How to Get an ESA Letter in Georgia
In 2019, authorities documented about 200,000 emotional support animals (ESAs) in the US. These are pets that help treat their owners' mental conditions. To take advantage of the privileges of therapy dogs, you must from a mental health professional.
Although the Federal Fair Housing Act protects individuals who own emotional support animals from discrimination in housing, some airlines may have stricter ESA policies. Not to say how challenging it is to find a reduced-cost online ESA letter service. What's your next solution?
DoNotPay is an online robotic lawyer that can advocate on your behalf to these parties, ensuring that you receive the services and convenience you need as an ESA dog owner. It's a simple three-step procedure with a high success rate, and you'll get feedback from us soon after.
Emotional Support Dogs Explained
An emotional support dog is a furry companion to an individual with a mental or psychiatric condition. Besides companionship, the animal helps alleviate the emotional aspect of their disability. Usually, they help ease stress, depression, anxiety, and several forms of phobia.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and law only support service dogs, not emotional support dogs. Service dogs are trained to offer assistance to persons with a physical or psychological disability. They guide the blind, assist the hearing impaired, remind the owner to take medication, etc.
The table below outlines the differences between an emotional support animal vs a service animal:
ESA | Service Animal | |
Definition | A pet, whose presence is determined to be needed for the mental health of a patient. The pet is prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to a person with a disabling mental illness. | According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are dogs that are trained to perform tasks or do work for people with disabilities. |
Does the assistance animal have access to public areas? | No | Yes |
Can the assistance animal be banned or restricted when the owner is obtaining housing? | No | No |
Will the owner of the assistance animal be charged a pet deposit for living with one? | No | No |
Is the assistance animal allowed on flights free of charge? | No | Yes |
Neither law covers emotional support animals. Therefore, "no pets" public accommodation can deny emotional support animal Georgia housing rights to a therapy-dog owner unless they present a legitimate ESA letter from a licensed mental or psychiatric doctor.
Additionally, airlines no longer allow ESA's onboard their flights in 2021 due to changes in emotional-support-drug policies. Again, you must prove that your therapy warrants the need for the dog. You must also produce an ESA letter if you have a psychiatric disability, and the dog helps alleviate emotional disorders.
ESA Benefits Include:
Here are the important benefits that ESA provides.
- Improved physical and mental health
- Lessened anxiety
- Reciprocal care and love
- Reduced feelings of loneliness
- Trauma support
What Is an ESA Letter?
An emotional support animal Georgia letter is a document differentiating a therapy dog from a pet. This paper proves that you have a psychiatric condition and that the animal is critical to your treatment. Due to their status, emotional support animals also enjoy rights and privileges.
Usually, a Georgia ESA letter template must contain specific details and information provided under the law. These details include:
- Date when ESA letter was issued.
- Name of the mental health professional.
- Name of the practice.
- Contact information of the practice.
- Type of medical license.
- The city or county the therapist operates in.
- Acknowledgment that they're currently treating your mental condition
- Type of animal.
Who Can Write an ESA Letter?
An authorized professional can prescribe an ESA and even offer recommendations on where to get a therapy dog Georgia. The following are licensed psychiatric professionals who can write an ESA letter:
- Primary care physician
- Licensed therapist
- Licensed general physician
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Licensed counselor
- Physician assistant
- Psychiatric mental health nurse
If you lack time to visit a physician, you can leverage an online remote therapist to register your dog as an emotional support animal. The only problem is finding an affordable and licensed online ESA letter service in Georgia. DoNotPay can help you identify the right remote therapist to register your dog as an ESA in the Southwest.
An Example ESA Letter for Securing Your Therapy Dog's Flight Accommodation
As of 2021, flight passengers aren't allowed to accommodate therapy dogs unless they get a recommendation from a licensed mental therapist or psychiatrist. If you're planning to fly within Georgia or beyond, you can write a letter to the doctor requesting them to prove your need for an ESA.
Below is an example of an emotional support animal letter Georgia.
{Mental Health Professional and Practice}
{Physical address}
ESA Letter Requester:
Name: _________
Phone number: __________
Email: __________
Address: _____________
{Date}
Dear (Mental health professional's name)
{SUBJECT/PURPOSE FOR WRITING THE REQUEST}
I hereby request an ESA recommendation letter to send to {Airline name} explaining that I need the emotional support animal as part of my treatment.
The following are the contact information of the airline:
{Airline name}: _______________
{Airline address}:_______________
I'd really appreciate it if you wrote an ESA letter on your official letterhead, explaining to the airline agent that you're my current doctor and I need the emotional support animal as provided under Georgia law plays an integral role in my treatment regimen.
Your consideration of this request will be highly valued.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
{Image of eSignature}
{Sender's full name}_______________
{Time}: ____________________
Use DoNotPay and Get Reliable ESA Advocacy
As you may have noticed, enjoying your privileges as an emotional support animal owner takes some effort. You need to generate an ESA letter from a mental health professional and present it to the airline agent or landlord.
DoNotPay alleviates the stress of doing that. We are your trusted robotic lawyer, ready to contact your landlord regarding ESA housing or an airline agent if you need to travel with your therapy dog.
Here is how you can use DoNotPay to handle ESA-related Issues:
- Search "service animal" on DoNotPay.
- 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.
- 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.
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
If you're a pet owner, DoNotPay will help you with products such as pet custody agreements, lost and found issues, licensing, and more.
But even if you don't have a furry friend roaming around, DoNotPay helps with your everyday management and needs. Check out the links below for more of how DoNotPay will make your life easier:
- Animal control issues
- Compensation for canceled flights
- How to get free hotel upgrades
- How to file a claim in Small Claims Court
If you'd like to learn more about DoNotPay’s products for pet owners and non-pet owners alike, please visit us here.