When you call to schedule the appointment, let them know that you want to talk to them about getting an ESA letter. That way you’re not putting them on the spot when you show up for the appointment.
Different situations may call for different reasons you need to have your pet. For example, if you have anxiety and a pathological fear of flying, your therapist might be able to write you an ESA letter to have your animal in the cabin of an aircraft. However, those same reasons wouldn’t justify your need for your animal in no-pets housing.
For example, if you suffer from anxiety, your animal may help keep you calm or give you something to focus on when you feel a panic attack coming on. Your animal also may provide you with a sense of connection to reality or to the world. Being responsible for the animal’s well-being may help keep you grounded.
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has a PDF of a sample letter you can download at http://www. bazelon. org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ESA-Sample-Letter. pdf. This letter meets all the necessary legal requirements. If the name of the recipient of the letter is known, the letter should be addressed to them specifically. Otherwise, a generic “to whom it may concern” letter is fine.
Once you get your letter, you’re responsible for delivering it to the appropriate person. Before you give them your letter, make a copy of it for your own records.
You can find sample letters online that you can use as guides. For example, the Disability Rights Center of Maine has several sample letters available at https://mainelse. org/sites/default/files/DRCSampleLetters. pdf. If you know the name of the recipient of the letter, address it specifically to them rather than using a generic salutation, such as “to whom it may concern. " There’s nothing wrong with emailing the letter. However, if you anticipate resistance to your request, you might want to take it in person or mail it using a trackable method.
Make your request in advance, and as soon as possible. If you leave it to the last minute, you risk putting yourself and others in a difficult or awkward situation. Be respectful, and don’t put anyone on the spot or make demands. You may get resistance because people have abused the privilege of having an ESA so they can keep their pets with them. the person you talk to may have had bad experiences previously with someone who had an untrained or disruptive animal.
Make several copies of this letter to ensure you always have one handy. Keep this letter as well as a copy of the letter from your health care provider with you whenever you are in public with your ESA.
You may also be required to pay a nonrefundable pet fee. If you’re not able to pay the entire amount up front, find out if you can make installment payments over several months.
For example, if you have anxiety, you wouldn’t expect a nervous chihuahua that had a high anxiety level itself to have a calming influence on you. If you’ve not yet adopted your animal, choose a breed with an appropriate temperament for being an ESA. For example, if you’re looking for a dog, consider breeds often used as service animals, such as retrievers and German Shepherds.
In some situations, you may be required to vouch for your ESA’s behavior. For example, some airlines require ESA handlers to sign a written statement that their ESA is calm and well-behaved. [13] X Research source
If an accident happens, clean it up yourself as quickly as possible. No one else is responsible for taking care of or cleaning up after your ESA.
If your animal is calm and obedient, this shouldn’t be a problem. If you have a cat, rabbit, or other animal that can’t exactly be “trained,” make sure you have the animal in a carrier or restrained in some way at all times when you’re out in public.
For example, if you have a dog as your ESA, and your landlord requires dog owners to clean up after their animals outside, this applies to you as well. If you don’t clean up after your dog, your landlord could evict you for a lease violation – regardless of your dog’s status as your ESA.
