Do I need a doctor or therapist to get an Emotional Support Animal?

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.

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.

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.

There's actually no true emotional support animal certification. If you speak with your psychologist/psychiatrist or whatever doctor diagnosed your mental disorder about writing a letter stating you need the pet and then present that letter to your college. You should also first check with your college housing office about what they would require to allow your cat to stay with you.

Hi there! I think part of the issue may be the terminology you're using, when you're trying to find someone to help. By definition, a "therapy dog" is a dog who visits hospitals, nursing homes, or other places and interacts with people there to bring them comfort. What you're describing - a dog that helps you, not members of the public - would be either an emotional support animal, or a service dog. If you're trying to make Leo an emotional support animal, you just need a letter from your doctor or mental health care provider stating that you have anxiety that is helped by having your dog with you. This allows you to have him with you in certain housing situations that may not otherwise allow pets, and may allow him to travel with you in come cases, but does not give him any other public access rights (restaurants, stores, etc.) A service dog, by definition, is trained to perform a specific task to alleviate an owner's disability. So if you're interested in working with someone to train him to do something specific to help you, you would need to find a trainer to work with who has experience training service animals. Off the top of my head, I don't know who in your area might be able to do this - but at least you know what to ask about now, when you call trainers to inquire. Best of luck! :)

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.