Can You Get An ESA Before You Get A Dog?

Reviewed By Julie •  Updated: 04/27/22 •  3 min read
ESA
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Can You Get An ESA Before You Get A Dog?

If you suffer from mental health issues such as anxiety or insomnia, and have already owned a dog, then you have probably also been thinking about getting an emotional support animal (ESA).

ESA Certificate
Do You Qualify For An Emotional Support Animal?

We help people get the proper documentation to make their pet an official Emotional Support Animal. Online approval in minutes - Housing & Travel letters.

ESA’s are great for people who need assistance with conditions like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and panic attacks. They can be a wonderful addition to your family. And if you already have a dog (or other pets), it’s easy to just train your current pet into an emotional support animal.

After the pet is trained enough and proves to provide benefits for you, you can ask your doctor or therapist to write you an ESA letter.

However, if you don’t already have a dog, the process of obtaining an ESA can be more difficult than simply asking your doctor for a recommendation letter. The good news is that it is not impossible to get an ESA even if you don’t have a dog.

An emotional support animal does not need to come from a breeder or pet store. You can also get an emotional support animal by adopting one from a shelter or rescue group. If you want to find out how to do this and if you qualify for an ESA in advance of getting your dog, then keep reading this article!

How To Get An Emotional Support Animal Before You Get A Dog?

First off, if you don’t already have a dog and want one but don’t think that the time is right yet to get one, then that is fine too. But we would encourage you to consider the possibility of getting an emotional support animal or simply a pet to help with your mental health.

ESA Certificate
Do You Qualify For An Emotional Support Animal?

We help people get the proper documentation to make their pet an official Emotional Support Animal. Online approval in minutes - Housing & Travel letters.

There are many benefits to having a pet in your life. And there are also many benefits to having an emotional support animal. You can get both by adopting an ESA or getting a dog that has been trained to provide the same benefits as an ESA.

In fact, you don’t even need to have your dog trained specifically for the role of an emotional support animal. If you have an anxious or fearful pet, it is still possible to train him or her into being a therapeutic pet.

And once your pet is trained, you can ask your doctor for a letter that says that your pet is therapeutic for you and ask them to include it with the paperwork when you go to get your ESA. In some cases, this might be enough for most offices and health care providers, but some places require even more paperwork than this before they will allow someone with a disability to get an ESA letter from their doctor.

In conclusion, you can get an emotional support animal by simply asking your doctor for a letter stating that your pet is therapeutic for you. If you don’t have a dog yet, then consider adopting one from a shelter or rescue group. If you have a dog, then train him or her to be an emotional support animal.

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Julie

Julie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, where she studied Animal science. Though contrary to the opinion of her parents she was meant to study pharmacy, but she was in love with animals especially cats. Julie currently works in an animal research institute (NGO) in California and loves spending quality time with her little cat. She has the passion for making research about animals, how they survive, their way of life among others and publishes it. Julie is also happily married with two kids.

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