Anxiety, depression and PTSD are difficult enough to deal with on their own. Not being able to easily access an Emotional Support Animal letter when you really need one only makes matters worse.
An ESA letter is an official document that can be acquired as proof of someone’s need for an emotional support animal to help treat a disability. They require a signature from a licensed mental health professional to be official. These animals are made the exception to pet policies in different housing situations, like dorms or apartments.
As someone who has struggled with the ESA process, I know just how draining the process can be for many. ESA documents need to be more accessible to those who may not be able to fulfill the requirements needed to obtain them.
Requiring a signature from a licensed professional only makes sense for those who are fortunate enough to have a doctor. For many years, I had no health insurance and therefore, never got to see a doctor.
I know many friends and co-workers who would benefit from having an ESA due to struggles with different mental health or general health issues but they can’t afford health insurance, which makes them unable to see doctors. This means they don’t get equal access to the benefits of these animals.
On the other hand, I’ve known many people who just had a family friend (who happened to be a doctor) write a quick letter for them, whether they truly needed it or not, just so they’d be able to get their pets into their homes and avoid pet rent. This has always infuriated me, seeing as to how many times I’ve struggled with getting the letter I need.
Even if someone was able to find a doctor, there is no guarantee they’d write you a letter. Doctors are often picky about who they will write a letter for. This makes it tough to get a doctor on board with writing a letter if you’re a new patient, considering they don’t have any personal experience with your health records and history.
Plenty of peers told me to just get online to one of the many websites where you’re able to get a letter without the hassle of doctor’s visits. I’d heard some horror stories of people using letters they paid for online and getting denied at apartment complexes because the letter wasn’t actually official.
So risking money for a letter that could be a waste doesn’t sound like the best idea, but what else is there to do?
A better system is needed so that more people who actually qualify for ESA letters can actually receive them. Not everyone has equal access to them and it isn’t fair.