Certapet Reviews 2023: Is It Legit? Reviews From Real Users
Updated on
- Written by Dara Brewton, Former Health Writer
Medically reviewed by
Kimberly Langdon, MD
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9.0
Quality
10.0
Reputation
8.0
Price
Features
- Connects licensed medical practitioners to individuals seeking ESA letters
- The online platform is user-friendly
- Stellar customer service
Brand Information
- Located in League City, Texas
- Been in business for six years
- Accredited on December 4, 2018
Medical Benefits
- Helps people obtain an ESA letter
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About The Certapet
Certapet is pricier than other similar providers, but they provide value for money by matching you with a qualified medical practitioner licensed in your state, providing excellent customer service if you have any questions or need assistance, and only providing you with what you need to get an ESA letter, unlike other companies that try to sell you additional services that you don’t need such as registering your pet in a database.
Is Certapet Legit?
Many pet owners prefer to keep their pets around them wherever they go. Some even need to have them around as support animals. However, many venues have restrictions on bringing animals with you.
Certapet, a web-based company, can help you get around this constraint. They can aid you in getting your pet certified as an emotional support animal by providing an Emotional Support Animal Letter service. They pair medical professionals with potential patients and determine if the patient needs an emotional support animal or not.
The diagnosis will depend on whether the patient is found to have a condition that can be improved by having an emotional support animal or not. If determined that the patient does have this condition, Certapet will give an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) letter. The letter confirms the patient’s need to have their ESA with them wherever they go.
Certapet’s process involves a screening, a session with a licensed therapist, and an available customer support team that will help you answer any questions you may have about getting your pet certified as an ESA. According to Certapet reviews, the company will ensure that the ESA letter complies with all state and federal regulations.
Feature Product & Coupon
Certapet
- Legitimate third-party service provider
- Connects licensed medical practitioners to individuals seeking ESA letters
- The online platform is user-friendly
- CertPet’s services may be considered pricey by some people.
- Before you can complete your ESA evaluation with CertaPet, you must pay the full fee for the ESA letter.
Apply 10% Off Coupon Code: HEALTHCANAL
What Is An Emotional Support Animal?
An Emotional Support Animal is an animal that is prescribed to provide emotional support to a patient. Support animals assist and perform tasks for people with disabilities or provide emotional support that can improve the symptoms of a disability.
The federal government created this designation to protect individuals with disabilities and other conditions requiring support animals. In cases such as rental housing with “No Pets” or pet restriction policies, for example, under the Fair Housing Act [1]. Landlords are mandated to provide “reasonable accommodation” to pets who are classified as assistance animals.
Another federal law, the Air Carrier Access Act[2], provides guidelines on documentation air carriers can request if a passenger needs to travel with their ESA.
There are three types of assistance animals: service animals, emotional support animals, and therapy animals. Service animals are trained to do tasks for their owners. Animals categorized as service animals are needed by their owners at all times. Therapy animals are trained and tested to provide therapy to patients in hospitals and other medical facilities.
In contrast, an emotional support animal is a companion animal that provides an emotional or physical benefit while living with you. They do not have to go through any training to perform many tasks as service animals do. For your companion animal to be classified as an assistance animal, you need to have a letter from a qualified, licensed therapist or medical doctor that designates them as such. There are no restrictions to the breed, size, and weight of a support animal, and support animals can assist the disabled in numerous ways.
Service and assistance pet owners do not have to pay any pet fees for a rental property since they are not technically pets. However, landlords may still ask for a security deposit and charge owners if the support animal causes damages to the property. Landlords may also remove the support animal through legal proceedings if the animal is a nuisance.
Owners of support animals also do not have to pay pet fees to airlines and other businesses when their ESAs are accompanying them. For instance, if you want to travel with your support animal, you can fly with your support animal by your side and free of charge.
How Does Certapet Work?
On the Certapet website, click on the “Get Started Today” button, and this will lead you to the free pre-screening questionnaire. This questionnaire takes a few minutes to complete and is the initial assessment to determine if you qualify for an ESA letter for your support animal.
This form asks for basic information such as your dog’s name, your name, and your date of birth. There will also be a portion of the application that has questions regarding your mental health. Your responses to the questions will determine if you qualify for an ESA letter.
All the information you provide at this stage is confidential and secure.
Once you’ve completed the pre-qualification questionnaire, you can see the Certapet cost for its services. You will first have to pay a fee before proceeding with the rest of your application.
Once you submit your application, Certapet will then look for a medical practitioner who is licensed in the state you live in to conduct the assessment. Once there is a suitable licensed medical practitioner, they will reach out and provide you with a link to an online system to book your call with them. The assigned medical practitioner will discuss your overall mental health state and answers to the application form during the 20-30-minute call.
Once you’ve been approved, you can download your Certapet ESA letter from your user profile and print it out. Certapet will also mail you a physical copy of the letter along with an information packet that will tell you how to use your ESA letter and how you can travel with your ESA.
How Can I Get An ESA Letter?
You can only get an ESA letter from a licensed medical practitioner such as a doctor, therapist, physician’s assistant, counselor, nurse, social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist. If you’re already consulting with a mental health professional, they would be the best person to approach for an ESA letter.
However, some individuals do not have a regular mental health practitioner that they consult with due to financial constraints or other reasons. Or perhaps they have a regular health practitioner that they consult with but are unfamiliar with the process of providing an ESA letter for your support animal. This is where online ESA letter processing companies can fill the need. If you decide to obtain an ESA through an online ESA letter provider, be careful of the one you select, as many companies sell fake ESA documents.
Certapet Reviews From Real Users
“Easy from beginning to end. Everything was made so simple and taken care of in such a timely manner. The consultation was quick and easy. Very Impressed!”
Peter S. (Verified Purchaser)
“Highly recommend! Our letter arrived quickly and was approved by our airline. The customer service is amazing and the whole process was stress-less. Thanks, CertaPet!”
Julia S. (Verified Purchaser)
“User-Friendly and Affordable. A very user-friendly process, affordable for my situation, and the therapist I spoke to through the process was very understanding.”
Savannah O. (ESA Owner and Proud Pet Parent)
“Amazing and Thorough Process. Amazing and thorough service all questions were answered with two factors. First, confidentiality. We ALL want that. Second, positive turnover, meaning quick and efficient. Certapet understands the needs and senses the urgency for patients seeking animal therapy. Highly recommend.”
Peter Strauss (Confirmed Certapet Customer and ESA Owner)
“Life Changing! CertaPet has changed my life. My anxiety made taking flights near impossible. Now that I can bring my dog Bear, I am able to calm down and focus on him rather than my anxiety. I have reduced my panic attacks, and I look forward to traveling now. All airlines have been understanding and my landlord contacted my CertaPet therapist, she was able to speak to him and go over my diagnosis/necessary accommodations. SO thankful for CertaPet!”
Leah G. (ESA Owner and Furever Family to Bear)
Final Thought
ESA letters provide proof that a licensed health practitioner has recommended an individual’s need for an emotional support animal to help them manage their mental or emotional disability. An ESA letter is needed to be entitled to reasonable accommodation for housing and avail of ESA programs with air carriers.
Certapet is an online ESA letter provider that can work with you to get your support animal the necessary documentation to qualify as an ESA. Certapet will connect you with licensed health practitioners who can make a diagnosis of your mental health, make the recommendation for your support animal to become an ESA, and provide a certified ESA letter.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Fair Housing Act states that a landlord cannot deny an ESA letter because of your ESA’s age. Explain to your landlord that there is no age requirement for ESAs and that yours is well-behaved. Also, mention that you are a responsible handler. You will be, however, liable for any damages that your ESA may cause.
Every airline has a different policy on how to verify that your ESA letter is legit. For example, American Airlines will confirm your ESA letter by calling the doctor, while Spirit Airlines will only accept ESA letters from clinical social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists. Before traveling, find out the airline’s requirements for ESA letters and if you need to provide other documentation such as a guarantee or good behavior for your ESA and vet documentation.
Since January 11, 2021, the US Department of Transportation no longer requires airlines to accommodate emotional support animals. As of March 1, 2021, most airlines no longer accept ESAs. If you decide to bring your ESA, they will be treated as a regular pet. A change in status from ESA to a pet means you will have to pay any travel fees for your ESA, and they are subject to the air carrier’s breed, weight, and size restrictions. They may also have to ride in the cargo hold if they are too big to ride in the cabin. Before traveling, you should call your airline to check their policies for flying with animals and if they still recognize ESAs on their flights.
+ 2 sources
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- Hud.gov. (2018). HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). [online] Available at: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/assistance_animals.
- Transportation.gov. (2019). Passengers with Disabilities | US Department of Transportation. [online] Available at: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/passengers-disabilities.
Written by:
Dara Brewton, Former Health Writer
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
