ESA Certification in Massachusetts

Reviewed By Tom •  Updated: 05/19/22 •  3 min read
ESA
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ESA Certification in Massachusetts

An emotional support animal (ESA) is a type of service animal that is recognized by the laws as a legitimate animal to be used by people with disabilities for the purpose of assisting them in their disability. Emotional support animals fall under the category of assistance animals, which is defined as a type of service animal that provides comfort, support, and therapeutic relief to the person who needs it.

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.

However, it’s important to note that emotional support animals are not the same as service animals. Service animals are trained to perform specific tasks, while emotional support animals do not have any task or job to perform. This means that emotional support animals are  not always covered by the special legislation and regulations that service animals are.

In essence, an emotional support animal has the purpose of improving the quality of life for a person with a disability. Emotional support animals can be any species of animal, including cats, dogs, birds, and rabbits. However, there are certain conditions that must be met before your pet can be acknowledged as an emotional support animal.

Understanding Emotional Support Animal Certification in Massachusetts

In order to obtain an emotional support animal certification in Massachusetts, you must have documentation from a doctor stating that you have a disability and that the emotional support animal will help you. This certification, which comes in the form of an ESA letter, is done so that people with disabilities are not discriminated against when it comes to traveling, housing, and getting access to the public accommodations they deserve.

An ESA letter must be administered by a licensed mental health professional (LMHP), which you will then need to keep in hand to show to the establishments you wish to visit. However, the letter will not be valid if it was written by a licensed LMHP in another state. This is why it is important to find a local LMHP who can administer your certification in Massachusetts.

Additionally, an emotional support animal certification is only valid for a period of a year from the date that it was issued. This means that you must renew the letter annually for it to continue being valid.

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.

In this letter, your chosen LMHP will detail your conditions and the reasons why you need an emotional support animal. The LMHP will also describe how your ESA will benefit you and how it will help you live a more comfortable life. In order to obtain this certification, you may need to provide the LMHP with medical documentation that shows that your condition is severe enough to qualify for an ESA.

With an ESA letter, you will have many perks. For example, landlords may be required to accommodate you and your emotional support animal, which can include a waiver of additional rent fees that would normally be charged for pets. However, the law states that you may be needed to disclose your ESA letter to the landlord or owner.

You will also be able to bring your emotional support animal with you when you visit public places, such as restaurants, hotels, libraries, and stores. However, it is important to note that you may not be allowed to take your emotional support animal into areas where it would cause distress or harm other people. In these instances, the law states that an ESA letter is not valid and that you will need to follow any other guidelines for bringing an animal into a public place.

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Tom

Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!

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