Emotional Support Dog Laws In California

Emotional support dogs in california do not enjoy the same privilege as a service dog or a psychiatric service dog when it comes to protection by law.

Emotional support dog laws in california.

Difference between an emotional support animal and a service dog. Below is a summary of emotional support animal laws to better understand your rights. The laws in california allow a person with a disability to bring a trained service dog or psychiatric service dog to all public places but not emotional support animals. However the law does not consider emotional support animals to be the same as service dogs for disabled persons.

The use of emotional support animals is emerging as a popular way for coping with mental and emotional conditions such as stress anxiety and depression. 382 27 c 2010 california state law csl. Landlords and other housing providers in california may not refuse to make reasonable accommodations in their rules or policies if such accommodations are necessary to afford a person with a disability the equal opportunity to use and enjoy a house or. All residents of california with emotional support animals are protected under the fair housing act and the acaa which are federal laws.

For more on the basic difference between service dogs and support animals see nolo s article on service dogs and support animals how california protects service dogs in public areas. Finally in general esa rights in california assumes a broader approach to defining emotional support animals in the workplace than the federal government does. As a result the laws protecting service dogs do not similarly cover emotional support animals. California law guarantees people who use trained service dogs full and equal access to.

There are a few areas where an emotional support dog in california has equal rights like that of the service dog or the psychiatric service dog but there are some areas where california s law. According to california law one only need to be limited by a disability to qualify for the use of an esa. They are not the same as service animals and are not protected by the ada. If you re an individual with an emotional or psychological disability emotional support animals can be an excellent companion.

An emotional support animal does not need to be a dog but can be. These laws and related guidance from the department of housing and the department of transportation allow esas to fly on planes. May require 48 hours notice for an emotional support animal or for a service animal on a flight of 8 hours or more. In california tenants have the right to bring their service dogs and emotional support animals to live with them in many circumstances.

Attorney katie holt writes. Check out this article to get information and resources about your rights for your emotional support animal in california.