emotional support animal

An emotional support animal is a pet (usually a dog or cat) that provides comfort to a person for psychiatric and emotional purposes. An 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.