How to Adopt an Emotional Support Dog

Emotional support dogs are wonderful companions, and these pups bring their owners joy, comfort, and love on a daily basis. Owning an emotional support dog can be life-changing for many individuals who may deal with certain mental health conditions, and the comfort of a loving emotional support dog is often incredibly beneficial. Our article gives you details on what exactly emotional support dogs are, who may qualify for an emotional support dog, and how to adopt one of these amazing pups into your life.

What Is an Emotional Support Dog?

An emotional support dog is a dog that provides comfort and support to their owner with their presence. Emotional support dogs are often used to help relieve the symptoms of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, and these dogs provide their owners with a sense of routine and happiness throughout the day.

Emotional support dogs are valuable companions, and the positive benefits they can have for individuals struggling with certain disorders are numerous.

Who Qualifies For an Emotional Support Dog?

Any individual may qualify for an emotional support dog, and it is up to your licensed mental healthcare provider to evaluate if you need an emotional support dog and determine if adding one to your life is a good idea. Examples of conditions that may benefit from the presence of an emotional support dog include anxiety, chronic stress, depression, OCD, PTSD, and sensory disorders.

In general, individuals who benefit from emotional support dogs do not require the constant assistance and help with specific tasks that service dogs provide. Instead, these individuals need the support and comfort that living with and caring for a dog can bring.

Individuals interested in adding an emotional support dog to their treatment plan must be able to care for the emotional support dog physically and financially throughout their life.

How Do I Adopt an Emotional Support Dog?

There are a few important steps to keep in mind when it comes to adopting an emotional support dog. We list these steps below so you can be prepared for this process.

1. The first step to adopting an emotional support dog is speaking with your medical provider or a mental healthcare provider licensed in your state. They will be able to evaluate your need for an emotional support dog and make sure that you are able to add an emotional support animal into your treatment plan without too much stress.
2. Once you have been approved for an emotional support dog, you can visit local shelters and rescue organizations to find a dog that you connect with. Take your time during this process, as you will be caring for this dog for the rest of their life and you want to make sure that you can bond well with your companion. Alternatively, you can transition a dog you already own into the role of an emotional support dog.
3. After you have a dog adopted or you have decided to transition a dog you currently own into an emotional support dog, speak with your medical provider or licensed mental healthcare provider again. They will collect details about your dog and write you an emotional support animal (ESA) letter. This letter will be used to request accommodation and ensure you can live alongside your emotional support dog.

As soon as you have your valid ESA letter, you can request accommodations to live alongside your emotional support dog in any area of housing. Your ESA letter exempts you from adhering to breed restrictions, pet bans, and any other size or weight bans, as long as your emotional support dog isn’t aggressive or dangerous. You will also not be required to pay any pet deposits or separate pet fees once you have a valid emotional support dog.

If you have any questions about the emotional support dog adoption process or where to start, speak with your mental healthcare provider about your next steps and visit local shelters to evaluate the kind of dog you’d like to add into your treatment plan.

Are Emotional Support Dogs Service Dogs?

Emotional support dogs are different from service dogs in that they aren’t trained to complete specific tasks that relieve the symptoms of someone’s disability. Instead, emotional support dogs help individuals who may be struggling with mental health conditions by providing them with comfort, companionship, and a sense of routine. Many emotional support dogs are able to pick up on their owner’s emotions, and owning an emotional support dog can help individuals feel more grounded and have a greater sense of enjoyment or stress relief throughout their day.

What Rights Do I Have With My Emotional Support Dog?

Your emotional support dog will have some rights, but not as many as a service dog. This is because service dogs are specifically trained to help with someone’s disability, and many individuals depend on their service dogs to help them complete daily tasks.

Your emotional support dog will have the right to live alongside you in any reasonable housing, a right that is protected by the Fair Housing Act. You will need a valid ESA letter to show to your landlord or rental agency which shows proof of your need for an emotional support dog to live with you.

Your emotional support dog can travel with you on airlines that permit pet travel, and you will need to arrange this separately. Anywhere you visit with your emotional support dog must allow pets or be in a public pet-friendly area, and you can expect to pay fees to stay in places like hotels with your emotional support dog.

Emotional Support Dog FAQs

It’s common to have some remaining questions about emotional support dogs, as these pups are often misunderstood or confused for service animals. Our answers to frequently asked questions about emotional support dogs help put any lingering confusion to rest.

Does My Emotional Support Dog Need to Be a Specific Breed?

Your emotional support dog can be any breed, size, or age of dog. There aren’t strict requirements with emotional support dogs, and you won’t need to select from a handful of breeds or dogs that can perform certain tasks. Simply adopt a dog that you find yourself connecting with and benefit from the routine, comfort, and companionship that they bring you.

Do I Need to Train My Emotional Support Dog?

Your emotional support dog doesn’t need to be trained, as these animals aren’t service dogs and they are not required to complete certain disability-related tasks for you. However, your emotional support dog may benefit from knowing basic obedience skills and having a sense of public manners. This will enable them to stay at your side more easily and ensure they are well-behaved both at home and while out and about.

Do I Need to Show Proof of My Emotional Support Dog?

You don’t need to show proof of your emotional support dog in the form of ID cards, certifications, registrations, or marked vests or leashes, though some people choose to use these for their dogs when traveling with them or walking them in public.

The only time you will need to show evidence that your dog is an emotional support dog is when requesting housing accommodations from your landlord or rental agency; you will need to show your valid ESA letter from a mental health provider licensed in your state.

Can My Emotional Support Dog Be Denied Accommodations?

Your emotional support dog may be denied accommodations in certain circumstances. For example, if your emotional support dog is too large for the space you are trying to live in, you are unable to provide for them properly in your requested housing, or if they are aggressive or destructive, you may not be able to live with them. Any dog that presents a serious risk of harm to a property or other individuals may also be denied housing accommodations, regardless of a valid ESA letter.

How Long Is My ESA Letter Valid For?

State rules do vary, but the majority of emotional support animal letters that verify your need for an emotional support dog will be valid for a year from the date of issuance. This means that you can use the letter to request housing accommodation or other accommodations as needed until the letter expires. Make sure to speak with the licensed professional who wrote your ESA letter for you before it expires to obtain a new one if needed.

Can I Travel With My Emotional Support Dog?

You can travel with your emotional support dog, but you should keep in mind that your emotional support dog will be treated more like a pet than like a service dog. Emotional support dogs only have protected rights when it comes to housing, and any air travel or hotel stays will need to be planned in advance so you can adhere to specific animal and pet travel policies.

Adopting the Emotional Support Dog You Need

The companionship that an emotional support dog provides is valuable to many, and these pups can make a big difference in someone’s life. The first step to adopting an emotional support dog is meeting with your mental healthcare or medical provider to evaluate whether or not adding the support of a companion animal is the right choice for you. From there, you can adopt a dog from a local shelter and get started benefiting from the loving companionship that your emotional support dog brings each day.