Easy Certification for Emotional Support Animal in Washington State

If you find it difficult to manage your mental health and navigate through your daily routines, a licensed healthcare professional might recommend the use of an emotional support animal. These animals can have a positive impact on your mental well-being and contribute to the improvement or stability of your condition. For example, owning a pet can help reduce anxiety and enhance your ability to focus on daily tasks with reduced stress and anxiety

What is an Emotional Support Animal in Washington State?

In Washington state, there are laws in place to protect individuals who require both emotional and physical assistance from unjust discrimination. These laws extend to those who require the companionship of an emotional support animal to help with disabilities. Federal laws have been implemented to safeguard an individual’s right to have an Emotional Support Animal in Washington State as recommended by authorized mental health professionals.

Emotional Support Animal Laws in Washington state

There are no specific state laws in place that recognize an Emotional Support Animal in Washington State. However, there are federal laws in place that will help protect the rights of emotional support animal owners.

It’s important for Washington residents with emotional support animals to be familiar with specific limitations and understand the significant differences between individuals accompanied by service animals and those supported by emotional support animals.

It is crucial to distinguish between emotional support animals in Washington and service animals. Service animals are given legal access to essentially all public areas with their handlers. However ESAs do not have the same guaranteed privileges. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines service animals as trained dogs that perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities. ESAs are not considered service animals under the ADA.

The primary distinction between service animals and Emotional Support Animals is that service animals are specifically trained to carry out tasks directly related to a person’s disability, such as guiding and alerting individuals with sensory issues. Emotional support animals provide crucial emotional comfort and support but do not necessarily perform specific tasks or duties related to a disability. In addition, they require no training.

Register your Emotional Support Animal in Washington State Here

Requirements for an Emotional Support Animal in Washington State

An Emotional Support Animal in Washington State can provide important care by offering comfort to their caretakers. They must be distinguished from therapy animals, whose duties typically involve tending to groups of individuals in various institutions and care facilities. In contrast, emotional support animals are typically designated to a singular handler and are present alongside them in social and public domains.

The main role of anEmotional Support Animal in Washington State lies in consistently fostering sentiments of comfort and security. These incredible companions hold particular significance for individuals in need of emotional support as a result of mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression, or in the aftermath of traumatic experiences.

It is a straightforward process to register an Emotional Support Animal in Washington State. You need a letter or document from a doctor that indicates the animal is a necessary component of your treatment for a qualifying mental health condition. The contents of the letter are at the discretion of the doctor and the patient, and there is no set form that it needs to take in order to be legitimate and valid.

It is not imposed by law, but many owners of an Emotional Support Animal in Washington State choose to voluntarily register their animals through Service Dog Certificates to obtain a mobile ID and certification documentation compatible with both Apple Wallet and Google Wallet. A registration provides owners with a presentable form of evidence for landlords and business owners if needed.  Additionally, physical markers such as bandanas and collars can be useful tools for owners of emotional support animals to prevent disputes and allow members of the public to quickly identify them as registered Emotional Support Animals in Washington state.

Housing Laws for Emotional Support Animals in Washington State

Housing is afforded protection under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), a federal law that ensures individuals with disabilities have reasonable access to housing. This protection extends to handlers who rely on emotional support animals.

According to the FHA, property owners or housing providers are required to allow emotional support animals, even if their property has a no-pet policy. To validate the need for an emotional support animal, landlords are permitted to request documentation such as a letter from a doctor or a registration ID. Keeping a mobile ID on hand can be a straightforward way to prepare for this situation and avoid conflict.

Extra charges solely for accommodating an emotional support animal are not permitted however, deposits may be required to address any potential damages that could be caused by an Emotional Support Animal and owners remain responsible for any damage caused y their ESA. Disruptive behavior from an ESA, such as excessive noise, unruliness, or destruction may lead to the eviction of tenants in severe cases, even with a validly registered Emotional Support Animal. This ensures a balance between the rights of tenants with Emotional Support Animals and the responsibilities of landlords to maintain a peaceful living environment for all residents.

The only permissible questions a landlord can ask with respect to Emotional Support Animals in are:

• “Does the person seeking to use and live with the animal have a disability (a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities)?; and
• Does the person making the request have a disability-related need for an assistance animal? (afford a person with disabilities an equal opportunity to use or enjoy the dwelling).”

Hotels are not subject to the Fair Housing Act so if you plan on visiting a hotel while travelling in Washington, it is highly recommended you reach out to your hotel first to confirm their specific policies

Employment Laws for Emotional Support Animals in Washington State

While the ADA offers protection for individuals with disabilities and allows service animals in public places, it does not extend the same support to emotional support animals in. The majority of workplaces do not formally permit animals unless they are service animals and there is no requirement to do otherwise. This means that employers are legally allowed to deny access to your Emotional Support Animal in Washington state. However, it is worth discussing the matter with your employer and presenting your ESA documentation to see if they are open to the idea of your Emotional Support Animal accompanying you at work. More and more workplaces are beginning to recognize the importance of Emotional Support Animals and their impact on employee mental health.

Flying with an Emotional Support Animal in Washing State

Emotional Support Animals do not have the same protection when it comes to traveling on commercial airlines that service animals do. In the past, the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) required airlines to make reasonable accommodations for passengers with ESAs, but now it only applies to service dogs. If you wish to bring your ESA on a flight, you may be able to carry it in a pet-safe carrier as carry-on luggage and stow it under your seat, as long as it is small enough and you pay the required fees. If you intend to fly with your Emotional Support Animal, it is critical to contact your airline in advance to confirm their specific policies and accommodations.

Another option is to train your emotional support animal as a service dog if you have a disability. These dogs are trained to perform specific tasks that alleviate the symptoms of disabilities including mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Service dogs are protected under the ACAA and can accompany their owner in the airplane cabin. However, airlines may require you to complete a form about your service animal so it is still critical to contact your airline in advance even if travelling with a service animal. These forms ask about your dog’s training and also serve as an agreement that you understand that your dog must be well-behaved or else it can be treated as a pet and placed in a carrier for a fee. Click here to voluntarily register your qualified service dog

FAQs for Emotional Support Animals in Washington State

What if my landlord has a “no pets” policy? Can my ESA still live with me?

As per the Fair Housing Act, tenants have the right to possess an emotional support animal, and landlords are prohibited from imposing any restrictions as long as the tenant can provide a valid letter from a medical professional. Additionally, landlords are not allowed to impose any additional fees for this accommodation.

Can my ESA come to work with me?

Unfortunately, unlike other states like California, Washington does not have a specific mandate that compels employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees seeking to bring their emotional support animals to the workplace. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that numerous employers are open to permitting ESAs for employees who genuinely need them.

What Types of Animals are Eligible as ESAs?

Although dogs are the most common type of ESA by far, any pet may qualify including cats, miniature pigs, and lizards.