How do I get my emotional support cat approved for college housing?

You must be certified as emotionally disabled by a psychologist, therapist, psychiatrist or certified mental health professional. Your doctor would have to send a letter explaining the you are disabled by mental illness and how the emotional support animal will help the disability.

To be a service animal, your cat as to be able to perform tasks for you during the course of a regular day. This takes months,or years, of training and certification. Cats can be used as therapy animals and ESAs (emotional support animals). These animals are not looked at as service animals but are important to their owners nonetheless. Get an ESA letter from a licensed therapist or have your cat certified as a Therapy pet. There are several organizations that will do this. You will need to search online for one close to you.

Yes, you should speak to your physician about this. My understanding is that they can provide a letter stating that you have a mental or emotional problem that would benefit from the presence of your pet as an ESA. I don't believe a mental health specialist is usually required, although your physician could clarify this for you if there's any confusion :)

You would need to have a letter of prescription from a licensed mental health professional designating you as in need of an ESA (emotional support animal) to declare Snoopy as your own ESA. There is no legal designation (or registry) for an emotional support animal. ESAs do not have many of the legal protections that certified service animals are afforded.

You will need to find another doctor who would be willing to provide an ESA letter. A veterinarian does not have the ability to provide any kind of documentation for an ESA animal - I believe only a mental health professional can make the designation. Keep in mind that an ESA is not the same as a service animal and although there are provisions in the Fair Housing Act that cover ESAs you should make sure you know what is and isn’t legal when asking for provisions if you are renting a house or apartment.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You have to take Ryo to a vet to get a health certificate. They have to examine him within 10 days of travel to issue a certificate. That is not something we can do through this website. A certificate for emotional support has to come from your personal doctor- not a veterinarian. All we can do is validate health status. Good luck and kisses to Ryo!

Emotional Support Animals are trained to help a person depending on that person's specific needs, and there is no one set rule or training program for them. Each dog is trained individually, assisting in tasks such as helping with panic attacks, anxiety, etc. These dogs are also not considered service animals in some cases, so may not have the same protections as a service animal such as Guide Dogs for the Blind. There is also no specific certification or designation for ESAs. That said, if you are interested in having an ESA, speaking with a trainer in your area that specializes in service dog training is a good place to start. They can work with you on tailoring training techniques, and get you into actual training certification programs such as Canine Good Citizen which can help teach basic obedience and social skills all service dogs should have.