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Summary
Download and integrate our free emotional support animal letter template into your EHR to streamline the process of recommending an emotional support animal for your eligible clients.
Learn the differentiations between ESAs and services animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
Use the ESA letter template to address all legally required elements for ESA recommendations, including the client's DSM-5 diagnosis and a clear assessment of therapeutic benefits.
An emotional support animal (ESA) letter template can make recommending an emotional support animal for clients a quick and simple process. Here, therapists and mental health clinicians can download an ESA letter template to save to their electronic health record (EHR) for easy access when recommending an emotional support animal for a client.
What is an emotional support animal?
An emotional support animal (ESA) provides a therapeutic benefit to individuals with a mental health condition that may be classified as a disability.
An ESA provides emotional support to alleviate one or more symptoms of stress, anxiety, and other symptoms of a mental health condition/disability. ESAs are different from service animals—who are trained to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities.
While service animals are strictly defined and protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ESAs are not covered or recognized by the ADA. Instead, federal guidelines for emotional support animals fall under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), overseen by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Therapists and mental health practitioners can provide documentation in the form of an ESA letter template to help clients who may need an emotional support animal.
An ESA may be a cat, dog, or other animal. However, under U.S. law, an ESA is not considered a pet. The only necessary documentation for ESAs is a letter from a therapist or mental health practitioner, and you can easily download the ESA letter template for therapists to get the process started.
Are there protections for emotional support animals?
Unlike service animals, emotional support animals are not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
However, ESAs are covered under local, state, and federal laws. Note: The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) no longer provides protections for ESAs on airlines—they are now treated as regular pets.
There are a few differences between emotional support animals and service animals. Dogs trained to perform a specific task necessary for a person with a disability would be classified as service animals. Additionally, service animals are allowed to enter all public spaces, while ESAs may face restrictions, such as not being allowed to enter food establishments.
When it comes to a person’s home, however, there are certain legal protections for people with a qualifying mental health condition (subject to certain criteria).
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, individuals with a disability may request to keep an assistance animal (which includes service animals and ESAs) as a reasonable accommodation to the housing providers’ pet policies.
These accommodations may include:
A request to live with an ESA at a property with a no pet policy
A request to waive the pet deposit, fee, or other rule related to an assistance animal
Under the Fair Housing Act, housing providers may not refuse such a request and must provide accommodations for people with disabilities to have the equal opportunities to use and enjoy their home.
Under this legislation, requests (written using the ESA letter template, for example) for an ESA must meet certain criteria:
The request is made to the housing provider by or for the person with a disability
The request is supported by reliable disability-related information
The housing provider has not demonstrated that:
An assistance animal would cause undue financial and administrative hardship
The request would alter the essential nature of the provider’s operations
The animal would pose a direct health and safety threat to others despite efforts to mitigate such risk(s)
The request would cause significant property damage despite efforts to mitigate risk of damage
Local and state laws vary, so it’s best to do your research and familiarize yourself with the laws in your area. If you’re unsure, reach out to an attorney for more information.
For instance, in California, the client must have been receiving services from the therapist for at least 30 days before the therapist can submit a recommendation with an ESA letter template. Note that federal enforcement landscapes have shifted; as of May 2026, HUD has narrowed its oversight for untrained ESAs, making state-level rules and an established 30-day clinical relationship the most reliable legal protections for your clients.
Note: This article and the ESA letter template is not intended to be legal advice. You should consult an attorney with any questions, as local and state laws vary.
Who qualifies for an ESA?
To qualify for an ESA, an individual must have a mental health condition or psychiatric disability as indicated by a licensed mental health professional, such as a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist.
This diagnosis, which must be documented in a prescription or official recommendation letter (by using the ESA letter template, for example), must specify that the individual has a qualifying mental health condition or disability whose symptoms would be alleviated with an emotional support animal and that you, as the therapist, prescribe/recommend an ESA for their therapeutic benefits.
Download the ESA letter template available in this article, which includes sections to edit with specific information relevant to your client.
Qualifying conditions include a diagnosable condition listed in the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), such as post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, generalized anxiety disorder, or major depressive disorder.
What information should be in an ESA letter template for therapists?
Licensed mental health professionals supporting an assistance animal must include the following in an ESA letter template:
Client’s name and diagnosis
Professional assessment that an ESA would alleviate one or more of the client’s symptoms
Clinical recommendation/prescription of an ESA
Accommodations requested (if appropriate)
The letter must be on a letterhead with the clinicians contact details and qualifications.
To use the sample ESA letter from therapists, you can download the free emotional support animal letter template from the link at the top of this article. Save this template to your EHR and tailor it for each ESA letter request that you receive.
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