Arkansas Laws on Emotional Support Animals

As more light is shed on emotional and mental disorders, being able to assist these folks in public is essential. The anxiety from the crowds, or maybe living alone in a new area can prompt your disorder to have an outbreak and make life really difficult in day-to-day life. If you or someone you know is suffering from one of these conditions, they may be in need of an emotional support animal. Studies have shown that the presence of an animal can be enough to subside any outbreaks and calm these individuals in certain situations.

If you are moving to the Arkansas area and need an emotional support animal, you may need to get official permission to have your pet through an ESA letter. This letter can help you carry the pet you currently have with you or allow you to find and adopt a pet that will boost your interactions and calm your outbreaks with your disorder. These support animals are very much like a prescription and are considered one of the more successful treatments for many of the disorders that are eligible.

With the help of DoNotPay, you can request this letter, have it completed appropriately, and move forward if you are traveling via airlines or moving to Arkansas in the near future.

What Makes A Current Pet Eligible?

In order to be listed as an ESA, the individual in question must show signs of positive changes during interaction with the pet. An emotional support animal can be a variety of pets. Dogs and cats are the most common animals used as ESAs. Rabbits are becoming a more popular animal as they are easy to manage and enjoy being social with their owner. If you prefer, you can even choose from a bird or reptile to be your support animal and provide you with the emotional assistance you need.

If you do not already have a pet for your emotional support, you may want to do research on the different animals listed and see how they can help you with your emotional needs. You or someone you know with these conditions may also suffer from certain pet allergies and only be able to use certain animals for their pet. Some dog and cat breeds are better than others because of their personality and nurturing nature. It is important that the animal you choose is willing to interact with you regularly.

Understanding the Emotional Support Animal Letter and What it Means

Now that you know you need an emotional support letter, you may have questions about that document and what is needed for it. The emotional support animal (ESA) letter is designed to give those who qualify special permission to travel and live with pets that may not be allowed in certain areas.

This letter can be drafted in any state, but each state has its own rules and regulations when it comes to this letter. Unfortunately, when you are trying to rent an apartment, townhome, or apartment, you could be met with stipulations that deny entry of a pet. At that time, you will be forced to consider moving and rehoming your pet or see about having them evaluated and reclassified for emotional support.

Traveling With Airlines

If you are traveling with one of the airlines below, you may want to see what their policies are regarding an ESA letter:

Keep in mind that airline policies change quickly. Contact them directly and ask about ESA requirements before making any plans.

Illnesses and Issues That May Benefit from ESAs

If you’re not sure if you qualify for an ESA letter, below are the most widely seen illnesses. You can be diagnosed with one of these to be considered eligible:

• PTSD and disorders that prompt anxiousness
• Anorexia, Bulimia, and other eating disorders
• ADHD and OCD behavioral disorders
• Bipolar and other personality disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Autism

These disorders and illnesses affect each person differently than they experience, so it is critical to get the best treatment. Having a pet that is emotionally supportive and gives direct attention is something that many of those suffering seem to benefit from. In many cases, having a friendly animal is the best prescription you can get. Depending on your personality, that could be one of many types of animals.

Are Lease Managers in Arkansas Required To Accept ESA Letters?

In Arkansas, all your leasing agent or landlord needs to allow an emotional support animal in the home if there is a verified Emotional Support Animal Letter. This is a law that is in effect per the Fair Housing Act, no matter which part of the state you are visiting or moving to. As long as you have a letter that provides the required information, there is no additional step.

You do not need to supply additional documentation from your doctor or even give them details regarding your illness. But the letter must:

• Be on the official letterhead from the licensed health professional.
• The licensed mental health professional who authored the letter must have their credentials, including name, title, state of certification, and license number on the document in case it needs to be verified.
• A handwritten signature and date should be visible on the letter when it is provided to the appropriate party.

If you are provided with one of these documents that meet all of these requirements, you just need to submit it to your lease manager or landlord for the property you are renting. Your landlord must accept it per the laws of Arkansas. If they choose not to accept it and deny housing to the animal, you do have the right to move forward and send demand letters to.

Getting an Emotional Support Letter For Your Pet

If you have a pet that you need to carry with you at all times due to an emotional disability, you will need to supply support and gain an assessment from a licensed professional for an ESA letter.

1. You will need to have official documentation from a previous or current physician of your illness.
2. Once you have your documents, you will need to visit a licensed professional and show proof that your animal is essential for your overall health.
3. You will undergo a series of questions to determine if you are eligible for an ESA letter.
4. If approved, you will be supplied with documentation that supports your case. Provide this letter to your landlord, airline company, or both so that you can have your emotional support animal with you.

Sometimes you may encounter some obstacles such as the professional not having the approved license or the letter does not provide the essential information required to authorize your needs.

Let DoNotPay Assist With This Request

When trying it your way does not work, you can get assistance another way. DoNotPay is able to contact your landlord about your ESA, ask airlines about their accommodation options, and find the most affordable online ESA-letter service. All you need to do is follow the steps below:

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.

These steps will assist you with getting through the process of finalizing an ESA letter and moving forward with your lease agreement or travel plans.

Are There Other Ways DoNotPay Can Help Me?

In addition to helping you get your ESA letter request in Arkansas, DoNotPay has a solution for other needs. By applying their own traits of accuracy and simplicity, they can make any daunting task app less intimidating and manage all of the hard work that goes into the request. If you need to do any of the following tasks, let DoNotPay take them over for you so you can get back to what really matters.

• If you have filed your ESA letter and it is not accepted, you can send demand letters to in small claims court.
• Should you not be allowed to fly with your support animal, you can demand airline flight compensation.
• Because travel plans change, you can receive hotel upgrades with their help.
• If you are having issues with another animal that may be threatening, contact animal control today.

Try it out today and see how helpful DoNotPay is!