Blog entry by Malessa Maghen
Humans and animals have cordial relations which they developed with time in history. Mankind has been using animals for their needs since the beginning of time as they present the largest resources for them. Humans get food from them, make clothes from their furs and skins and use them for transportation and construction purposes. Animals played a huge role in shaping this planet along with humans and this is enough evidence that humans dwell upon a love for domestic animals.
California has specific laws and regulations for service animals. At realesaletter, we have a team of professionals who can help you understand the laws and regulations for service animals in California. We will guide you through the process of getting an ESA letter in California and help you understand your rights and responsibilities.
Many people around the globe suffer from different psychological disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, panic disorders, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other related anomalies. Often, people go to therapists, psychologists, or friends to find warmth and make themselves comfortable. Emotional support animals play an important role here in this aspect.
What is an emotional support animal? It is a good question and as the nature of the question suggests, it is an animal that helps in maintaining the emotional level of its owner by providing them with sentimental support. It is an evident fact that the human mind is prone to negative thoughts that lead to distress and surged anxiety levels. This disables them from engaging in their daily life activities, and if not disabled, then it mitigates their attention from important matters of the day.
It should be remembered that these mental anomalies that lead to increased emotional disturbances are due to cognitive distortions or cognitive dissonance that occur due to external stimuli. These emotional support animals help in mitigating passive/negative thoughts in their owner’s mind since they act as an external stimulus. The stimulation in this case has a positive effect on the owner’s mind. These pets, which help in improving their emotional state, are called emotional support animals and it is necessary to have an emotional support animal letter for housing to keep them in homes or apartments.
These emotional support animals help to inculcate good habits in their owner’s lifestyle. This helps them in developing consistency in their nature as they will have to take care of their animal along with their busy routine. This keeps them occupied and does not allow them to focus on negative thoughts. These animals are considered lifelines for their owners because they help them in getting out of their disturbed mental state. ESA dogs are one of the great stress relievers that are recommended by therapists to have.
One must have a healthy mental state as it enables one to function effectively in their daily life tasks, however, there is no shame in admitting the fact that sometimes the human mind is assaulted by negative thoughts since it fails to keep a check on the thought pattern of the mind. This leads to rumination in the mind and renders a person unable to do anything. Emotional support animals come in handy here as they divert the attention of the owner and make them indulge in useful activities that are beneficial for their health.
Emotional health is an important aspect that needs to be taken care of and many studies have found that animals play an important role in this aspect. Keeping this in view, doctors and therapists recommend that people who suffer from mental disorders should get an emotional support animal. Furthermore, it is necessary to get a real esa letter as well that may help the owner in getting all the benefits for their animals as per law and policies for emotional support animals.
It is important to mention here that there is a great difference between emotional support animals, therapy animals, service animals, and regular pets. Each category has its definite purpose and these categories cannot be associated with pets. They are working animals and are not classified as pets per American policy related to animal rights. It is also important that people should know what is important yet common laws related to emotional support animals; however, this blog shall cover all the relevant details about the emotional support animal laws in California.
An emotional support animal is an important working-class animal for people but it is sad to realize that many laws surrounding them are not well understood. Many states of America have their laws in combination with federal law. When state law and federal law do not coincide with one another, then the law that is most suitable and flexible to the needs of the people is adopted.
Federal law supports the Fair Housing Act and Air Access Carrier Act, whereas the Californian state supports Transportation, Employment, and Public spacing. California is considered to have gone the extra mile in accommodating its citizens in regard to their emotional support animals. Let us discuss all the relevant state laws.
FHA: This policy is supported by both federal law and state law, whereas it states that landowners are not liable to penalize owners in regard to their emotional support animal. This means that they cannot restrict the entrance of these animals nor can they ask for extra payment from the owners. They must make an exception for their animals.
Employment: California is the only state that allows emotional support animals in the office to aid their owners suffering from different mental disorders. State laws have left this notion to the sole discretion of the companies but California makes it mandatory for all working spaces.
Transportation: As per new laws, all emotional support animals are banned from entering air flights, however, this is not the case for service animals and they are allowed free of charge.
Public spacing: Service animals are allowed in the parks and other local and open areas of the city, however, the same rule cannot be extended to the emotional support animals.
Useful resources:
Who can legally write an ESA letter for me?
Top 3 best pets for anxiety and depression
Emotional support dog - basic requirements and training
Emotional support animals - Separating facts from fallacy