05/24/2023
ESA Reasonable Accommodation Request’s must;
- Establish an ongoing treatment relationship between the medical professional and patient
- The individual meets the definition of disability: they have significant limitations in one or more major life activities, and
- A connection between the emotional support animal and the patient's disability symptoms/limitations to clearly show there is a disability-related need for the animal. Typically, this involves a statement that in the person’s professional opinion one or more effects of the disability that significantly impact the person’s life will be substantially mitigated by the presence of the emotional support animal.
- It is never required to disclose a medical diagnosis: the relevant detail is a description of the limitations/symptoms of the disability that the ESA will address.
- The letter should use the medical professional’s letterhead and specify the type of animal involved (e.g. cat, dog, hamster), because unusual animals need specific justification.
Don’t pay for certifications or registrations for your ESA . They are all scam websites. According to the Mass.gov website and HUD, There is not currently any recognized official registry or certification program for service animals or emotional support animals in the USA. HUD does not consider a letter or certificate bought from a website after a short interview to be sufficient documentation to support a reasonable accommodation request.
Basically, there are websites like USServiceAnimals.org that are charging people for certificates and ID cards that are completely useless and count for nothing.
All that is needed is an up-to-date letter from your medical provider.
Need a Point of Reference?
Disability rights information for service animals and emotional support animals in housing