How Many ESAs Can You Have?

Emotional support animals (ESAs) are important companions to many, and it is possible to have more than one ESA under your care. However, you must ensure all local and state laws are followed with your ESAs and that you can adequately provide care for them. Our article will give you more details on emotional support animals and how many of these companions you may be able to have.

What Are Emotional Support Animals?

Emotional support animals are companion animals that provide relief for symptoms of certain mental health conditions or disabilities. Common conditions that benefit from an ESA include anxiety, chronic stress, depression, and sensory disorders. ESAs aren’t trained to help with specific tasks, but they do give their owners a sense of companionship, comfort, and routine as they live alongside them.

How Many Emotional Support Animals Can I Have?

There is technically no limit to the number of emotional support animals you can have, but it’s important to understand how to legitimately register your emotional support animals and take advantage of your fair housing rights.

Every ESA that you have under your care must be adequately provided for and listed as necessary for your condition in your emotional support animal letter; this letter must be written by a mental healthcare provider licensed in your state and familiar with your condition.

You cannot have multiple ESAs that you aren’t able to provide for, such as a very large number of dogs or cats that would be unsafe to keep in a small apartment unit, and you cannot have any emotional support animal that violates local and state laws.

Simply put, as long as your mental healthcare provider approves your need for one or more emotional support animals, and list this need in your ESA letter, you can have as many emotional support animals as you can reasonably and safely care for.

Can My ESAs Be Denied by a Landlord?

Your emotional support animals may be denied by a landlord in certain circumstances. It’s important to understand that while you should be able to access accommodations for your ESA in any housing unit or apartment you wish to live in, sometimes this isn’t possible, and your landlord may be able to legally deny you.

Factors that could lead to your emotional support animals being denied include:

You have multiple exotic ESAs that can’t adequately be provided for in your chosen housing complex or apartment unit.
Your emotional support animals are out of control, destructive, or dangerous.

You are requesting to bring multiple animals or large animals into a space that cannot safely support them.

It’s important to always keep in mind the needs of your emotional support animals as well as your own needs as you look for housing. Reasonable accommodations must be granted, and you should consult the Fair Housing Act if you need more information about what qualifies as reasonable accommodation for you and your emotional support animals.

How Do I Register My Emotional Support Animals?

Officially registering your emotional support animals is essential if you want to ensure your ESAs are legitimate and take advantage of your fair housing rights. To receive an ESA letter that states your need for your ESAs, you will need to speak with a mental healthcare provider licensed in your state. Your provider can evaluate your need for one or more ESAs and provide you with the details on emotional support animal registration.

Benefiting From Your ESAs

ESAs are highly beneficial for many individuals, and officially registering your emotional support animals is vital if you want to keep these animals at your side wherever you live. It is possible to have multiple ESAs as long as your mental healthcare provider has determined that you can benefit from their presence and has listed your need for each of your ESAs in your official ESA letter.

Speak to your mental healthcare provider to get this process started if you believe you can benefit from one or more emotional support animals in your life.