Does this letter guarantee my accommodation will be approved?
No. This letter documents medical necessity and disability-related need. Approval of accommodations is determined by landlords, housing providers, employers, schools, airlines, or other entities based on applicable laws and their policies.

Can I bring my ESA everywhere in public?
No. ESAs do not have public access rights under the ADA. Only Service Animals and Psychiatric Service Animals have public access protections in California and federally.

What questions can people legally ask me about my service animal in public?
In public places covered by the ADA, staff may ask only two questions if the need for the service animal is not obvious:
• Is the animal required because of a disability?
• What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

They cannot ask about your diagnosis, require medical documentation, request proof of training, request certification or registration, ask the animal to demonstrate tasks, or require a vest, tag, or ID.

Does this letter expire? What if my needs change later or I need a different animal or a different type of animal (for example, a miniature horse instead of a dog)? Will this still apply?
Accommodation letters do not have a universal expiration date under federal or California law. Some housing providers, schools, or workplaces may request updated documentation periodically.

If your needs change over time, if you later have a different animal, or if a different type of service animal becomes clinically appropriate (for example, transitioning from a dog to a miniature horse), a new or updated letter may be needed to reflect your current support needs and circumstances. The recommendation is about medical necessity and disability-related need, not about “certifying” an individual animal.

Is there a limit to how many animals I can have?
There is no fixed legal number of assistance animals allowed. Requests are evaluated based on medical necessity and whether the accommodation is reasonable. In most cases, one assistance animal is considered reasonable.

Some people do have two service animals when each animal performs distinct, medically necessary tasks (for example, one animal supporting mobility or balance and another providing trained alerts or interruption support). Requests for multiple animals must be medically necessary and clearly justifiable.

Can my landlord refuse my ESA if the building is no-pets?
No. In California, under the Fair Housing Act and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, housing providers must allow ESAs, PSAs, and Service Animals as reasonable accommodations. No-pet policies do not apply to medically necessary assistance animals.

Can landlords charge pet rent, deposits, or pet fees?
No. ESAs, PSAs, and Service Animals are not considered pets when medically necessary supports. In California, housing providers cannot charge pet rent, pet deposits, or pet fees for assistance animals. You remain responsible for any actual damage caused by the animal.

Do breed restrictions apply to ESAs or service animals?
Breed restrictions that apply to pets are not applicable to ESAs, PSAs, or Service Animals when they are medically necessary supports. Denials should not be based on breed alone. Decisions must be based on the support or service animal’s actual behavior and safety (for example: direct threat, not under control, not housebroken, or substantial damage).

What happens if an ESA or service animal causes property damage?
Assistance animals are not pets, and pet fees/deposits do not apply. However, you are still responsible for actual damage caused by your animal beyond normal wear and tear. A housing provider may charge for repairs.

In some situations, an accommodation may be reconsidered if an animal poses a direct threat to others, causes substantial physical harm to the property of others, or causes substantial damage that cannot be reasonably mitigated.

Can I bring my ESA or service animal to work?
Workplace accommodations are handled on a case-by-case basis. Service Animals and Psychiatric Service Animals may be considered reasonable accommodations in some workplaces, depending on the role, environment, and safety considerations. Emotional Support Animals are not automatically granted access to workplaces. Employers may explore alternative accommodations that meet access needs.

Can airlines deny my ESA?
Yes. Airlines may treat ESAs as pets and may deny transport. Service Animals and Psychiatric Service Animals are recognized for air travel with required Department of Transportation forms completed by the handler. Always check airline policies prior to travel.

What about hotels, short-term stays, and Airbnbs? Is this based on laws?
Yes. Whether an assistance animal must be allowed is based on which laws apply to the setting.
Hotels and similar lodging (public accommodations) are covered by the ADA. Service Animals and Psychiatric Service Animals must be allowed and cannot be charged pet fees. Airbnbs and short-term rentals can fall under different laws depending on how the rental is classified and how it operates. If treated as a public accommodation, the ADA applies and Service Animals and PSAs must be allowed. If treated as housing, housing laws may apply and ESAs may be protected. This can vary based on length of stay and local regulations in California and other states.
Long-term housing is covered by the Fair Housing Act and California housing laws. ESAs, PSAs, and Service Animals are protected, no-pet policies do not apply, and pet fees or deposits cannot be charged.
Even where animals are protected, they may be excluded if they are not under control, are not housebroken, pose a direct threat, or cause substantial damage.

Can this be billed to insurance?

The letter and sessions used as part of the evaluation process may be eligible for out-of-network reimbursement depending on your plan. Superbills can be provided for therapy sessions so you may seek reimbursement from your insurance company if your plan includes out-of-network benefits. Reimbursement is not guaranteed and depends on your specific policy.

Can you provide this letter if I do not want to attend evaluation or therapy with you?
No. A minimum of four sessions over one to two months is required prior to providing any ESA, PSA, or Service Animal documentation. This ensures medical necessity is evaluated ethically and clinically.

Do sessions need to be in person? Can this be done virtually?
All evaluation sessions are conducted virtually via telehealth. This allows for accessibility, flexibility, and continuity of care across California. In-person sessions are not required for the evaluation and documentation process.

What does consent and caregiver involvement look like for children and teens?
For children and teens, caregiver or guardian consent is required in order to participate in the evaluation and documentation process. Caregivers may be invited into portions of sessions to provide context about daily functioning, support needs, and the role the animal plays in the young person’s life.

The evaluation centers the child or teen’s lived experience, voice, and needs whenever developmentally appropriate. Caregiver involvement is collaborative and supportive, and the process is paced with care to honor autonomy, safety, and relational context.

Does my animal need to attend sessions or be evaluated?
Your animal does not need to attend sessions, and animals are not evaluated as part of this process. The evaluation is always about you, your symptoms, your needs, and how support shows up in your daily life.

If having your animal present during a virtual session feels supportive and grounding, that is welcome. It can also be helpful to evaluate how you respond to your animal and how the animal clearly supports you in real time.

If your animal does attend a session, their presence is not assessed or judged. Your animal is never the subject of the evaluation. Their behavior, temperament, or training is not assessed or judged.

What if I already have an animal? What if I am seeking a letter before getting one?
Both situations are okay. Some people already have an animal that is supporting their regulation and functioning. Others are exploring whether obtaining an ESA or service animal would be an appropriate support. The evaluation process looks at your needs and medical necessity, not whether you already have an animal.

Will you complete a form for housing, airlines, schools, employers, or other entities?
I can review and complete forms related to housing or accommodation requests when they align with the clinical recommendation and are within my scope of practice. Some entities require specific formats or additional documentation. Completion of third-party forms may require additional time and may involve additional fees depending on the length and complexity of the request.

I am not able to complete legal affidavits, court forms, or documentation for litigation.

Can you provide this letter for court or legal proceedings?
No. This practice is not court involved. Letters are provided for clinical and accommodation purposes only and are not intended for legal disputes, litigation, custody cases, or court proceedings.

Is my diagnosis required to disclose in the letter?
No. The letter does not require disclosure of your diagnosis. It documents that you have a qualifying disability and that an assistance animal is medically necessary for symptom relief and daily functioning.

Sometimes a third-party form may request diagnosis or diagnostic details. If a form requires this, it is discussed with you in advance so you can make an informed choice about disclosure.

Do I need to register my ESA or service animal?
No. There is no official government registry for Emotional Support Animals, Psychiatric Service Animals, or Service Animals. Websites that sell registrations, certificates, or ID cards are not legally recognized.

Can I self train a service animal?
Yes. Service animals are not required to be trained by a program. Many handlers self-train. What matters is that the animal is trained to perform specific tasks that mitigate disability-related limitations.

Self-training requires consistency, safety, and reliability in public and private settings. Working with qualified trainers or programs can be supportive, but it is not legally required.

Is a service animal required to have a tag or vest identifying?
No. A service animal is not required to wear a vest, tag, ID card, or specific identifying gear.

Will you tell me where to get a service dog or recommend a breed?
I do not place service dogs or recommend specific breeds. However, recommendations and resources for reputable training programs, service dog placement programs, and other relevant resources can be provided. Breed and placement decisions should be made with qualified service dog trainers or placement organizations and informed by specific task needs.

Will you recommend tasks for my condition / will you tell me what tasks to train?
There may be specific task recommendations that a trained service animal may be able to assist with if clinically relevant and indicated. As part of care planning and psychoeducation, I can support you in thinking through what types of support or tasks might be helpful to explore with a qualified trainer or program, based on your access needs and daily life context.

I do not prescribe training protocols, train animals for clients, or evaluate whether a specific animal is capable of performing tasks. Task training and placement decisions should be made with qualified service dog trainers or placement organizations.