What’s The FHA For an Emotional Support Dog [Explained]

Pets provide powerful therapeutic benefits. According to Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a journal of the American Heart Association, animals may help you live longer.

Studies have found that living with an emotional support dog can help reduce stress and anxiety. The Fair Housing Act ensures that ESA owners can legally live with their support animals in rented apartments. Read on to learn more about this law.

What is The Fair Housing Act (FHA)?

According to the Fair Housing Act (FHA), tenants with disabilities must be provided reasonable accommodations. A disability is a physical or mental illness, which affects one’s major life activities.

Many individuals with mental illnesses use animal-assisted therapy to deal with their symptoms. The FHA ensures protection against tenants with valid emotional support animals. The law also applies to regions with a no-pet policy.

What Does Reasonable Accommodation Mean?

A reasonable accommodation is a change in rules, policies, etc., so that an individual with a disability can get an equal opportunity to use an apartment. In other words, it helps eliminate any barriers for individuals with disabilities from living in apartments in the United States.

Additionally, housing providers can’t charge extra fees or impose other special conditions for ESA owners to receive reasonable accommodations.

Type of Housing Covered Under The FHA

Under the Fair Housing Act, a dwelling is any building or structure that is designed as a residence of one or more families. Or any land that is offered for sale/lease for construction of any such building or structure.

A dwelling covers-

• Apartment communities
• Nursing homes
• Group homes
• Mobile homes
• Residential facilities
• Trailer parks
• Seasonable facilities
• Condominiums

Documents Required to Rent an Apartment With an ESA

If you are thinking of living with your emotional support dog in a rented apartment in the United States, your landlord will ask you to show documents that prove your disability.

So, you need to get an emotional support dog letter from a licensed mental health professional. The letter should say that you are suffering from a medical condition, which can be managed with animal-assisted therapy. The ESA letter must be on the official letterhead and contain the name and the signature of the therapist, date of issue, and your ESA details.

Additionally, you need to submit your ESA’s vaccination details, behavior certificate, pet insurance, etc.

In conclusion, the Fair Housing Act allows tenants with disabilities to live with their emotional support dogs in rented apartments. Moreover, landlords should ensure reasonable housing to their tenants with ESAs and can’t charge extra pet deposits. However, a landlord has the right to ask for the ESA letter for verification purposes, but they can’t deny housing to an ESA owner.

Want to register your dog as an emotional support dog? Visit My ESA Doctor. We are a top-rated clinic with licensed therapists. We have been operating for more than 2 decades and helped thousands of individuals receive ESA letters hassle-free. Here’s the complete process to apply for an emotional support dog letter-

• Sign up for an account
• See a therapist via video call
• Get an ESA letter via email