACA) is a law that states airlines cannot discriminate against passengers because of disabilities. The ACA is enforced by the Department of Transportation (DOT). It applies to all airline flights within the United States, as well as flights to and from the United States. However, note that some airlines do not allow ESAs, so research to see which airlines do allow ESAs if you plan to travel with your pet.
What Is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against people who have disabilities. Those include physical and mental disabilities that substantially limit one or more major life activities. The ADA works to ensure that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as people who do not.
If I qualify, how would I go about getting an emotional support animal?
If you already have a pet when you qualify for an emotional support animal, you do not have to get a different pet. Your current pet can be your emotional support animal. An emotional support animal does not need to be any particular breed or type of animal. Many people have dogs and cats as emotional support animals. As long as the animal provides you with love, companionship, comfort, and emotional support, it can be your emotional support animal. If you do not already have a pet, look into places like rescue organizations, humane societies, and animal shelters, to find an emotional support animal.
Do ESA letters need to be renewed?
Yes. Typically an ESA letter is not valid for an indefinite length of time. So it will need to be renewed after a certain amount of time.
It’s often cheaper to renew your ESA letter than to get your initial one. You can confirm all of these details through your ESA letter provider.
How many emotional support animals can I have?
You can have more than one emotional support animal. You can even have more than one type of animal. Just make sure you provide all the details on how many pets you have when using an ESA letter service. The company will also need to know which kinds of pets you have.
Can emotional support animals help veterans and older people?
Emotional support animals help people at many stages of life. They can specifically help veterans who live with a mental or emotional disability.
ESAs also provide a lot of love and companionship for older people, especially those who are struggling with loneliness and sadness. They can also help seniors stay active and improve their health, as pets can create more structure, as well as motivation to exercise and socialize daily.
Can emotional support animals also be beneficial for children?
Emotional support animals can certainly help children. For example, growing numbers of children have been diagnosed with conditions like autism and Asperger's as well as ADHD. Then there are issues like depression, anxiety, and OCD. Emotional support animals can help with all of those.
In addition, these loving pets can help keep children safe by watching over them and being with them at all times.
Thanks to ESA letters, children get to have their pets with them at home, too. These comforting companions can help boost your kid’s mental and emotional help while also providing friendship.
Conclusion
Clearly, emotional support animals are able to generously benefit people of all walks of life to improve their well-being, happiness, and overall quality of life.
An ESA letter will allow you to have your support animal right there with you at all times.
With any one of these three ESA letter services, you can gain the peace of mind and wonderful benefits of loving an emotional support animal day and night, wherever you are.
