June 26th, 2016

I have recently received a lot of questions about the requirements and training for "companion animals". In the conversation what is really being referred to are Emotional Support Animals, or ESAs. ESAs require no special task training but do require a mental health care professional, (ie, a licensed therapist or psychologist) to certify the need for an ESA.

​ESA requirements and rights are dictated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and do not receive the same rights of access that Service Dogs do. For more information, this link helps explain the difference along with landlord's rights and responsibilities for both.

hud_doc.pdf