{"id":19798,"date":"2022-07-29T11:38:11","date_gmt":"2022-07-29T16:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/?p=19798"},"modified":"2023-03-06T15:43:56","modified_gmt":"2023-03-06T20:43:56","slug":"who-can-prescribe-an-emotional-support-animal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/advice\/who-can-prescribe-an-emotional-support-animal\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Can Prescribe an Emotional Support Animal?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pecan is a fluffy bunny with floppy ears and a kind spirit. Although he weighs just one pound, for Caitlyn, Pecan is a lifeline. As an emotional support animal, he\u2019s helped her overcome debilitating depression and stay on track with her studies at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLeaving for college made me realize how much I need companionship,\u201d says Caitlyn (we\u2019re withholding her last name for privacy). \u201cIt didn’t matter what shape or form it came in.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Pecan, the bunny.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Caitlyn is one of many Americans with a pet that\u2019s also certified as an emotional support animal. The government doesn\u2019t keep a registry of ESAs, but <\/span>estimates as of 2015<\/span><\/a> were in the tens of thousands, and those numbers have <\/span>risen sharply<\/span><\/a> since.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ESAs differ from <\/span>service animals<\/span><\/a>, typically dogs, which are trained to perform specific tasks, such as anticipating their owner\u2019s seizures in real time. Service dogs are federally registered and protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, so they are allowed into any public place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As their title indicates, emotional support animals are simply there for emotional support. While they\u2019re not given special protections in public spaces, having an ESA allows people to bypass housing regulations so they can live with their pet no matter what.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Any licensed mental health professional<\/a>, which can range from physicians to clinical psychologists or social workers, can \u201cprescribe\u201d an ESA to help treat or regulate a patient\u2019s physical or mental health. These companion animals can bolster those who live with clinical depression<\/a>, post-traumatic stress disorder and a number of other conditions. Research <\/span>supports these claims<\/span><\/a>; just interacting with an animal can flood your body with uplifting hormones like oxytocin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If a patient\u2019s existing pet acts as a built-in support system, a provider can certify it as an ESA to ensure the patient can live with their pet at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Controversially, a not-insignificant number of people <\/span>take advantage<\/span><\/a> of the ESA approval process to avoid landlords\u2019 pet fees and other rules. This has caused some confusion over the definition of an ESA and who is eligible to have one. To help clear things up, here\u2019s some guidance on emotional support animals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

More than just a furry friend<\/h3>\n

The concept of an ESA has actually been around for decades.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When the federal government enacted the Fair Housing Act of 1968, it blocked landlords from discriminating against people with disabilities, giving tenants the right to \u201creasonable accommodation\u201d to help them manage their disability. The right to an emotional support animal \u2014 an animal that isn\u2019t trained for tasks but helps a person regulate their health or mental health issues \u2014 was established in 1973 and reaffirmed in major legislation multiple times since.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Under this provision, a person can claim an ESA if they live with a <\/span>physical or mental impairment<\/span><\/a> that substantially limits one or more activities. Major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder<\/a>, PTSD, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other conditions meet the criteria. A physical impairment or a developmental disability that substantially limits one or more activities can also qualify.<\/span><\/p>\n

At its most basic, an ESA designation means your landlord can\u2019t charge a pet fee or enforce a breed restriction. They can\u2019t prevent you from moving in with your animal, even if the property <\/span>has a ban on pets<\/span><\/a>, nor can they evict you for getting a pet. (There are a few caveats: Your pet has to be well-behaved, so it\u2019s not destroying property or disturbing other residents.)\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the past, ESAs were allowed on airplanes, but in 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation <\/span>changed its guidelines<\/span><\/a> after a sharp rise in animal-related incidents during flights made it clear that people were simply <\/span>purchasing ESA designations<\/span><\/a> through online services in order to fly with their pets.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Puppy (or gator) love<\/h3>\n

Most ESAs are typical house pets, like dogs, cats, rabbits and fish, but some people find emotional support in <\/span>less conventional pets<\/span><\/a>, like ducks, reptiles and squirrels.<\/span> A <\/span>robust body of research<\/span><\/a> has shown that bonding with animals can help people with debilitating mental health conditions live easier, more fulfilling lives. Simply interacting with an animal, <\/span>even<\/span> if it\u2019s an alligator<\/span><\/a>, can have therapeutic effects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that petting and having physical contact with animals can create an oxytocin release in our body, which in turn lowers our heart rate and blood pressure,\u201d says <\/span>Janet Hoy-Gerlach<\/span><\/a>, a professor of social work at the University of Toledo in Ohio.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These encounters may help alleviate symptoms of panic disorders, anxiety attacks and PTSD, and can also help anyone struggling with loneliness or social isolation, says licensed veterinary social worker <\/span>Aviva Vincent<\/span><\/a> of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Research shows that for many individuals struggling with depression, the routine and responsibility of pet ownership helps address symptoms simply by providing a reason to get up or leave the house. Hoy-Gerlach and Vincent <\/span>collaborated on a recent study<\/span><\/a> which found that ESAs encouraged their owners to engage more with the outside world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey feel obligated to get out of bed and feed the animal, but that in turn actually helps them feel better than lying in bed,\u201d says Hoy-Gerlach. \u201cAnd once they\u2019re up, they might then have a meal or take their medicine.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pecan, for instance, has helped Caitlyn fight depressive episodes. \u201cEven when I cannot care for myself, I will still get out of my bed for Pecan, which is better than not getting out of bed at all,\u201d she says. \u201cI even keep my meds near his food to remind myself to take them.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While emotional support animals can provide a ton of support, they\u2019re not miracle workers. Vincent, program director at a therapeutic horse farm, reminds people that while horses can provide profound benefits to humans, \u201cThey’re still a big thousand-pound animal that has the capacity to act as a thousand-pound animal.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes that\u2019s really hard for us, because we expect them to carry the weight of our world on their shoulders,\u201d Vincent says.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The road to an ESA<\/h3>\n

If you think an ESA is right for you, talk to your therapist<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Any licensed mental health provider can prescribe an ESA or provide certification to a patient\u2019s existing pet.\u00a0<\/span>This provider has to understand the patient’s diagnosis and treatment. They must also determine that the pet reduces some impairment caused by the patient’s condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once a provider agrees that a patient could benefit from an emotional support animal, they write a verification letter. This document attests that the patient has a qualifying condition and that the animal is necessary to reduce impairment or distress related to that condition. The patient can then supply that letter to a landlord (or a school, for those living in student housing) as proof of the need for an ESA and that they are entitled to any benefits that brings. Privacy law prohibits the landlord from asking for specifics about the person\u2019s diagnosis or condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike ADA-certified service animals, your pet does not need any kind of vest or certificate to demonstrate its designation. In fact, it\u2019s best to avoid online websites that sell such vests or certificates: Hoy-Gerlach explains that these sites are charging money for a service that should be provided by your doctor, who knows you and treats you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many online providers who offer these quick certifications are licensed and typically do a quick consultation by phone or email, but Hoy-Gerlach calls the practice \u201cethically questionable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf people meet the criteria, that should be something they can get from their mental health provider,\u201d she says. \u201cThat shouldn\u2019t be something they\u2019re paying hundreds of dollars for, for a five-minute conversation.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoy-Gerlach trains mental health providers across the country in ESA verification to ensure that therapists know how to help qualified clients get the support they need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After Caitlyn\u2019s therapist wrote her ESA letter, Pecan was approved to stay with her in her dorm. For her, he\u2019s worth any hoops she had to jump through. \u201cHe is a very sweet, curious little guy,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen I am in a difficult place, at least Pecan is there with me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Ready to book a doctor\u2019s appointment? Visit\u00a0Zocdoc.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From dogs to alligators, emotional support animals can help people manage their physical and mental health. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":19906,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[228],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advice","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi"],"yoast_head":"\nWho Can Prescribe an Emotional Support Animal? - Advice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From ducks to dogs, emotional support animals can help people suffering from depression, anxiety and other conditions live happier lives.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/advice\/who-can-prescribe-an-emotional-support-animal\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Who Can Prescribe an Emotional Support Animal? 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