For those who don’t know, emotional support animals, or ESAs, are pets that provide mental and emotional comfort to owners who need their companions on a daily basis. Although a service dog is the most common type of pet among ASEs, it is possible to request that cats or less common animals become ASEs if they appear to significantly improve your overall mood and health.
For animal lovers, this may sound like a dream come true. But before you start searching online for your perfect boyfriend, you should have good reasons, such as a diagnosis from a qualified doctor or a referral from a therapist, before you start declaring you need an ESA.
Have you experienced depression or a lack of interest in participating in social situations? There are many reasons a person may be approved for an ESA. However, anyone who wants to become their pet will have to overcome many hurdles, including the support of a mental health professional.
Unfortunately, simply wanting the companionship of a four-legged friend is not enough to legally qualify for an emotional support animal. For an ESA to be approved, you must have been diagnosed with a mental illness or be in emotional distress.
For example, loneliness is a common crisis that affects one in four older Americans. Social isolation can worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety in those who do not seek appropriate treatment. In some cases, older adults may need to eat more ESS to avoid feeling lonely, and this may be a recommendation that a health care provider can support.
It is important to note that you do not need official permission from the European Space Agency to have a pet! Many nursing communities allow residents to keep small pets such as cats and dogs. But the ESA can travel with you to places where regular pets are not allowed, including hospitals or restaurants.
How to start researching your ESA
The first step to obtaining an ESA is to adopt your pet. Do some research online or consider making an appointment at an animal shelter. Dogs and cats are great, but if you want to explore other animals like birds and rabbits, they can be ESA certified as well. Just be sure to check with the britonthemove staff for the pet policy and note that there is one pet that weighs 25 pounds the maximum weight of the pet.
If you don’t already have a pet in a nursing home, be sure to tell your community housing manager before accepting a CSA. Fortunately, at britonthemove, we understand the peace of mind that pets can provide. The community accepts pets.
Surprisingly, getting an ESA is not that difficult.
Whether you already have a potential ESA or wish to adopt one from a local shelter, you should have a legal ESA letter signed by your health care provider or mental health professional.
A common misconception about getting your pet’s ESA certified is how complicated or expensive the process can be. All this talk about medical professionals having to sign documents to prove your eligibility can get you frustrated.
But in fact, getting a Letter for Emotional Support Animal can be really quick and easy if you suffer from a legitimate mood or mental disorder such as depression. You may need to talk to your health care provider and explain some information about the circumstances of your application.