Can Hotels Charge for Emotional Support Animals?

Did you know that emotional support animals are just regular pets that provide therapeutic benefits? That's why so many people are wondering if hotels charge for emotional support animals. The answer is of course No. Read on to find out everything you need to know about these special animals and how you can take them on your next trip.

These animals aren't required to undergo any type of training because science has shown over and again that animals are inherently therapeutic. They are naturally calming and healing. That's reason enough for many people to own a pet and take it wherever they go, including on vacation.

The problem is that laws about these special animals are changing rapidly and it's hard to know what is relevant at any given time. In fact, airlines only recently changed their policies to keep emotional support animals out of the cabin area.

With so much change and policy shifting, it's a challenge to know when or where a hotel stay for our special pets is possible. The solution is to have an official ESA letter for the state you're traveling to, but that is no easy task. Fortunately, DoNotPay circumvents the small stuff and gets pet parents the help they need.

What is an Emotional Support Animal?

Emotional support animals are special animals that impart a feeling of calming comfort and well-being upon their owners. While they don't have the training and nationally recognized status of service dogs, they have been scientifically proven to impart specific benefits to patients with PTSD, depression, anxiety, panic disorder, and other mental health issues.

Emotional support animals can be any animal that is kept as a pet, but they are most often be dogs. These animals must be designated necessary by a mental health professional. There must be a demonstrated need for the animal by the patient. Such as:

1. PTSD
2. Panic disorder
3. Anxiety
4. Depression

Some people have trouble functioning in life without their pets. Many people who suffer from PTSD and panic disorders require their ESAs to help them avoid panic attacks when traveling in public and combat signs of loneliness at home.

The Difference Between ESA Animals From Service Animals

What Is an Emotional Support Animal Letter?

Once an animal has been proven to help its owner, it's designated as an emotional support animal. To prove this nationally state, animals are issued an emotional support animal letter endorsed by a mental health professional.

These letters are only valid in the state in which they are issued. If you are traveling, it's a smart idea to call ahead to any place you'll be staying, eating, or riding in to make sure your ESA can escort you in your travels.

Service animals do not require an emotional support animal letter. They do things such as helping blind people maneuver through their day and assisting people with epilepsy through seizures. Emotional support animals are not trained in this manner.

Official ESA letters will include:

• Pet owners name and contact information
• Animal name (depending on the state)
• Physician/Licensed Mental Health Professional license number and expiration date
• Letter issued date
• Physician's contact information

You'll need one of these important letters to travel with your pet, but also to keep them in your home.

How to Get an ESA on Your Own

Getting an emotional support animal letter seems like a pretty simple process but it can be tricky, there are a lot of places with things might go wrong. The first step is to see a mental health professional which can pose a problem for those with transportation or insurance problems. Once you've received a diagnosis that can be helped with an ESA, you must write a letter requesting the verification for your pet.

Another option is to request a letter from an ESA company that has its in-house doctors and therapists. These options are effective but take the time you may not have when you're about to go on vacation.

Here's How DoNotPay Can Help

Through our new Service and Emotional Support Animals product, DoNotPay can help you with all of your ESA-related concerns, including hotel and lodging concerns, contacting your landlord about your ESA, asking airlines about their accommodation options, and finding the most affordable online ESA-letter service.

1. Search "service animal" on DoNotPay.

2. Select the type of issue you need help with, including contacting your landlord about your ESA/service animal, asking your airline about ESA options, or requesting ESA/service accommodations at other venues.

3. Answer a series of questions about your current situation and the details of your ESA/service animal, so we can generate the best results for you.

And that's it! Depending on your issue, DoNotPay will send a letter to your mental health professional requesting an ESA letter, contact the hotel and get back to you with an answer. DoNotPay can also help you with your ESA inquiries on various airlines such as United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines.

Why Use DoNotPay to Get an ESA Letter for a Hotel

DoNotPay can take care of all your ESA issues, not just those concerning lodging and hotels. They accomplish this by being:

• Speedy—You don't have time to mess around when you're going on a journey. DNP can get the letters you need fast.
• Straightforward— A few simple questions and we get to work
• Effective—You can rest knowing we're at work for you and your ESA

What Else Can DoNotPay Do?

DoNotPay does not only help you solve your ESA problems but can also solve other issues such as:

• Animal Control
• Pet Licenses
• How to cancel Subscriptions
• Airline Flight Compensation
• Hotel Upgrades
• Small Court Claims