How to Get Your Emotional Support Animal in North Dakota Certified
Emotional Support Animals, commonly dogs, are therapeutic companions that help individuals in navigating the challenging terrain of mental health disorders. Due to the numerous health benefits they offer, including support for conditions like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and chronic illnesses, North Dakota has state and federal laws that protect owners’ rights to have their ESAs in rental properties.
For many Americans, ESAs play an important role in assisting their owners through life’s hardships. Recognizing their significance, both state and federal governments have laws in place to ensure their protection.
However, there may be conflicts between landlords and other authorities who may not agree with the laws concerning these animals. Without proper documentation for an Emotional Support Animal in North Dakota, tenants face the risk of eviction, along with associated fines and court expenses.
American Service Pets is dedicated to helping those in need of a certified letter for their Emotional Support Animal in North Dakota. With this letter, you can avoid paying “pet rent” and other charges for simply having an ESA. Find out if you qualify today with our simple quiz.
The Value of Emotional Support Animals for their Humans
Natural Form of Therapy
Having the companionship of a pet offers benefits similar to the effects of a depression medication. In a time when people are increasingly searching for holistic approaches to manage health complications, ESAs can serve as a natural remedy for symptoms associated with various mental disorders. Beyond helping with mental well-being, these animals also contribute to improved physical health by promoting outdoor activity.
Source of Comfort
Emotional trauma can trigger unexpected panic and anxiety attacks, and the effects of this trauma can last a lifetime. When you combine this with routine stressors that can pop up in daily life, navigating the day has the potential to become challenging. Cuddling with a beloved animal has the ability to create a sense of calmness, reducing heart rate, blood pressure, and overall stress levels.
Mood Booster
Interacting with a furry friend provides a boost to the levels of the natural mood enhancers serotonin and dopamine. This is why a cherished pet has the ability to make you feel adored and appreciated. They never fail to make you laugh or provide a moment of happiness when you may need it most.
There are some aspects of life that may be challenging for people who may be struggling with emotional disorders. An ESA can help, and American Service Pets is here to assist those in need of an Emotional Support Animal in North Dakota with securing the necessary paperwork.
Laws Related to Emotional Support Animals in North Dakota
North Dakota law acknowledges the mental health benefits offered by ESAs, even if they are not specially trained. Emotional Support Animals are distinct from Psychiatric Service Animals, as ESAs provide comfort and companionship, as opposed to PSAs trained to perform life-saving duties or specialized tasks for individuals with disabilities. As a result, ESAs and PSAs are granted different legal privileges.
In North Dakota, only animals with a genuine ESA letter are entitled to legal protection. While official letters are generally recognized nationwide, it’s important to be aware that regulations may vary between states. Doing some simple research prior to traveling can help you avoid complications with differences in laws. Below are some key points summarizing laws related to ESAs in North Dakota:
Housing Laws
A rental tenant in North Dakota may not be evicted, charged extra, or turned down from housing for having a certified Emotional Support Animal. Landlords have the right to look over a prospective tenant’s ESA letter, but they may not ask for further proof of a disability-related need for the animal.
The only exception to this allowance of ESAs is if the animal poses a legitimate health or safety risk.
In North Dakota, it is against the law to claim a pet as a service or support animal for the purposes of skirting extra fees when it comes to housing. Landlords have the ability to evict a tenant or charge a fee of up to $1000 for anyone found guilty of this offense.
Public Access
North Dakota state and federal laws do not authorize unlimited public access for Emotional Support Animals. Grocery stores, clothing stores, restaurants, libraries, and other public places are not legally obligated to allow entry to ESAs. However, it is important to note that these regulations differ for Psychiatric Service Animals.
Workplace Laws
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) safeguards the rights of individuals with disabilities to have Psychiatric Service Animals in the workplace. ESAs, on the other hand, are not supported under this act. Getting an ESA letter may be what is needed to sway a lenient employer to allow an ESA in the workplace though.
Travel Laws
Emotional Support Animals are no longer allowed in the cabin during air travel. Public transportation services such as buses, trains, and railways are under no legal obligation to board ESAs. Some rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft have less stringent policies, but you have to check ahead of time.
American Service Pets is proud to provide a simple three-step process to ESA letters in North Dakota for owners who are in need of the support of their pets.
FAQ
The Basics
Yes, in addition to following the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), North Dakota has its own set of regulations pertaining to service animals.
North Dakota defers to the ADA for its definition of service animals, which is “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.”
Disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
Though service animals typically refer to dogs, the ADA includes coverage for miniature horses as well, provided that the miniature horse has been properly task-trained.
Yes. In North Dakota, it is illegal to knowingly make a false claim that an animal is a service animal in order to gain access to a public place or housing accommodation. When it comes to housing, a landlord has the power to evict and collect damage fees of up to $1000 from any tenant who is found guilty of misrepresenting an animal as a service animal or providing false documentation to gain access under Fair Housing Laws.
Yes. According to North Dakota law, a trainer with a service animal in training may enter a public accommodation without an extra charge provided that the trainer notifies an onsite manager that a service animal-in-training will be on the premises, the trainer wears a photo identification card issued by a nationally recognized service animal training program, and the trainer is liable for any damage done to the premises or facility by the service animal in training. After receiving such notice, the manager of the establishment may not deny admission to the trainer and the animal in training without good cause.
No. Because emotional support animals are not trained like service animals are, state and federal laws do not offer the same protections for ESAs when it comes to public accommodations.
FAQ
Public Accommodations & Travel with a Service Animal
A public accommodation is considered a place to which the public is generally invited. Examples include restaurants, theaters, hotels, grocery stores, hospitals and medical offices, department stores, malls, health clubs, parks, zoos, sporting facilities, and all public transportation systems.
If the disability-related need for the animal is not apparent, an establishment may only ask whether the animal is required because of a disability and what task(s) the animal is trained to perform.
A public accommodation can deny or remove a service animal if it is not housebroken, out of control, or causing an immediate threat to the health and safety of other patrons. Even if the service animal is removed, its handler may still access the establishment without the animal.
All public transportation systems, including airports, car rentals, trains or metro systems, buses/shuttles, and demand-response transportation services such as taxis, limos, and rideshare fall under the umbrella of public accommodations. Therefore, individuals with disabilities and their service animals are protected when using public transportation.
There are some special advance notification procedures a trainer of a service animal must follow if they intend to bring a service animal-in-training into a public accommodation. Fully trained service animals, on the other hand, do not require any special measures in order to have equal public access beyond being under the control of their handlers.
North Dakota Human Rights Law requires that employers make reasonable accommodations for employees with physical or mental disabilities, such as use of a service animal in the workplace. The only exception under the ADA that may apply is if the presence of the animal would create an undue hardship or change the nature of the business. This must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Yes. “Facilities of a healthcare provider” are specifically cited in North Dakota law as being included in the definition of public accommodations. Generally, service animals are allowed anywhere in healthcare facilities that the public can go, such as waiting areas, clinics, or examination rooms. Service animals may be barred from areas where their presence could compromise sterility, such as operating rooms or burn units.
Yes. Any person who denies or interferes with admittance of an individual with a disability and their service dog to public facilities is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
North Dakota follows the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), which defines a service animal as a dog (regardless of breed or size) trained to do work or perform tasks to assist a qualified individual with a diability, and may include psychiatric service dogs. Minature horses are excluded in this definition.
Airlines can require a passenger to provide a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) form attesting to the animal’s health, behavior, and training and a U.S. DOT form attesting that the animal can either not relieve itself or can relieve itself in a sanitary manner (if the animal will be on a flight that is 8 or more hours).
The ACAA does not address service animals in-training, so airlines are not required to carry them as they do not meet the requirements of an ACAA-defined service animal. However, airlines can make their own individual policies.
FAQ
Housing Law
A tenant with a disability may request the use of a service animal as a reasonable accommodation from their landlord so that they do not have to pay additional fees to have equal access to and enjoyment of housing. A landlord, in turn, may request reliable supporting documentation on to the disability-related need for the animal if such a need is not readily apparent. This documentation can be provided by a physician or medical professional.
Yes. While you cannot be required to pay additional fees for the presence of a service animal, you may be liable for any damage caused to the property beyond normal wear and tear.
Yes. The ADA offers protections for individuals that have a disability-related need for ESAs. They are entitled to request a reasonable accommodation from a landlord the same way tenants with service animals are.
FAQ
Discrimination Complaints
If you have been unfairly denied access to a public accommodation with your service animal, you may file a complaint with the North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights. The complaint should be filed no later than 180 day from the “last date of harm,” and you should be prepared to provide specifics about the discriminatory incident. You can file using this online complaint form. If you need assistance, you can call 701-328-2660 (toll-free: 800-582-8032) or email labor@nd.gov.
If you believe you have been discriminated against in a housing setting, you should file a complaint with the North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights within one year of the incident. You can file using this online housing complaint form. If you need assistance, you can call 701-328-2660 (toll-free: 800-582-8032) or email labor@nd.gov.
How to Get Certified for an Emotional Support Animal in North Dakota
American Service Pets provides you with a fast, simple process to certification for your Emotional Support Animal. Just follow these easy steps:
Determine Whether You Qualify
It takes only a few minutes to fill out the American Service Pets questionnaire, which will determine your availability for ESA approval.
Get Approved by a Doctor
American Service Pets allows you to file with your own doctor, or with a doctor in our network for approval. Our doctors are always available, and most requests are approved within minutes. Official letters are then delivered via email.
Add Your Pet to the National Directory
Adding your pet to the national directory of Emotional Support Animals creates an online profile showing your pet’s status and ESA letter. This is an important part of the ESA process.
Find out if you are part of the 95% of applicants who qualify for an ESA letter with American Service Pets today!
The American Service Pets Advantage
American Service Pets has assisted over 45,000 people with legitimizing their Emotional Support Animals. Here’s why you should trust us for your ESA and PSA needs:
- All-in-one approval process
- You get a chance to confer with a licensed healthcare professional
- No prescription required
Say goodbye to worries about being separated from your support animal or being charged for having one with our straightforward approval process. It all begins with our online test.
Nationwide Experts in Emotional Support Animal Certification
Certification as an Emotional Support Animal in North Dakota can be the answer to rental housing issues when you’re denied access to your comforting companion. At American Service Pets, we’re proud to aid pet owners in getting the help they need for their ESA or PSA in North Dakota. Take our test today and find out if you qualify in less than half an hour.
Disclaimer: We would like to emphasize that while the terms “certification” or “registration” may be used in relation to Emotional Support Animals, there is no official certification process for ESAs or any form of ESA registry as of this date. As such, the use of these terms should not be interpreted as legally recognized designations by government or regulatory authorities. Remember, ESAs can provide a valuable source of comfort and support, but their recognition relies on proper documentation from a healthcare professional and adherence to relevant laws and guidelines.
