emotional support animal

A pet (usually a dog or cat) that provides comfort to a person for psychiatric and emotional purposes. An emotional support animal, or ESA, is not a service animal. It does not need to be trained to perform a task. An ESA does not need to be registered or prescribed, though sometimes prescribed or noted in medical records. ESAs are not included as assistance animals under the ADA, although some states with more expansive definitions do include them. People with ESAs are afforded some rights to housing with their ESAs under the Fair Housing Act.

On first use, use emotional support animal, abbreviated as ESA. On subsequent uses, ESA is acceptable. The <abbr> for ESA is written:

<abbr title="emotional support animal">ESA</abbr>
 

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