There are certain laid down psychological and emotional disabilities which has been considered for the application of an ESA letter which includes stress disorder, depression disorder, personality disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), phobias, Impulse-control disorder, neurodevelopmental disorder, psychotic disorder, substance related disorder and many more. In such cases you need to obtain emotional support dog certification and carry them along with you. While animals registered as ESA become similar to members of the owner’s family they are considered to be different from traditional pets. Such animals provide a particular type of service to their owners and certain specific laws govern their use. From a legal viewpoint, ESAs are considered as companions offering emotional and mental support to their owners and recognize specific emotional occurrences and symptoms.
Federal laws governing ESAs
There are several laws which govern the rules and regulations relating to ESAs and their owners such as the Air Carrier Access Act, Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act. It is important that anyone considering obtaining an emotional support dog certification needs to be aware of the rules applicable in his or her purpose and the entire procedure to abide by. The Air Carrier Access Act, 1990 provides that airlines are not cannot refuse transportation, limit or ask for advance notice before offering services to disabled individuals. However, there might be certain guidelines regarding accommodation of electric wheelchairs or medical equipments which depend on the individual airline. The American Disabilities Act lays down guidelines regarding the treatment of individuals with ESAs by organizations and businesses. The Fair Housing Amendment Act, 1988 require housing communities and apartments to make reasonable accommodation for ESAs.
Registering your ESA
Registration of your ESA is voluntary and not compulsory but it is recommended to make such registration to make your pet look official. Many owners prefer to go without it but there is an increased chance of facing hassles and legal complications. So it is better to register your ESA with the National Service Animal Registry to legitimize your pet and eliminate all confrontations and problems. It requires only a few simple steps to complete your registration the first step being is to confirm that you have some kind of psychological or emotional disability. The next step is qualify your animal as harmless in public by taking a NSAR Public Access Test and makes a permanent inclusion of your pet in the NSAR database.