Do you REALLY need an emotional support animal letter?
Do you REALLY need an emotional support animal letter?
Get familiar with local hangouts before paying for the ESA letter
When a family member called me recently to ask how to go about getting an emotional support animal (ESA) letter, I gave her a link to one of the most common websites found on the first page of Google. For military vets and those with mental health concerns (ex. depression, anxiety, autism, Asperger’s, post-traumatic stress disorder), an ESA is an amazing way to improve mental and physical health. And the person who’d made the inquiry was on disability and previously had a stroke a few years ago. This dog was an instant mood booster.
But when she contacted me again and told me that that same company wouldn’t stop calling her—on a daily basis after the original registration link required an email address and a phone number—I raised an eyebrow. This was feeling more like telemarketing sales tactics than a governmental website intended to help users find much-needed support and convenient ways to bring a dog along. So I asked her a question I should’ve asked in the first place: Why do you want this ESA letter anyway?
For travelers, homeowners (single-family homes and condo owners), and tenants, this will largely determine who needs what.