How to Get Your Emotional Support Animal Certification
in Louisiana
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is a valuable addition to anyone’s life. People managing the symptoms of emotional disorders sometimes need the comfort and support of their pets to help them through hectic days.
Disorders such as PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, cyclothymic disorder, and anxiety can make daily tasks harder and social situations intolerable without the company of an ESA. That’s why it’s more important than ever to ensure these special animals gain the recognition they deserve.
United States laws defend the rights of citizens who own these animals in certain circumstances, but many people, such as landlords, still oppose the idea. Landlords can legally evict tenants without proper credentials for their animals, but they can also face weighty consequences if they don’t follow the ESA laws in Louisiana.
American Service Pets helps renters get the authorization they need for an Emotional Support Animal. There’s no longer a need to pay pet deposits or extraneous fees. Qualify for your animal with a Louisiana ESA letter now.
3 Key Benefits of an ESA
An Emotional Support Animal is a recognized therapeutic animal, usually a dog, that helps its owner manage the problematic parts of life. Laws in the United States defend the rights of people who deal with mental impairments to keep their ESA in their rental home. The law recognizes the necessity for these unique animals and the health perks they provide, including:
Happiness Booster
Interacting with pets makes you happy because it increases levels of serotonin and dopamine, the body’s natural mood enhancers. They can be goofy and sweet when you need it most, and they never fail to bring a smile.
Natural Medicine
Caring for an animal you love provides health benefits similar to prescription depression medications – but without the accompanying risks. Emotional Support Animals are a natural therapy for many symptoms of emotional disorders. They also enhance physical health by fostering outdoor play and activity.
Genuine Support
Symptoms of emotional disorders can manifest at any time, and an ESA can help its owner in such times of need. Their very presence is calming and helps to ease tension.
Life with an emotional disorder can be difficult without the support of an ESA. American Service Pets provides a fast and easy way for pet owners to get authorized in less than an hour.
Take the test to see if you qualify for a Louisiana ESA letter now.
Louisiana Emotional Support Animal Laws
Emotional Support Animals have many benefits, but they don’t have the training of official Psychiatric Service Animals. ESAs naturally provide emotional support and camaraderie, but PSAs are trained to execute lifesaving duties and specialized tasks to help the disabled. Service animals and emotional support animals have different abilities, so they are provided separate rights by law.
Only animals with a genuine Louisiana ESA letter are granted legal rights in this state. Official letters are accepted nationwide, but state laws vary.
It’s wise to research before traveling or relocating to familiarize yourself with the rights of ESA owners in that state. Here are some key laws in Louisiana:
Housing Laws
Landlords can’t turn down Louisiana rental tenants for housing, charge them a pet deposit, or evict them for owning an ESA. The federal Fair Housing Act protects these rights. Landlords have the right to see an applicant’s ESA letter but can’t ask for proof of a diagnosis. Landlords can still turn away a valid Emotional Support Animal for rental housing if it’s too big or untrained, and ESA owners are liable for any damages their animal causes to the rental property.
Public Places
Louisiana state laws don’t allow public access to Emotional Support Animals, nor do any federal law. Public places in Louisiana include:
- Malls
- Shopping centers
- Grocery stores
- Service establishments
- Restaurants
- Gyms
Establishments deemed public aren’t required to allow them access to their facilities. Laws are different for PSAs, though. They are formally trained animals that assist psychiatric patients in situations such as impending panic attacks, checking for intruders, and disrupting self-harming behavior.
Workplace Laws
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defends the rights of disabled citizens to use a service dog at their place of employment. Comfort animals are not supported under this act in Louisiana. Getting an ESA letter could be what you need to persuade a sympathetic boss, though.
Travel Laws
The Air Carrier Access Act supported ESAs in a plane’s cabin with their owner until 2020, but no longer. Only official service dogs are permitted to ride in the cabin free of charge. Comfort animals aren’t allowed access to public transportation in Louisiana, including buses, trains, subways, and ride-share services.
American Service Pets is honored to offer an easy three-step process to provide Emotional Support Animal letters to Louisiana residents.
FAQ
The Basics
Yes, Louisiana has state-specific service animal laws in addition to complying with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The law specifically refers to “service dogs,” saying that they are dogs who have been or are being trained to do work or perform a task for a person with a disability. This includes hearing dogs, guide dogs, seizure alert dogs, mobility dogs, autism service dogs, dogs who provide assistance during a medical crisis, and service dogs providing assistance to persons such as veterans with traumatic brain injury or PTSD. The ADA expands this definition to include psychiatric service animals and allergen-alert animals as well.
Louisiana law defines a person with a disability to be “a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of such person’s major life activities.” The definition notes that it includes military veterans with traumatic brain injury or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Louisiana law specifically covers dogs as service animals, but the ADA also provides protection for miniature horses in some cases.
Louisiana does not appear to have a law on the books for service dog fraud.
Yes, Louisiana’s definition of “service dogs” also includes dogs who are being trained as service animals. Handlers of service dogs-in-training have the same rights and privileges as disabled individuals with fully trained service dogs.
Neither the ADA nor Louisiana’s state service animal law includes provisions for emotional support animals.
FAQ
Public Accommodations & Travel with a Service Animal
Louisiana law and the ADA align on having a broad definition of “public accommodations.” This includes streets, sidewalks, highways, and walkways; public buildings and facilities; public transportation; schools, from kindergartens to universities; hotels, restaurants, and theaters; places of public amusement or resort; and any other place to which the general public is invited.
The establishment can only ask whether the animal is required due to a disability and what tasks the animal has been trained to perform.
Public accommodations may exclude a service animal if it poses a direct threat to the health and safety of other customers, if it is not housebroken, or if its handler cannot or will not control it. However, even if a service animal is not allowed in a public place, the handler is still free to enter.
The law covers “all public transportation and common carriers, such as boats, buses, cars, taxis, ferries, and trains” and “public transportation and terminals, depots, and stations.” The only stipulation is that the dog cannot occupy a seat on public transportation.
No. A dog license and/or rabies tag may be necessary if required by Louisiana state or local laws, but this is the case for any dog, not just service dogs. However, service dogs are actually exempt from any state or local licensing fees that pets may be subject to.
The ADA prohibits discrimination against disabled people in employment situations. It requires the business to make a reasonable accommodation at the employee’s request, and a service dog in a workplace environment qualifies as a reasonable accommodation. The only exception is if the animal would cause undue hardship for the business or heavily disrupt the workplace environment. Employees may also request a reasonable accommodation for a companion animal or ESA in the workplace, and this request is not limited to dogs only.
Service animals are generally allowed in areas of the hospital where the public is also allowed to go. However, they can be barred from areas like operating rooms or burn units where the animal could compromise the sterility of the environment.
If a person, business, or any other type of public accommodation is found to be in violation of anti-discrimination laws, they will be found guilty of a misdemeanor. They can be made to pay a fine of no more than five hundred dollars or be imprisoned for no more than ninety days (or both at a judge’s discretion). However, these charges can only be made if the handler of the service dog is able to produce evidence of their dog’s training or status as a service dog-in-training.
Louisiana 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
Both the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Louisiana law prohibit discrimination against those who use service animals or psychiatric service animals.
Yes. While Louisiana law and the FHA prohibit extra fees being charged for simply having a service animal, owners can be held liable for any damage the animal causes.
While state law does not address ESAs, the FHA provides protection for ESA owners when it comes to buying or renting a home.
FAQ
Discrimination Complaints
You can file a discrimination claim with the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights (LCHR) by telephone, mail, online, or in person. If the claim is employment-related, the LCHR will send a copy of your claim and their determination to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
If you feel that you have been discriminated against under FHA law, you can file a discrimination complaint with the Louisiana Fair Action Housing Center online or by calling 504-596-2100 (877-445-2100 toll-free).
How to Obtain an Emotional Support Animal Certification Letter in Louisiana
American Service Pets makes it as easy as possible to get your pet authorized as an Emotional Support Animal. It involves only three simple steps:
Fill Out the Questionnaire
It takes approximately three to five minutes to answer the American Service Pets questionnaire to determine your eligibility for approval.
Get a Doctor’s Approval
American Service Pets allows you to submit your file to a state-approved doctor or other licensed mental health provider for authorization. Doctors are always available, and they approve most requests within three to five minutes. Official letters are delivered immediately via email.
Add Your Pet to the National Directory
Add your pet to the national directory to get a convenient online pet profile that shows your pet’s status and ESA letter for public view anytime it’s needed.
Get official endorsement for your support animal today. American Service Pets accepts approximately 95% of applicants in less than a half hour.
The American Service Pets Advantage
American Service Pets has assisted over 45,000 ESA owners authenticate the status of their Emotional Support Animal. Here’s what makes us the right choice:
- The opportunity to talk with a Louisiana-approved medical professional
- Free qualification process
- No prescription required
- All-in-one solution to ESA approval issues
Answer the quick yes-or-no questions to get your comfort animal approved as an ESA today with American Service Pets. We are dedicated to helping Americans coping with emotional matters get the therapeutic rewards of an Emotional Support Animal.
Experts in Nationwide Support Animal Approval
Approval for your ESA is the answer to rental housing problems and sometimes other issues when you’re denied access to your companion. American Service Pets aids pet owners in getting the help they need for their Emotional Support Animal in Louisiana.
Take our test today for approval 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.
