Becoming A Responsible Emotional Support Animal Owner

Emotional Support Animals or ESAs are meant for patients that have trouble coping with their mental or emotional issues on their own and need assistance with it. The emotional support animal (ESA) provides this support to the pet owner by giving them company and showing them much love and affection.

A pet animal requires an emotional support animal letter (ESA Letter) to become a legitimate ESA. The letter is provided by a mental health specialist after the applicant is assessed for mental or emotional difficulties and permitted to have an ESA if s/he is undergoing certain mental difficulties that a pet can help improve.

What do people need an ESA Letter for?

The ESA letter allows a chance for people with emotional and/or mental difficulties to live their lives normally. They do this by allowing them to have their pet animal at all times. This pet allows them to be calm and composed with less emotional or mental troubles in scenarios such as while traveling, socializing, working, etc. 

People can have anxieties, panic attacks, bouts of depression, crisis situations, etc. from mental illnesses such as PTSD, Autism, Panic disorder, and other disabilities. Such people need some extra support that they at times find from friends and family, but since they can’t be around all the time, a pet animal can take their role. And these animals are most suited to the job as they show unconditional love and support. 

The ESA Letter allows for constant companionship by allowing your ESA to travel with you on the plane, with you in the passenger compartment under the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 and other federal laws. The airline carrier cannot deny the entry of the passenger abroad with the pet animal if the ESA Letter is provided to them.

The ESA Letter also allows you to have your pet with you in your housing unit, no matter an apartment, a house, or a university student residence, under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The point is to make sure that the person is given every possibility to feel and perform normally. 

Responsible ESA Owners

The emotional support animals and the laws regarding them are for the benefit of people. So they can have the same opportunities as others more mentally stable people do. ESA owners are no doubt thankful for the provision set in place for them to have their ESAs in their homes and with them on the flight, no doubt, second the opinion of how it has made their life better.

But being an ESA owner you should know that you have more responsibility upon you as you naturally become an ambassador for ESAs and the provisions related to it. Everything you will do and how you behave while benefiting from these provisions can have either a negative or a positive impression of ESAs owners upon people.

Here are somethings that you can do to make sure that you represent the ESAs community in a positive light:

• Always have your ESA Letter with you during travels and don’t expect to get on board with your pet by force when you don’t have the ESA Letter.

• Try to inform the Airline Carrier a day earlier about your intention to board with your ESA pet, so that they can accommodate you easily onboard.

• Make sure that your pet is properly trained, well behaved, and obedient, such that it is of no nuisance to other passengers and the crew. 

• ALWAYS keep your pet at your feet inside your designated square, and only have it on your lap if the size of the pet doesn’t extend beyond your lap. 

• Always keep your pet on the leash.

• Be prepared to compensate for property damage or any extra need for maintenance caused by your pet in your housing unit or apartment block. 

• Renew your emotional support dog letter Annually.

• Train your animal to be quiet and well behaved inside and outside the house. 

Related Resources :

Energetic Dog Breeds That Will Entertain You All-day

Things That You Need For Your Puppy Dog

All In One Emotional Support Animal Guide

Passionate Support Animals Quick Guide