Is Identification Required?

No. Identification is a voluntary measure to help mitigate uncomfortable confrontations and embarrassing questions, as well as boost your confidence while out in public. In many cases, identifying your emotional support animal can make the difference between a business providing you access versus denying access, even if they don’t share the same rights as service dogs.

Can businesses and other entities ask me questions about my service dog?

Yes.  Because emotional support animals don’t share the same rights and privileges protected by federal law like service dogs, they may ask you any questions regarding your emotional support animal before they provide access.

 Emotional Support Animal Handler Responsibilities

Handlers must maintain control over emotional support animals consistently, utilizing verbal commands or hand signals. Moreover, the dogs should be tethered to or harnessed with their handler at all times.

Emotional Support Animal Rights and Protections

• Housing Rights
  • Live with you in your primary residence without pet fees and/or pet deposits.  May live with you even if a landlord has a no pet policy.  An ESA letter written by a licensed mental health professional is required by most landlords and property managers before they grant reasonable accommodation for an emotional support animal.
  • A housing provider may also request a housing verification form to be completed by the clinician that wrote the letter for you and your ESA.  Housing verification form service is included in our services if an ESA letter is purchased.
• Airline Travel
  • January 2021, the Department of Transportation (DOT) changed the laws allowing all US based commercial airlines to recognize emotional support animals as “pets”.  As a result, the airlines are allowed to charge pet fees for emotional support animals and the individual must adhere to the airlines pet policies and procedures.  However, if your dog is trained to perform a task for you related to your disability, you may be interested in identifying them as a psychiatric service dog which is allowed to fly for free in the cabin of the aircraft with their handler.  Identify your psychiatric service dog [here].
• Public Access provided management’s discretion.
  • Managers may provide accommodation for an emotional support animal even if they aren’t protected by a federal right.
    • Hotels/motels
    • Grocery Stores
    • Restaurants
    • Movie theaters
    • Work Environments
    • Hospitals
    • Hospices
    • Schools
    • Businesses