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What Disabilities Qualify For An Emotional Support Animal In 2024?
Updated on
- Written by Paige Anderson, CRDH
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Maya Frankfurt, PhD
Emotional support animals can offer tremendous therapeutic benefits for people suffering with some mental health conditions. An emotional support animal (ESA) can be anything from a guinea pig to a miniature horse.
Emotional support animals should not be confused with service animals such as a psychiatric service dog, which has advanced training to perform specific tasks like providing deep pressure therapy.
Unlike a service animal, an ESA is not allowed in all public spaces, although they do enjoy some legal protections.
What disabilities qualify for an emotional support animal, and how can you go about adopting and registering your ESA?
What Disabilities Qualify For An Emotional Support Animal?
Many emotional and mental disorders qualify for emotional support animals. You can find a complete list on the National Service Animal Registry website, but here are a few of the most common:
- Anxiety.
- Depression and bipolar disorder.
- Learning disabilities.
- ADHD.
- Chronic stress.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Being emotionally overwhelmed by problems such as grief.
However, some disabilities that qualify for an ESA may be better served with psychiatric service dogs.
For example, autism is considered a qualification for an ESA, but a service dog for autism[1] can intervene and prevent self harm, limit wandering, and alert the person to oncoming panic attacks or seizures.
5 Disabilities Qualifying For An Emotional Support Animal
Depression And Bipolar Disorder
Because interacting with animals can help balance brain chemistry, increase physical activity, and give a sense of purpose and structure, ESAs can be very helpful in reducing depression symptoms and providing comfort and may even decrease the severity of bipolar episodes.
Anxiety Disorders
Whether you suffer with generalized anxiety disorder or specific phobias, an ESA can help you feel grounded. Petting an animal can give you a physical sensation to focus on, helping to decrease feelings of being overwhelmed.
ADHD
Caring for an animal may help people with ADHD build a daily routine that works for them. People with ADHD may also find their symptoms improve when they get more physical activity, and some pets can help get us moving.
Conversely, animals may benefit from a person’s ADHD hyperfocus if it lands on tasks like training or building fun habitats!
Chronic Stress
People who interact regularly with animals are shown to have lower cortisol[2] levels, less anxiety and anger, and improved sleep over people with stress disorders who do not live with animals.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
People with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) may benefit significantly from living with an ESA.
However, a service animal may be a better choice for severe PTSD and CPTSD with a tendency toward panic attacks in public spaces.
Health Benefits Of An Emotional Support Animal
Gives Unconditional Love
Research indicates that petting, handling, and even being in the same room with animals can trigger the release of many comforting and relaxing hormones and neurotransmitters.
Specifically, animals help us produce prolactin, serotonin, and oxytocin, also known as the love chemical.
For people with an emotional or mental disability, this may help correct chemical imbalances in the brain and reduce their symptoms.
Provides Social Assistance
Social phobia can be a major obstacle to quality of life for many people. ESAs can decrease social anxiety and provide support for social situations as well as decreasing feelings of isolation.
May Lower Blood Pressure And Improve Cardiovascular Health
Living and interacting with animals has been shown[3] to decrease stress and even improve cardiovascular function.
Caring for an animal like a dog also helps to improve our motivation to get moving, which improves mental and physical well-being.
Gives Us Something To Care For
Having something outside yourself to care for can decrease symptoms of some emotional disorders and mental disabilities.
Building a routine of care around an animal may help you focus on the present[4] reduce rumination, give a sense of purpose, and even initiate social interactions.
Adopting An Emotional Support Animal
Evaluate If You Could Benefit From An ESA’s Support
The first step for how to qualify for an emotional support animal is to find out if you have a qualifying condition.
While a licensed mental health professional may have diagnosed you with a qualifying mental illness or disability, an ESA may not benefit you as much as you may think.
If you need an animal that can be with you at all times and in all public spaces, you may be better off looking into getting a psychiatric service animal[5]
See A Licensed Healthcare Professional
All licensed mental health professionals in the U.S. are qualified to prescribe emotional support animals or psychiatric service animals. Your physician may also be able to recommend a mental health specialist who can help you.
Your mental health provider can also help you decide which type of animal would best suit your specific needs and let you know what disabilities qualify for a service dog or ESA.
Get An ESA Letter
If your mental health professional determines that an ESA will help you enjoy better quality of life, they’ll help you get an ESA letter.
Registering your ESA is not strictly required under the law, but having proper documentation can help ensure you get protection under the Fair Housing Act and access to certain public transportation.
In the past, the United States Department of Transportation required airlines to allow ESAs on flights, but as of 2021, airlines are no longer required to allow them, so be sure to check for specific airlines that still allow them if you plan to fly with your animal.
Things To Remember When Choosing An ESA
Your Budget
Beyond the price of the animal itself, be mindful of ongoing costs for veterinary care, food, grooming and physical maintenance, and habitat needs.
Exercise Needs
Taking walks[6] is good for our mental health, which is one way an ESA may help decrease symptoms of depression, for example.
However, before committing to a specific animal or breed, be sure you’re up for providing the level of exercise it will need to stay healthy and balanced.
Finding An Appropriate Vet Near You
While any animal can become an ESA, if you choose a small animal or exotic pet, keep in mind that it may be hard to find a specialist vet near you that can see them.
Whether You Are Physically Able To Care For The Pet
If you have a physical disability, it may make it difficult to handle your animal or care for them if they are injured and need to be lifted or moved.
If you think a smaller animal may be a better fit for your lifestyle and abilities, you may want to consider a small adult animal so you don’t have any surprises as they grow!
5 Guidelines To Take Care Of ESAs
Make Sure Your ESA Lives In A Secure And Safe Environment
Choose an animal that’s right for your space and your lifestyle. Obviously, a mini horse isn’t a great choice for a 4th floor walk-up in the city.
If you have a small animal, be sure their habitat is safe for them without hazards like toxic houseplants or electrical cables they could chew on.
If you find yourself wanting to adopt more ESAs, be sure you’re not overcrowding your space and you have enough room and resources for all your animals.
Choose Quality Pet Food
Support your animal’s long-term health with quality food that suits all their nutritional needs. Your veterinarian is a great place to start!
Let Your ESA Be A Pet
Just like us, ESAs need time off. Be sure your ESA isn’t always “on the job.” Give them time to run around and just be a pet!
Keep Up With Regular Veterinary Care
Just like us, animals need regular veterinary care. While the cost of vet visits may feel prohibitive, remember that effective prevention is far more affordable than treating problems after they’ve started.
Understand The Laws For Your ESA
Even with proper documentation, ESAs are not entitled[7] access to all public spaces. If there is a no pet policy, you’ll have to either go elsewhere or leave your ESA behind.
ESA documentation is mostly intended to ensure that housing providers give reasonable accommodations to have your support animal.
Conclusion
Animals of all kinds can help soothe, center, and motivate us. For people suffering with mental and emotional conditions, an emotional support animal can significantly improve quality of life.
If you qualify for an ESA, be sure to do your due diligence and register and document your animal to ensure you have proper protection under the law.
With the help of a licensed healthcare provider, you may be able to enjoy better mental health alongside your emotional support animal.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Unlike service animals, emotional support animals are not covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, and are not entitled to entry into all public spaces.
Yes. An ESA letter provided by a licensed mental health professional, along with registration with a reputable company will ensure your ESA is covered by the Fair Housing Act so you can live with your support animal.
Unfortunately, due to too many conflicts and issues with animals flying in airplane cabins, ESAs no longer have legal protection to fly with you. However, some airlines may still allow them.
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- O’Haire, M.E. (2017). Research on animal-assisted intervention and autism spectrum disorder, 2012–2015. [online] 21(3), pp.200–216. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2016.1243988.
- Rodriguez, K.E., Bryce, C.I., Granger, D.A. and O’Haire, M.E. (2018). The effect of a service dog on salivary cortisol awakening response in a military population with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). [online] 98, pp.202–210. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.04.026.
- Cole, K.M., Gawlinski, A., Steers, N. and Kotlerman, J. (2007). Animal-Assisted Therapy in Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure. [online] 16(6), pp.575–585. doi:https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2007.16.6.575.
- https://www.researchgate.net/profile/James-Serpell/publication/234839772_Can_Animals_Help_Humans_Heal_Animal-Assisted_Interventions_in_Adolescent_Mental_Health/links/0fcfd5101857ca16bd000000/Can-Animals-Help-Humans-Heal-Animal-Assisted-Interventions-in-Adolescent-Mental-Health.pdf
- Lloyd, J., Johnston, L. and Lewis, J.B. (2019). Psychiatric Assistance Dog Use for People Living With Mental Health Disorders. [online] 6. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2019.00166.
- An, N. and Jing Chuo (2022). Walking and Activeness: The First Step toward the Prevention of Strokes and Mental Illness. [online] 2022, pp.1–7. doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3440437.
- Schoenfeld-Tacher, R., Hellyer, P.W., Cheung, L. and Kogan, L.R. (2017). Public Perceptions of Service Dogs, Emotional Support Dogs, and Therapy Dogs. [online] 14(6), pp.642–642. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14060642.
Written by:
Paige Anderson, CRDH
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
