¿Cómo puedo conseguir un animal de apoyo emocional?

Taking care of an animal can be a great way to improve your mental health [1]. But not every landlord allows pets. You can get around this if a mental health professional certifies that you need an emotional support animal.

What is an emotional support animal?

Un animal de apoyo emocional (ESA) is just what it sounds like—a pet that provides emotional support. ESAs don’t need any special training, beyond the normal training a pet needs. Dogs and cats are the most common, but any domesticated animal can be an ESA. (If you have additional needs beyond emotional support, you can look into getting a service dog.)

Las ESA están cubiertas por la Ley de Vivienda Justa. This allows people with an ESA to have their pet in their home even if there is a “no pet” policy. The law also prevents additional pet fees for ESAs. Small ESAs can also travel with you on a plane free of charge. Unlike service dogs, ESAs aren’t allowed into other public places that don’t normally allow pets, like restaurants and shopping centers.

How do I get one?

Para poder beneficiarse de un ESA, necesitará una “receta” de un profesional de la salud mental. Básicamente, se trata de una carta firmada en la que se indica que usted tiene un estado de salud mental y que tu mascota te ayuda a lidiar con ello. Algunos propietarios y aerolíneas aceptan una carta de un médico, pero a menudo es necesario que sea de un terapeuta o un psiquiatra.

Of course, you also need to have a pet. Again, there’s no special training required. Any house pet can be an ESA—cats, dogs, ferrets, lizards, and more. That means that if you already have a pet, you can probably get it certified as an ESA. Otherwise, getting an ESA is pretty much the same as getting any other pet! You’ll need to decide what kind of pet is best for you and look up local places to adopt. Just be sure to speak with a mental health professional and your landlord about it before you go through with the adoption.

¿Puedes cuidar de un animal?

Before getting any kind of pet, it is important to seriously consider the responsibilities that come along with it. Think about whether you can care for it physically, mentally, and financially. If you can’t handle a dog, consider a lower-maintenance pet like a cat or a fish. If even that is too much, intenta empezar con una planta o un peluche, o otra forma de tratamiento.

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