A support animal letter is a document that verifies that a person has a disability and needs an animal to provide emotional support or assistance.
- The letter should be written by a licensed medical practitioner or mental health provider who is treating the person for their disability.
- The letter should include the name and contact details of the provider, the name and disability of the patient, the type and name of the animal, and the reason why the animal is necessary for the patient’s well-being.
- The letter should also state that the provider is familiar with the patient’s condition and the relevant laws and regulations regarding support animals.
- The letter should be dated and signed by the provider and include their license number and credentials.
Sample companion animal letter template 1
[Date]
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to confirm that [Patient Name] is my patient and has been under my care since [Date]. [Patient Name] has a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
As a result of this disability, [Patient Name] requires an emotional support animal to help alleviate the symptoms of their condition and improve their quality of life. The emotional support animal that I have prescribed to [Patient Name] is a [Type of Animal] named [Animal Name].
[Animal Name] provides [Patient Name] with comfort, companionship, and emotional support that reduces their stress, anxiety, and depression. [Animal Name] also helps [Patient Name] cope with the challenges of daily living and enhances their social and emotional functioning.
I am familiar with [Patient Name]’s condition and the relevant laws and regulations regarding emotional support animals. I certify that [Patient Name]’s need for an emotional support animal is legitimate and necessary for their well-being.
Please allow [Patient Name] to have [Animal Name] as an emotional support animal in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at [Provider Contact Details].
Sincerely,
[Provider Name]
[Provider Signature]
[Provider License Number and Credentials]
Sample companion animal letter template 2
Sample letter for Companion Animal
DATE
NAME OF PROFESSIONAL (therapist, physician, psychiatrist, rehabilitation counselor)
ADDRESS
Dear [HOUSING AUTHROITY/LANDLORD]:
[NAME OF TENANT] is my patient, and has been under my care since [DATE]. I am intimately familiar with his/her history and with the functional limitations imposed by his/her disability. He/She meets the definition of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Due to mental illness, [FIRST NAME] has certain limitations regarding [SOCIAL INTERACTION/COPING WITH STRESS/ANXIETY, ETC]. In order to help alleviate these difficulties, and to enhance his/her ability to live independently and to fully use and enjoy the dwelling unit you own and/or administer, I am prescribing an emotional support animal that will assist [FIRST NAME] in coping with his/her disability.
I am familiar with the voluminous professional literature concerning the therapeutic benefits of assistance animals for people with disabilities such as that experienced by [FIRST NAME]. Upon request, I will share citations to relevant studies, and would be happy to answer other questions you may have concerning my recommendation that [FULL NAME OF TENANT] have an emotional support animal. Should you have additional question, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Signature
[Provider Name]
[Provider Signature]
[Provider License Number and Credentials]