You deserve to have the support of your pet, wherever you go

We help pet owners understand their rights and get legally recognized ESA or PSD Letters

[ Lovingly served thousands of pet owners ]

You deserve to have the support of your pet, wherever you go

We help pet owners understand their rights and get legally recognized ESA or PSD Letters

[ Lovingly served thousands of pet owners ]

Official Pets helps eliminate all your worries concerning your ESA or PSD needs

You want to feel confident having your Support Pet by your side, whether you’re at home or traveling. Deep down you know having your pet by your side benefits your mental health, but you feel stuck when you feel like your pet isn’t welcome or even prohibited to be with you in certain places. 

You want to be able to have the undeniable support of your pet without the restrictions and you want to understand your legal rights. You don’t want to be limited on where you can live or how you can travel. You want to know you and your pet are protected. 

You want to live your life, with your Support Pet by your side. You’re in the right place, our team of experts at Official Pets got you covered, have no worries!

Official Pets helps eliminate all your worries concerning your ESA or PSD needs

EXEMPT FROM “NO PET POLICIES”

Live worry free with your pet, even if there’s a no-pet policy.

TRAVEL MADE EASY

Travel and fly with ease knowing you and your pet are legally protected.

MONEY SAVED, WORRIES WAiVED

Save money by taking advantage of waived pet fees and deposits.

LEGALLY COMPLIANT NATIONWIDE

Feel confident knowing your letter is legally recognized and compliant with federal and state laws in all 50 states.

100% Money Back Guarantee

Don’t pay for services you don’t receive. If you’re not approved for an ESA or PSD letter you won’t be charged a penny.

24 HOUR DELIVERY

Receive your letter within 24 hours so you and your pet are protected as soon as possible.

CERTIFIED BY A LICENSED THERAPIST

Your letter is prescribed by a Licensed Therapist and will legally protect you and your Support Animal.

UNMATCHED CLIENT SUPPORT

We’re here to provide education, advocacy, resources, and additional documentation if needed.

Hear From
Official Pets Clients
Nisha Khodra
Nisha Khodra
Read More
ESA process made quick and safe, thank you Official Pets for guiding me! Thank you so much, you guys really came through when I needed it most. The ESA Letter worked great! It’s all good now with my landlord. I’m so grateful I can keep Milo with me. I was nervous and didn’t know anything about how the ESA process works, but you guys guided me through it and explained everything in such detail. My therapist was awesome and really quick to respond, the support team rocks, you guys are the best!
Alexander Khmelnitsky
Alexander Khmelnitsky
Read More
Great ESA Letter! I got my ESA letter. The process was really simple and fast. The therapist was really understanding and explained everything thoroughly. The community I’m moving into accepted the ESA letter without a problem. I highly recommend Official Pets to anybody needing an ESA letter. Excellent customer service!
Tara LaBoissiere
Tara LaBoissiere
Read More
I sincerely want to thank my therapist… I sincerely want to thank my therapist at Official Pets. I was in a very bad situation when my complex recently decided that pets are no longer allowed. I was freaking out and didn’t know what to do. My friend told me about ESA letters and recommended Official Pets. The ESA letter proves to landlords, managers, and other housing supervisors that an individual needs an ESA (and I most definitely did). My therapist wrote me a very detailed letter explaining my mental health condition and why it is crucial for me to have Winston and Charlie living with me as a reasonable accommodation. My therapist treated my case with a sense of urgency and delivered the letter within an hour. I am now in compliance with my complex and have both Winston and Charlie with me as my official Emotional Support Animals 🙂 - Tara, 29, F, Louisville, KY
Previous
Next
Understanding ESAs AND PSDs

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an approved pet that provides therapeutic benefits to someone suffering with mental health challenges. The pet is required to be approved and prescribed by a Licensed Mental Health Professional but does not require any special training. Their purpose is to provide comfort and support to anyone struggling with the effects of a diagnosed emotional, mental, or psychological disability.

A Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) is a recognized type of service animal and is trained to perform tasks that alleviate symptoms of a mental health disability. PSDs can help individuals perform everyday tasks that might prove challenging due to their mental health condition.

It’s Important to Note

An ESA and PSD both provide support and symptom relief from a mental or emotional disability. And while the qualification process for an ESA and PSD is very similar, the standard of training for your pet is different. Unlike an ESA, a PSD is trained to perform a task that aids your emotional or mental disability in some way. 

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), “People with disabilities have the right to train a dog themselves and are not required to use a professional service dog training program”. You can have your pet professionally trained, or you can just train them yourself to perform a task that aids your mental health in some way.

Who Qualifies?

Anyone with a mental health challenge can qualify for an ESA or PSD. Some examples would be:

Anxiety, Depression, Emotional Overwhelm, Panic Attacks, Social Phobia, Stress, PTSD, OCD, Medical Conditions, ADHD, Substance Abuse, Schizoaffective Disorder, Mood Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Autism, Eating Disorders, Personality Disorders, Mobility Issues, or more.

HOW IT WORKS

Fill out our online questionnaire for an ESA or PSD Letter. It’s easy and confidential.

A licensed therapist will contact you within 24 hours to discuss your ESA or PSD needs.

Your therapist will email you a copy of your legally recognized ESA or PSD Letter so you can immediately be protected.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL (ESA)

For pets that provide emotional support

Grants access to “no-pets” residential buildings
Exempts pet rent, fees, and deposits
Exempts breed and weight restrictions
Legally recognized by landlords and HOAs
Protected under the Fair Housing Act (FHA)

$85

See what else is included with your ESA letter here

PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE DOG (PSD)

For dogs trained to perform tasks in response to their owner’s symptoms

Grants access to “no-pets” buildings
Exempts pet rent, fees, and deposits
Exempts breed and weight restrictions
Legally recognized by landlords and HOAs
Grants access to public buildings like hotels, businesses, and stores
Grants access on airlines free of charge
Protected under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), American with Disabilities Act (ADA), and in accordance with the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA)

$125

See what else is included with your PSD letter here

Know Your Rights

The federal law recognizes the importance of an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) and grants special housing rights protected under the Fair Housing Act. This includes access to “no-pets” apartment buildings, exemption from weight, breed, and size restrictions, and exemption from pet fees and deposits. To have a valid ESA, you need to have a prescribed ESA Letter from a Licensed Mental Health Professional. The letter confirms your mental health disability and the legitimacy of your Emotional Support Animal in helping improve your condition. This is the only way to qualify your pet as an Emotional Support Animal. Our ESA Letters are legally compliant and allow you to live where you want to, without worrying about no-pets policies and pet fees.

A Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) has airplane travel rights as well as public access rights. PSDs are protected under Federal and State laws including the the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), and the Department of Transportation (DOT). Establishments that serve the public generally must allow PSDs to accompany their owners. PSDs are also allowed to accompany their owners in the cabin of an aircraft without the airline charging extra fees. Our PSD Letters ensure you can travel with ease knowing you and your pet are protected.

Bringing Transparency and Accessibility to The ESA and PSD Process

Our team of Licensed Therapists teamed up to open Official Pets after working in the industry and wishing things were done differently. We believe every pet owner in need of an ESA or PSD should have easy and affordable access to the support they need, without feeling taken advantage of or overwhelmed during the process.

We’re here to advocate for improved access to mental health care and support individuals with mental health conditions. We understand the power of Animal-Assisted Treatment Plans and want to help our clients use it to its fullest potential.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)?

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an individual’s pet that has been approved and prescribed by a Licensed Therapist to provide therapeutic benefits, such as alleviation from anxiety, depression, or any other mental health challenge an individual may struggle with. The animal does not require any specialized training. Their purpose is to provide comfort and support to a person dealing with a diagnosed emotional, mental, or psychological challenge.

What is an ESA Letter?

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Letter is issued by a Licensed Therapist. The ESA Letter establishes that the individual has a mental health disability and confirms a legitimate need for the support that the individual’s companion animal provides. The ESA Letter will be provided on the Licensed Therapist's official letterhead, signed, and dated. It will also include the therapist's licensing and contact details, enabling your landlord to verify their credentials. The letter will contain everything legally required for an ESA prescription within the body of the letter. Our ESA Letter ensures that you live worry free with your pet knowing you are legally protected!

What rights do Emotional Support Animals have?

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) and their owners have certain protections under federal and state laws. Under the law, ESAs are recognized as assistance animals, granting them exemptions from pet-related regulations. ESAs are entitled to reside in residential buildings that ordinarily prohibit pets or have certain pet restrictions (breed, size, and weight restrictions will not be applied to an ESA). Landlords and other housing providers must allow tenants to live with their ESAs free of charge. The ESA Letter serves as proof of your mental or emotional disability, protecting you under the Fair Housing Act (FHA).

What are the requirements for qualifying for an ESA?

To have a recognized Emotional Support Animal, it is necessary to have an ESA Letter that has been prescribed by a Licensed Therapist. This letter confirms your mental health disability (anxiety, panic attacks, depression, PTSD, or many others) and the fact that having an Emotional Support Animal helps alleviate symptoms of that disability. According to federal law, this is the sole valid method to qualify an animal as an Emotional Support Animal.

Do Emotional Support Animals require a certificate, license, ID card, special harness, or vest?

The ESA Letter is the only necessary and valid documentation to qualify and verify your Emotional Support Animal status. Your ESA does not require a certificate, license, ID card, special harness, or vest. Housing providers cannot require certificates, registrations, licenses, or IDs for your ESA, as these items do not hold any legal significance for an ESA. While some ESA owners use them as visual indicators, they are neither mandatory nor valid forms of proof that an animal is an ESA. Only a Licensed Therapist can issue a legitimate ESA Letter, and that is the only thing you will need!

Does an Emotional Support Animal need to be registered?

No! Registration is not required for your ESA. Registering your ESA in a database or registry is unnecessary. There is no legally recognized registry for ESAs in the United States. While many fraudulent sites claim that an ESA will need a registration number to validate its status, this isn’t the case and is simply the rhetoric of typical ESA scams or trying to upsell you on items you do not need to qualify your pet as an Emotional Support Animal. Any paperwork or documentation from these so-called registries or any type of certificates is worth absolutely nothing in the eyes of the law. These documents do not convey any rights under federal laws. All that’s required to confirm that an animal is an ESA is a legitimate ESA Letter signed by a Licensed Therapist.

Which types of animals can serve as Emotional Support Animals?

A diverse range of animals can serve as Emotional Support Animals. While dogs and cats are the most common type, ESAs can also include animals such as rabbits, hamsters, birds, mice, ferrets, turtles, and more. Essentially, any domesticated animal that is typically kept at home for companionship rather than commercial purposes can serve as an ESA.

What is a Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD)?

A Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) is a trained dog that performs tasks that can help alleviate the individual’s mental health disability (anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, phobias, depression, and many others). A PSD is a recognized type of Service Dog, protected under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), American with Disabilities Act (ADA), and in accordance with the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA).

The key distinction between a PSD and an ESA lies in the training. According to the ADA, “People with disabilities have the right to train the dog themselves and are not required to use a professional service dog training program.” An example of a trained task may be “Therapeutic and Tactile Distraction” which means your dog is trained to sense when you’re feeling anxious and place pressure on your body to encourage emotional regulation and bring you to a calm state of mind where you can cope with your daily activities. Many owners obtain PSD Letters to establish eligibility and prevent any complications with the airline or the establishment personnel. Our PSD Letter ensures that you travel with ease knowing you and your pet are protected!

Can I fly with my Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD)?

Yes! Under regulations issued by The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), carriers must permit a Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) to accompany a passenger with a mental health disability. A PSD is allowed to accompany the passenger in the cabin of planes, and airlines cannot impose any extra charges for their presence. Our PSD Letter ensures that you travel with ease knowing you and your pet are protected!

What legal rights do Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSD) possess?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Under the ADA, State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow Psychiatric Service Dogs to accompany individuals with mental health disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is allowed to go. 

Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSD) carry many more rights than Emotional Support Animals (ESA) in terms of travel; but just like ESAs, PSDs are entitled to reside in residential buildings that ordinarily prohibit pets. Under the law, PSDs are recognized as service animals, granting them exemptions from pet-related regulations, such as pet rent, fees, and deposits. Additionally, PSD are not subject to restrictions based on breed, size, or weight. PSDs must be accommodated in most housing settings, including rental apartments, condos, co-ops, and HOAs.

Why choose Official Pets?

We truly understand the power of Animal-Assisted Intervention and recognize the strong impact a pet’s love can have on your mental well-being. We are proud ESA and PSD owners ourselves and know what it feels like to need your animal by your side, wherever you go! We bring transparency and accessibility to the ESA and PSD Process. We believe every pet owner in need of an ESA or PSD should have easy and affordable access to the support they need. We’re here to advocate for improved access to mental health care and support individuals with mental health conditions. We know the power of Animal-Assisted Treatment Plans and want to help our clients use it to its fullest potential. We are on your side and want to help you navigate the ESA/PSD process as easily as possible.

Let’s Get You and Your Support Animal The Support You Deserve

Official Pets offers legally recognized ESA and PSD Letters to pet owners across the United States.

Official Pets offers legally recognized ESA and PSD Letters to pet owners across the United States.