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Emotional Support Animals VS. Psychiatric Service Dogs

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What is an Emotional Support Animal?

An emotional support animal (ESA) helps alleviate symptoms of a mental or emotional disorder, either on its own or as part of a treatment plan. ESAs can be any domesticated animal, from common pets like dogs and cats to more unique animals like snakes or miniature horses. They offer comfort without requiring any special training. While ESAs can’t accompany you in public, they are legally protected to live with you at home without extra pet fees or deposits.

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What is a Psychiatric Service Dog?

Like ESAs, psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) help manage mental health disabilities, but they are specially trained to perform tasks related to the disability, such as deep pressure therapy (DPT) during a panic attack. PSDs must meet specific training standards, which grants them more legal rights than ESAs. They are allowed in public places, on planes, and in restaurants, making them ideal for individuals who need their animal’s support everywhere they go.

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Key Differences Between ESAs & PSDs

Emotional Support Animals (ESA)

  • Exempt from pet housing fees

  • Provide support for your mental health

  • Cannot travel on airlines for free

  • Aren't allowed in public places

  • No specialized training required

  • Can be any breed of pet

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Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSD)

  • Exempt from pet housing fees

  • Trained to support your mental health

  • Can travel on airlines for free

  • Are allowed in public places

  • Minimum training requirement

  • Dogs only

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Differences in Legal Rights and Protections

There are three federal laws that pertain to assistance animals:

  • The Fair Housing Act (FHA)
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA)

Psychiatric service dogs are covered by all three laws, allowing them to join you in housing, public places, and on airplanes respectively. Emotional support animals on the other hand are only protected under the Fair Housing Act, which allows you to keep your ESA (or PSD) in your home, exempt from pet restrictions and fees.

If you just need your pet at home, an ESA is probably for you. If you need your animal with you at all times, consider training a psychiatric service dog.
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Can Any Animal be an ESA or PSD?

An ESA may be any type of domesticated animal, including dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, ferrets, rabbits, lizards, and more!

While those are more common, other domesticated animals like snakes and miniature horses can also act as ESAs in some situations. You always want to make sure your living conditions are fit for your assistance animal’s size and needs.

On the other hand, a PSD must be a dog of any breed that is trained to perform specific tasks related to its owner’s mental health disorder.

The FHA protects your right to have a PSD of any breed in your living situation, just as long as you keep the canine companion under your control and out of trouble.

Taking an online course to train your own PSD can be an affordable alternative to hiring a trainer.
  • Mr. Cat

How to Decide Between an ESA and a PSD

Choosing between a psychiatric service dog (PSD) and an emotional support animal (ESA) depends on your mental health needs. If your symptoms can be managed at home, an ESA is a great option. However, if you need help with specific tasks, public outings, or have a more advanced condition, a PSD may be the better fit.

Pettable provides risk-free solutions for both ESAs and PSDs.

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What Tasks can a PSD Perform?

PSDs can be trained to perform any number of tasks to help their owners live their daily lives regardless of their mental health condition. These can include:

  • Deep pressure therapy (DPT)
  • Seizure warning and response
  • Fetching medication or reminding the owner to take it
  • Intervention in cases of self-harm or emergencies
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What are the Costs Associated With ESAs and PSDs?

Both ESAs and PSDs come with financial commitments, especially if you don’t already own a pet. While pre-trained PSDs can cost over $20,000, adopting and training a dog yourself with professional help is a more affordable option that also strengthens your bond. ESAs are less expensive since no specialized training is required, with the main costs being the animal itself and an ESA letter. However, if your ESA is a dog, basic obedience training is recommended for a smoother transition into your home.

How to Train Your Own PSD

Even if you don’t have experience, training your psychiatric service dog (PSD) can be an easy and enriching experience for both you and your canine companion. With Pettable’s award-winning online PSD training course, our experts will guide you through the training process, giving you the flexibility to work at a pace that fits your and your dog’s needs. In addition to specialized training to fit your disability, we will also help you with basic dog obedience, public access behavior, and travel training. Don’t hesitate — contact Pettable today to get started!

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Getting Your ESA Letter is Easy

Quick assessment
Answer a few questions to help us understand your current situation.
See a therapist
Attend a 1 on 1 consultation with a licensed mental health professional to see if you qualify.
Your receive your letter!
Receive your ESA letter within 24-48 hours of approval.
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Why Pettable is the Best Online ESA Letter Provider

Questions? We got answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

An emotional support animal provides comfort to help relieve a symptom or effect related to a person's disability. Also, there is no animal or breed restrictions for ESA's as long as it is reasonable and justified.

Note that being an emotional support animal is not the same as being a service animal (like seeing-eye dogs). These types of animals have stricter criteria that must be met, including different forms of training such as obedience, public access and disability training. These additional trainings are necessary since service dogs have public access and travel rights, unlike emotional support animals who are only protected under housing rights.

ESA's do not have public access or travel rights, so it's best to check with individual business guidelines to see if they allow ESA's. Additionally, you can train your dog to become a PSD (psychiatric service dog) in order to have public access and travel rights.

The general criteria is to have some emotional or psychological condition that is improved by having an animal that provides support. Conditions may include depression, generalized anxiety, paranoia, insomnia, and others. And remember, Emotional Support Animals do not require special training!

Only a licensed mental health professional is qualified to determine if you meet the criteria. Through our service, you can speak directly with a qualified mental health professional in the state where you reside. Pettable connects you with a licensed mental health professional for a consultation to determine if you qualify for an ESA. Unlike, some less legitimate services, we do not provide letters for fee, but instead we connect you to a professional for an honest evaluation.

Step 1: Once payment is submitted and your appointment is scheduled through our website, you will receive an email to activate your account.

Step 2: Once your account is activated, the process will prompt you to fill out the required forms to give more information to your clinician before your scheduled appointment.
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Step 3: Your assigned clinician will call you at your scheduled appointment time and will let you know if you have qualified. If you've qualified, your clinician will upload your letter in your portal for you to view and print.
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If for any reason you are not approved we will refund your entire purchase.

When you take our quiz we collect information to match you with a therapist that has experience with your case and can meet your specific needs.
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Additionally, to our knowledge, Pettable is the only provider that offers a full Money Back Guarantee - meaning if you do not qualify for a letter after your consultation or your landlord does not accept it after filing a complaint with the HUD, then we’ll refund 100% of your purchase.
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We have experience with every kind of ESA situation - multiple pets, breed restrictions, weight/size restrictions, traveling across state lines, immediate turnaround, etc. We are confident we can help you with your specific ESA needs and if we can't, we will refund your money 100%. See our Money Back Guarantee FAQ for more information.

Our Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Letters are fully compliant with the Fair Housing Act. These are the two primary laws the dictate the terms by which individuals like you may leverage an ESA Letter for mental health purposes and live with a designated emotional support animal in situations where you otherwise would not be able to.

We employ a vetted network of licensed and qualified mental health professionals who possess the credentials necessary to write a certified ESA Letter.

Our website is also HIPAA Compliant, ensuring that your information is protected according to nationally mandated federal law.