Emotional Support Animal Assessments

What Is an Emotional Support Animal?

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal that provides emotional, cognitive, or other support to an individual with a disability. Unlike a service animal, an ESA does not need to be individually trained to perform a specific disability-related task.

For some individuals, an animal may help alleviate symptoms or effects associated with anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma-related conditions, or other mental health concerns.

Simply owning a pet or experiencing comfort from an animal does not automatically qualify the animal as an ESA. There must be a disability-related need for the animal's support.

An ESA is also different from a service animal and does not automatically have the same public-access rights as a trained service animal.

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Our Assessment Process

Every Emotional Support Animal assessment is individualized. Your clinician may evaluate:

  • Current mental health symptoms

  • Mental health and treatment history

  • How symptoms affect daily functioning

  • The nature and extent of functional impairment

  • Your relationship with the animal

  • How the animal helps alleviate symptoms or effects associated with your disability

  • Whether there is a disability-related need for the animal

  • Whether ESA documentation is clinically appropriate

An ESA assessment is a clinical evaluation rather than simply a request for a letter. Documentation is provided only when supported by the clinician's professional assessment and applicable legal and ethical requirements.

emotional support dog
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What to Expect

Your first appointment provides an opportunity to discuss your mental health concerns, current symptoms, daily functioning, treatment history, and the role your animal plays in supporting your emotional well-being.

Your clinician will evaluate whether your circumstances support a disability-related need for an Emotional Support Animal and discuss any additional assessment or documentation requirements that may apply.

California has specific requirements for health care practitioners providing documentation related to an individual's need for an emotional support dog. These include establishing a client-provider relationship for at least 30 days before providing the documentation, except in certain circumstances provided by law, and completing a clinical evaluation regarding the individual's need for the emotional support dog.

Completing an assessment does not guarantee that ESA documentation will be provided. Recommendations are based on each individual's clinical circumstances and the professional judgment of the evaluating clinician.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • Eligibility is determined individually through a clinical evaluation. Generally, an ESA may be appropriate when an individual has a disability and there is a disability-related need for the emotional support provided by the animal.

    Having a particular diagnosis, such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD, does not automatically mean that someone qualifies. The clinician also considers how symptoms affect functioning and how the animal helps alleviate symptoms or effects associated with the disability.

  • There is no single list of diagnoses that automatically qualifies someone for an Emotional Support Animal.

    Individuals experiencing conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, trauma-related conditions, and other mental or emotional disabilities may potentially benefit from an ESA. Eligibility depends on the individual's symptoms, functional impairment, and disability-related need for the animal rather than diagnosis alone.

  • California has specific requirements for practitioners providing documentation concerning an individual's need for an emotional support dog. Except for certain circumstances recognized by law, the practitioner must establish a client-provider relationship for at least 30 days before providing the requested documentation.

    The law does not require a specific number of appointments during those 30 days. Your clinician will determine what assessment is necessary based on your individual circumstances.

  • No. There is no California government ESA registry that you must join in order to request a reasonable housing accommodation.

    Websites may sell ESA certificates, identification cards, registrations, vests, or badges, but purchasing these items does not establish that an individual has a disability-related need for an Emotional Support Animal.

  • No. Unlike a service animal, an Emotional Support Animal does not need specialized training to perform a disability-related task.

    However, an ESA is not automatically entitled to the same public-access rights that apply to qualifying service animals.

  • Service animals are individually trained to perform work or tasks related to a person's disability. An ESA provides emotional or similar support and does not require specialized task training.

    Because of this distinction, an ESA generally does not have the same public-access rights as a service animal.

  • Potentially. An individual with a disability-related need for an ESA may request an exception to a housing provider's pet rules as a reasonable accommodation.

    Housing providers generally must consider reasonable accommodation requests under applicable fair housing laws, although exceptions may apply depending on the circumstances.

  • An Emotional Support Animal approved as a disability-related reasonable accommodation is not treated as an ordinary pet for purposes of pet fees.

    Housing providers generally may not charge pet rent or a pet deposit for an assistance animal. However, residents may still be responsible for damage caused by the animal.

  • When a disability or disability-related need for an animal is not apparent, a housing provider may request reliable information supporting the need for the accommodation.

    However, housing providers generally should not require an individual's complete medical records or unnecessary details about their diagnosis or treatment history simply to evaluate an accommodation request.

  • No. An ESA recommendation or supporting documentation does not guarantee that every accommodation request will be approved.

    Housing providers evaluate reasonable accommodation requests under applicable federal and California fair housing laws and the circumstances of the individual request.

  • Ordinary pet restrictions do not necessarily apply to an animal approved as a disability-related reasonable accommodation.

    A housing provider may, however, consider circumstances involving the specific animal, such as whether the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others or would cause substantial physical damage.

  • An ESA does not automatically have the same public-access rights as a service animal.

    An ESA letter generally does not give someone the right to bring an Emotional Support Animal into restaurants, grocery stores, retail businesses, or other places where pets are otherwise prohibited.

  • Depending on your circumstances, ESA-related mental health assessment services may be available through telehealth for individuals located in California.

    The same clinical, professional, and legal requirements apply regardless of whether services are provided in person or through telehealth.

  • No. Scheduling or completing an ESA assessment does not guarantee that documentation will be issued.

    ESA documentation is provided only when the clinician determines that it is supported by the clinical evaluation and consistent with applicable professional, ethical, and legal requirements.

Schedule an Assessment