Emotional Support Animal Evaluation
support through companionship
Emotional Support Animal Evalutions
Emotional Support Animal (ESA), such as emotional support dogs or emotional support cats, provide emotional assistance to their handlers and may qualify as an emotional support animal (ESA) as long as the animal does not cause a disturbance or undue hardship for the property owner. Any domesticated animal of any age may qualify as an ESA and, unlike service dogs, these animals do not need any specific task training. This is because their very presence reduces the symptoms associated with a person’s psychological or emotional disability.
For a person to legally qualify for an Emotional Support Animal (ESA), they must be considered emotionally disabled by a licensed mental health professional. This means the person must meet the criteria for a diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 (DSM 5).
Only fully certified service animals have full access to public places. ESAs and other types of assistant animals such as therapy dogs are not given full public access. This means that public establishments have the right to refuse entry to you and your ESA or to charge you pet fees.
Emotional Support Animal Evalution FAQ
Emotional Support Animal Evaluations
These assessments are provided by licensed mental health care providers as a specialty service and one that is not covered by medical insurance.
The first part is an online assessment that must be completed before scheduling. We use the WHODAS 2.0 (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule) as a general measure of disability and function.
Once your responses to the assessment are received and processed, you’ll be ready to schedule the clinical interview which may be in-person or virtual based on your preference.
The total cost of an ESA evaluation is $125. We charge the amount due 24 hours before your appointment time. Due to office hours, if your appointment date falls on a Monday, the charge is processed on the Friday prior. We do not accept insurance for this service since ESA evaluations are considered a specialty service.
No. To schedule, you must be in the state of Ohio or PA at the time of your assessment.
Yes, but only during the assessment. We welcome you to continue individual therapy beyond the ESA evaluation if you and your therapist determine it would be beneficial.
If you meet the need for an emotional support animal, you will receive your letter by email within 72 business hours of your evaluation.
Your evaluating clinician will look into the impact that your disability has on day-to-day functioning. They will ask questions about how your disability affects you to determine if an emotional support animal could help alleviate symptoms.
Additionally, they’ll want to ensure that you are capable of caring for the animal. The animal does not need to be present.
Yes. If you meet the need for an emotional support animal, we can complete up to 2 single-page forms at no charge within 30 days of your appointment. After 30 days, the following fee schedule applies:
Single page forms: $25
Multi-page forms: $140 per hour billed in 15-minute increments
Note: A new ESA evaluation is required to complete any additional forms after 6 months.
Yes. However, we are only able to make minor revisions to our letter as it contains all the required information per the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. In rare cases, a housing provider may also request that we complete additional forms or include more information in an ESA letter. While you’re certainly not obligated to provide specifics about your medical condition, we can add details upon your request. Form fees may apply.
Please note we are not attorneys and do not provide legal advice or instruction. The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 is the law that protects an emotionally disabled person and their ESA. This legal protection allows an individual with an ESA to qualify for no-pet housing, and without being charged a pet fee. This protection also includes an exemption from any housing provider’s limitation of a pet’s size or breed.