Why do we require a physician (MD, DO, PA, NP) or a mental health specialist (add) note?
We keep these notes on file for liability reasons. If you were ever in legal trouble due to your service dog, a signed note or letter from a provider that was given prior to beginning training is integral in courtrooms. This must be sent to us (via email) prior to your initial consultation.
Are "Service Dog Certifications" or "Emotional Support Animal Certifications" necessary or real?
No! There are endless websites and services that are easy to mistake as legitimate resources and companies. Unfortunately, at least in the United States, these are all scams. Please do not provide your information or pay for services from these sites.
What should be included in a note from a licensed medical professional?
This is an example only:
Printed on an official medical organization's letterhead
"To whom it may concern:
This letter is to confirm that [insert patient's name] is a patient who has been seen at [insert clinic or organization name] and has been diagnosed with a disability as defined by the ADA, the FHA, the ACAA, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A service dog is medically necessary to assist them in the treatment of their disability.
Best regards,
[insert licensed medical professional's name]"
What about housing?
Here's what the FHA says:
For example, the housing provider may ask persons who are seeking a reasonable accommodation for an assistance animal that provides emotional support to provide documentation from a physician, psychiatrist, social worker, or other mental health professional that the animal provides emotional support that alleviates one or more of the identified symptoms or effects of an existing disability. Such documentation is sufficient if it establishes that an individual has a disability and that the animal in question will provide some type of disability-related assistance or emotional support.