Basics
What Is an ESA? Emotional Support Animals Explained
An emotional support animal (ESA) is a domesticated animal whose presence helps reduce symptoms of a diagnosed mental or emotional disability. Unlike a psychiatric service dog or other service animals, an ESA does not need special training and is not granted public-access rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In practice, an ESA is treated differently from a pet only in limited situations - mainly housing under the Fair Housing Act - and that protection rests on a letter from a licensed mental health professional, not on any registry, ID card, or certificate.