ESA Certification provides maximum legal immunity honoring the therapeutic assistance your pet provides. All pets, especially dogs are more than mere animals, they are family members! In fact, in their role as an ESA, the dog has no less importance than a professional therapist! Many owners who are going through acute emotional crises would testify how the presence of their dogs beside them has got them to survive. In moments of harrowing desolation, a dog provides the much-needed companionship that may save one’s sanity. Usually, if you look for pet-friendly housing, it is typically expensive and a man in distress may not be able to afford that.
Possible Legal Issues
A possible legal issue is the objection of your landowner in keeping a pet at the premises. When your current landowner objects to the presence of your pet, you can furnish the emotional support animal certification at your defense. Barring certain rare circumstances, this always serves the purpose. Exceptions include leasing the rental unit without mediating agency, hotels, motels, and private clubs. In addition, if the house where you leave has up to four residential units, one of them occupied by the landlord, the certificate would not work. Otherwise, the house owner should consent to your pet’s presence or construct an alternative close accommodation for the dog.
ESA certificate
The presence of your dog delivers an additional sense of security and comfort that comes from unconditional love and care. Although unconditional love is beyond any payback, but you can at least secure your dog’s presence by legal immunity. The certificate includes four crucial aspects. It should be on a signed (and dated) letterhead from a registered medical practitioner. It should provide an accurate medical description of the mental health issue you face, including details on how it impairs your life at different levels. Finally, the prescription should carry the therapist’s assertion that you need an ESA for your well-being.
Obtaining the certificate
Find a service which facilitates the process. Typically, an online service would require you to fill up a detailed form to state your emotional health requirement and why the pet’s support carries invaluable therapeutic importance. You would need to pay a standard fee to be able to access this online form. Your response is taken for further evaluation. If necessary, a representative visits in person to assess your mental health condition. Once the checks are over, and you qualify, the certificate is delivered. In case, your application fails to qualify, a good service always ensures that you have a 100 percent refund on the payment made.
Apart from ensuring your dog’s presence despite landlord’s objection, the ESA certificate has several other legal benefits. For example, it is a crucial document to allow your dog to take a flight with you according to the Air Carrier Access Act. The emotional support animal certification also encompasses legal areas covered under the Fair Housing Act. You would have to observe certain necessary formalities as well. Your dog would need a photo ID with its ESA registration number. For flight issues, you would also need an additional verification letter along with the certificate.
