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Can I Have 2 Emotional Support Animals?

3 esa dogs

According to Service Dog Certifications, you can have 2 or more emotional support animals.

The presence of a furry or a scaly or a feathery companion can provide a form of unconditional love, acceptance, and support. This is why many mental health professionals are now prescribing an Emotional Support Animal to those patients that would benefit the most.

In this post, we will discuss the number of emotional support animals allowed, the laws governing ESAs, and how a person can get a legitimate Emotional Support Animal letter.

How Many Emotional Support Animals Can I Have?

You can have more than one ESA. There are no specific rules stating the maximum number of ESAs you may have. As long as the animal(s) does not violate any state or local laws and your therapist agrees your ESAs are there for your well-being, you can have more than one emotional support animal. The number of emotional support animals you have must also make sense. For example, having one or more horses in an apartment may not be feasible.

The Fair Housing Act states that a landlord, building manager, or owner of any rental unit must make reasonable accommodations for a person with an emotional support animal. As long as this reasonable accommodation clause does not cause any undue burden to the rental unit’s landlord, manager or owner.

The health and wellbeing of the ESA must also be addressed. All animals will need to be fed, groomed and given veterinarian care. Does your budget allow for these financial extras?

Can my landlord deny reasonable accommodations if I have multiple ESAs?

There are only a couple of circumstances that may allow your landlord to reject your emotional support animals.

When it comes to multiple ESAs, it would depend on the species and number of animals that are being housed. For example; 6 large dogs that bark in a small apartment or 2 goats in a condo can be considered an undue financial burden to the property owner.  Thus, challenging the reasonable accommodation clause.

How Do I Get an Official ESA Letter?

There is a simple process that needs to be followed to either make an existing pet an Emotional Support Animal or if you are going to adopt a new animal.

Step # 1 – Work with a Mental Health Professional

The law states that you must be working with a mental health professional such as a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. This mental health professional must then write you a prescription for the ESA in the form of an ESA letter.

Step # 2 – Get a legitimate ESA Letter from a Therapist

The letter is more than a few words scribbled onto your doctor’s prescription pad. The document must include or state  –

  • – Your therapist believes that an Emotional Support Animal would be beneficial in your treatment plan
  • – The laws that protect you as an Emotional Support Animal handler
  • – Your therapist’s direct contact information and licensing information
  • – Written on your therapist’s official letterhead

The letter is typically only valid for one year.

Step # 3 – What if you do not have access to a therapist?

You may choose to work with a legitimate online ESA letter referral company. Not all online referral companies are the same. A few things to look out for –

  • Referral services that provide “instant approval” or are priced too low (under $100) – a real licensed therapist’s time is more valuable
  • Referral services that pair you with an out of state therapist
  • Make sure that your therapist’s licensing information is listed on the ESA letter

Step # 4 – Register your Animal(s) and order your ESA License and Certificate

You are not legally required to have your ESAs registered, but some people chose to do so for the benefits. Certifying your emotional support animals will put you into a database, as well as provide you with custom identification cards, vest, and certificate.

Having this extra validation will help when you are applying for housing or booking a flight with your emotional support animal.

One, Two or More ESA’s Work!

When deciding how many emotional support animals are necessary, consider the space and time you have along with your finances. Once you have your ESA(s) and the letter you need from your mental health professional to make it legitimate you are well on your way to living a happier and healthier life.

emotional support dog

10 comments

  1. Kathleen Waterbury says: March 18, 2019

    My neighbor has 2 dogs who she does not take to a certified vet. She does not feed them properly and the new one chews on things and drops toys and chewed items onto my patio. She has left her out in the rain on the balcony for hours and fed her out there. She does not walk these dogs or exercise in any way. She had left the one alone for days with no one checking or feeding her during those days. She does not have them for support. Plus her physician, not her psychiatrist gave the permission. This is a small one bedroom. The shepherd is young and untrained. But large. She already had a dog she did not take care of. Plus there is the barking. It is beyond disturbing. And she ignores it. I have tried getting help with those giving the licenses as I am an animal advocate when I can be. Other tenants are remarking on the cruelty of not exercising and especially leaving her out in the rain and not having the room. Who is in charge and needs to see to their well being? Why isn’t there someone to check on the companion animals? Kathleen Waterbury,

    Reply
    • Rhondah says: January 21, 2020

      This has been very helpful. I too have 2 esa dogs. One is my husband one is mine. Our management changes our manages constantly. I’m constantly having to update them on my beloved esa dogs. So far it’s been ok. However I’m afraid I’m going to run into a manager that’s going to give me grief. I’m glad the law backs us up. My babies enrich my life and truely help with my anxiety.

      Reply
  2. Lori kish says: March 21, 2019

    I feel that this is big help deciding whether or not to register anyone’s dogs as a esa dog

    Reply
  3. Melissa zacharias says: December 25, 2019

    I have had my dogs for 5 years where I live. It is one pet but my dogs are esa for 2 of my kids. One has mood disorder and one has Tourette’s with emotional disturbance. My land lord all of a sudden says I can’t have them. I have papers from the dr and they are up to date with the shots and are nutered. This is the new manager and she has known for 2 years now about them without it being a problem. What can I do

    Reply
    • Kelly says: December 28, 2019

      Provide your written letters regarding BOTH dogs and send it to the landlord immediately and their lawyer. They can not dispute a ESA letter from a license mental health provider

      Reply
    • Donna Goldstein says: January 18, 2020

      I had a similar issue with my landlord. They were unaware of the law regarding ESA animals so I googled the laws and gave them copies both hard and sent via email along with a copy of the letter from my daughter’s therapist.

      Reply
  4. Rhondah says: January 21, 2020

    This has been very helpful. I too have 2 esa dogs. One is my husband one is mine. Our management changes our manages constantly. I’m constantly having to update them on my beloved esa dogs. So far it’s been ok. However I’m afraid I’m going to run into a manager that’s going to give me grief. I’m glad the law backs us up. My babies enrich my life and truely help with my anxiety.

    Reply
    • Richard says: June 3, 2020

      Call animal control. Plain and simple. If they cannot take the dogs from her this will at least be a wake up call that she is being watched and needs to do better or she will lose them. I speak from a little personal experience….

      Reply
  5. Jadin Valtierra says: May 21, 2020

    My daughter at 16yr has severe anxiety and emotional moods. She has 2 dogs and they give her some great love!

    Reply
  6. Carolina 924 says: June 25, 2020

    Can you bring two emotional support dogs into a store at one time? That’s what someone is doing in our little food co-op and it is causing problems for the employees who don’t want to create a disturbance but must answer to the questions of other shopper.

    Reply

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