Emotional Support Dog Requirements In California

In order to qualify your animal in california as an emotional support animal you must have an esa letter written by a california licensed mental health professional.

Emotional support dog requirements in california.

California does have laws however protecting the use of emotional support animals in other settings. In california tenants have the right to bring their service dogs and emotional support animals to live with them in many circumstances. They can be a cat bird or other animals. A pet is legally considered as an emotional support animal when he is prescribed by a licensed health professional to a person with mental illness.

A public place includes libraries hotels shops restaurants theatres and hospitals. As a result the laws protecting service dogs do not similarly cover emotional support animals. Even if your dog does in fact provide you with emotional support you must have proper certification and documentation for employers to recognize. 382 27 c 2010 california state law csl.

Owning an emotional support animal in california is easy if you suffer from a mental. However the law does not consider emotional support animals to be the same as service dogs for disabled persons. Employers are within their rights to request proof of an esa s status. Furthermore the state makes clear that the esa dog must be well trained clean certified to provide assistance for a disability.

To learn more see nolo s articles on when california landlords have to allow psychiatric service dogs and emotional support animals and how california protects psychiatric service dogs and emotional support animals in the workplace. Service dog or emotional support dog in california people using service dogs in this state must have their canine on a leash or harness and should have an official identification tag. Attorney katie holt writes. Landlords and other housing providers in california may not refuse to make reasonable accommodations in their rules or policies if such accommodations are necessary to afford a person with a disability the equal opportunity to use and enjoy a house or.

Even though california does not limit the dog s size or breed the animal s handler is liable for any damage done by the service animal. The laws in california allow a person with a disability to bring a trained service dog or psychiatric service dog to all public places but not emotional support animals. The esa letter must be 1 written on the lmhp s professional letterhead and 2 must include their licensing information along with their signature. Check out this article to get information and resources about your rights for your emotional support animal in california.