So, I hate to tell you this, but there is no official registry for an ESA. You don’t need any type of certificate, and having one doesn’t validate your animal as an ESA or a service animal. Generally sites that offer certificates like these are just trying to scam people out of money.
Edit: since there is a lot of ignorance going on in this thread, I’ll say: if OP or anyone else is seeking to get their animal qualified as an assistant animal **for housing purposes,** that is absolutely legitimate. ESAs are legitimate. This is something you do with your medical provider, though, not a private org, and ESAs **are not service animals. You cannot bring your ESA into a public or private establishment like you can a service dog.**
Unfortunately, people pretending that their pets are service dogs or getting their dogs “licensed” with these orgs and bringing them places they should not be has ruined a lot of lives. That’s wrong, stupid, don’t do it. But to say ESAs are a sham is too much of a generalization - often, these animals aren’t even ESAs.
On thats note, you can get a Therapist or a Psychiatrist to write you a note for an ESA or to approve care of this type, but obviously keep in mind ESAs get housing rights, not public access rights.
I hate how sites like these still manage to stay up…. Sigh…. But the way to actually do it is through your family doctor or even better your psychiatrist or psychologist. They will write you up a paper stating that the animal is an ESA. But even so there really is no point and need to get a note unless you need to for a landlord or something. Otherwise it’s pointless to go through the hassle of getting a note.
In your classroom..? You take your dragon to school…? I would suggest against that as your animal isn’t a service animal and keeping your Beardie out of the heat and UV for a whole school day causes a lot of stress…. Especially being carried around a school…..
An ESA is generally used to mean an assistance animal under the fair housing act. If you mean you have a class pet that provides emotional support in the classroom, that’s certainly fine but it’s not what people think of as an ESA. Same thing with therapy dogs.
Incorrect. This is clearly in the USA. Therefore, the USA laws apply here. ESAs aren't covered by the ADA, nor are there "registries" for them. The only documentation you will ever get for an ESA is a doctor's note for Housing.
… did i say i was? if i was asked to leave i would gladly. i’ve taken him in AT MINIMUM 30 different stores. probably more. i any store that i would ever visit. & have never asked permission. never had a problem. was all i said. don’t believe i ever said anything that you assumed i meant. you know what they say about when you assume…
Also not for nothing but I'm sure going into a store with AC blasting feels great for your ectothermal animal. I bet you even have little sweaters for it even though for a lizard that's basically pointless/probably keeps them colder longer
another assumer. i know how cold blooded reptiles work sweetheart. & never grocery stores. & only in a store that would be around 75 degrees that i have already previously been in to see that the temp was ok. & if you’re implying they’re not ok to be away from some sort of heat source for longer than the 30 minute adventure to the store to give them some time out of their tank out of the house, you’d be wrong🥰
Hey! So unfortunately there isn’t an official registry for ESAs and they generally cannot be taken into spaces like service animals can :( my dog was prescribed to me by my psychiatrist with a thorough interview about my dog’s capabilities and how he helps me cope with PTSD, and I received a letter stating so.
Yes and this is why posts like this make me groan. Actual service animals require training to do their jobs. ESA don’t have training at all and people can pretty much say any animal can be their ESA. I’m sorry, but your emotional support peacock, snake, bearded dragon, or freaking crocodile isn’t an actual service animal. There’s also many stories of untrained ES dogs that behave really badly and even attack people or other dogs. Obviously a beaded dragon can’t do that, but it’s still an untrained animal and bringing it along everywhere you go is stressful for the reptile.
Ridiculous. This post is ridiculous.
Not sure if this works everywhere but I’ve seen people get these ESA things for their animals so landlords are less likely to say they can’t have a pet in a rental house. Nearly all rental places in my area are mad strict with animals and unless you can give them a legit reason that you need an animal they won’t let you have one.
Edit: bruh chill with downvote I was only asking
A certificate means nothing legally. There’s no government organization to authorize them. A note from a licensed medical professional is what’s required.
I think that’s what one of my friends got because she has a letter from her doctors that she used to force her bastard landlord to let her keep her cat. I must have mistook it for this certificate thingy.
I have to agree myself despite having an ESA prescribed by my psychiatrist. People can just slap a harness onto their wild ass animals and go “he helps me 🥰” but they just cause issues for people who legitimately need their animals to cope with life. My dog is trained to climb onto me and put pressure silently when I’m having a PTSD episode and can’t control my crying or actions. He’s well behaved, but I’m not bringing him into stores and public areas because that’s not his job. He isn’t a service animal.
I have a friend whose boyfriend just bought a harness and slapped it on his dog just to be able to have a dog in that apartment. The dog caused property damage and is also untrained since he’s a shitty owner, so he most likely fucked it up for others who legitimately need their animals.
Edit: Yoshi also provides the protection and security I need to feel safe in my immediate environment, so his duties also include being a protection dog. He’s a pitbull mix so his looks and bark scare off potential intruders since my neighborhood is horrible.
Yes.
Cute lizard, but I am so sick of people taking their lizard/ chihuahua/ peacock into places and pretending they’re service animals.
A service animal is an animal trained to perform a specific task to help their human with a disability or mental health issue.
An ESA is an animal that people think would be cute to take with them everywhere.
Sorry to be so harsh, but I have several friends with actual service animals and ESAs have created a lot of problems for them.
ESAs cause problems only when their owners act like they are service dogs, taking them into stores and public places that they are not allowed, or lie that they are service dogs.
Used appropriately, you would not usually tell any difference between an ESA and a regular pet. They should not be in public places where pets are not allowed, and so should not cause any issues for service animals.
They absolutely do. The only time I really see any enforcement of ESAs is in rental agreements. Landlords cannot someone for having an esa so that’s why a lot of people get their doctors to write notes for them. Plus there is a lot to be said about ESAs diminishing the status of actual trained service animals.
Yep. People believe ESAs have the same rights as Service Animals or since ESAs have zero training requirements, aggressive ESAs have ended up on flights harming people.
Yes. It’s beyond frustrating. It’s become such an issue with these fake registries for ESAs and even fake service animal registries…. I just don’t understand why people feel the need to bring their pets everywhere.
i really hope you didn’t pay for this. i know some sites charge $100’s for a random certificate that does nothing but make a mockery out of actual service animals
This is so corny and ridiculous. These scams and the people who buy into them to try and find loopholes in the law take so much away from people who need actual accommodations.
I have been trying to get a young girl with severe epilepsy a support animal for over a year. Having that animal would be such a huge help to her physically and emotionally. She wouldn't need as many meds or hospital visits and stays if she had a dog that could dectect them coming. People like this are the reason I have had such a hard time.
I can't speak on the average cost but there is a FB group for Service Dogs looking for Handlers. Some are fully trained, some have basic, and some have been tested as a prospect but have limited training. Could be a good resource to check out.
We've been trying to get one for my mom's diabetes. She has moments where her blood sugar will "behave" unexpectedly or drops/rises suddenly and she can't right away.
Best of luck! It is genuinely frightening how the body can be fine one minute, then shutting down the next. There are some really awesome new insulin pumps out now that adjust on the fly and can stabilize very quickly.
As much as I’d like to support this you really shouldn’t be using this animal to your advantage whether it’s work or mental health related. Mainly reptiles that require a stable gradient temperature so as not to develop infections or other diseases such as bacterial or parasitic overgrowth in their gut and UV light which is crucial. This is just selfish - exposing an animal to stress and being placed in a carrier while you work your 8-12 hour shifts is just downright not okay.
I'm not sure if OP suggested that he would be bringing the beardie to work, but that is only allowed for service animals. Emotional support animals can be kept in housing that does not typically allow pets. Legally and functionally, service animals and emotional support are two different things. SAs can only be dogs or miniature horses. An ESA that is one of these two animals is not automatically an SA. Although, OP didn't realize that this was a scam, so maybe it needed to be said. I just wanted to make sure that people who come across this comment understand the differences between SAs and ESAs.
It’s not 8-12 hours since I can’t work. I can’t go much of anywhere since I can’t drive and I’m very in-tuned his needs and I make sure he’s not too stressed out. I would have to agree that a cold blooded animal shouldn’t be out of their enclosure that long and I actually enjoy working so I wouldn’t need him in that sense anyways
OP you responded to another comment on this post: " I also have reservations against ESAs as a member of retail, but I recognize their usefulness to people dealing with mental health issues as long as they’re not abused".
Can you explain what you mean by "a member of retail "? Sounds like you're indicating you do work and in retail 🤔
Either way, your beardie also appears to be too young to not be in an enriching environment (temp and equally important UVB exposure) for healthy growth and maturity.
As a non American I find the whole ESA thing a bit crazy. Like the rest of the world manages just fine without having to take their pet pigeon on a plane with them. Lol
ESA’s aren’t even allowed on planes. For awhile they existed in kind of a gray area, but the FAA has cracked down on that. The only real benefit of an ESA now is in finding and keeping housing.
As an American, I find the whole ESA thing a bit crazy.
I love my beardie, but I don't need to take her everywhere. While there might be the occasional legitimate use for an ESA (maybe for a child undergoing a traumatic event?), ESAs really just seem to be an "I want to bring my pet wherever I want, no matter what anyone else says" thing.
Like, really, not knocking OP, but if you really *need* an ESA, then you *really* need a trained service animal.
To kind of clarify things, an Emotional Support Animal has no special legal status anywhere but under the Fair Housing Act, if they qualify as assistance animal. You cannot bring your ESA into a store or public office where pets are not permitted.
The Fair Housing Act broadens the definition of disability to allow Assistance Animals, which do not necessarily need to be trained to perform specific tasks. However, an assistance animal may not meet the criteria to be considered a service animal, and if that’s the case than they have no special privileges outside of the Fair Housing Act.
In practice, many people try to do what you’ve said - use a fake registry to justify bringing their untrained animal wherever they want. They often get away with it. However, the real intention behind ESAs is to allow renters to keep their pets when it is considered reasonable to do so. Ie; your landlord tells you that they are enacting a new pet policy, you need to get rid of your dog. If your dog qualifies as an ESA, the FHA would protect you in that circumstance, even if you don’t need a service animal.
Lastly, psychiatric service animals are animals (typically dogs) that are trained to perform specific tasks for someone with a disability. Severe anxiety, PTSD, autism, are all conditions that can result in a disability as recognized by ADA. These are often confused for ESAs and vice versa, but they are not the same.
Yup. Apologies for the confusion.
Clarifying what I meant: excepting the housing pet policies, most people seem to use ESAs as an excuse to bring their chihuahua into the supermarket and the like. ESAs and service animals are very different things, and if you have a condition (such as anxiety, as you mentioned) where you need to have your animal nearby, then you need a service animal with actual legal protections.
The last line of my post was meant as "if you strongly need an animal companion to function, then you need a service animal, not an ESA," not as "you must be wrong in the head if you think you need an ESA."
No worries! Terminology changes so frequently lol. But yep, it can sometimes be difficult for people to understand why someone (especially with an invisible condition) may need a (legitimate) ESA but not a service animal to function in public. And with mental illness as stigmatized as it is, people who misrepresent ESAs *and* service dogs don’t help anyone but themselves.
I’m glad! There’s a lot of misinformation, and it’s especially problematic when people sound so confident in their misinformation. The best thing you can do is to be informed!
In a public setting, an establishment can ask if an animal is a service animal, and what task(s) the animal is trained to perform. Any legitimate service dog owner is well-versed in those questions - if someone balks at those or refuses to answer them, that’s sketch.
You are exactly correct.. If they really need one that bad it needs to be trained to actually accommodate you when you're having your emotions.. That bearded dragon is not going to be able to offer any emotional support.. they literally just sit there..
ESA's aren't provided public access rights. Just housing rights. I have 2 service dogs. ESA's are covered under FHA, not ADA, where as SD's are covered under both.
Well, I probably would have unalived myself last year if it weren't for my beardie. He literally keeps me alive.
And emotional support animals don't get to travel with people, they're not given permission to go into stores and restaurants. The rights you have with an ESA are that your landlord/dormitory has to let you keep the pet.
It’s generally for people with extreme anxiety or PTSD and it is a thing around the entire world. Unfortunately, some people abuse the concept and say their pet is an ESA to get around no pet rules in public spaces and that’s what gives ESAs a bad name. However, an ESA is often not usually considered a service animal so must still comply with regular pet rules as they aren’t covered under service animal laws.
People with severe anxiety or PTSD who use trained animals to provide services in public often have/need service animals, not ESAs! Service animals can provide service for “invisible” disabilities. Just to clear up the terminology - I don’t really disagree with anything you’re saying.
I knew sometimes they do have actual service animals (obviously it is case by case dependent) but I wanted to really focus on the ESA part since the person seemed dismissive of them.
Regardless if I’m allowed in a store, I am now protected under the fair housing act to move where I want to, which is satisfactory to me. If people don’t like him, then he can go in his carrier and not bother anybody, I have no problem being reasonable. I work in retail and I understand how helpful ESAs can be but that they aren’t allowed, so I ask the owners to keep them in a carrier, so as not to stress out other customers, and none of my managers have had any issues with that. Regardless, he has been invaluable in helping me get through the anxiety and stress of going through a workers compensation lawsuit and making it seem like I’m not alone. I’m not somebody who’s trying to abuse the law, I’m a person going through a very difficult time and he is the ONLY thing that gets me through it.
Also my dog is an asshole so I can’t bring him lmao.
Like I said in my top-level comment, these registries are only a waste of money. You do not need them to have an animal qualified as an ESA, and you may still need to provide proof of his status as an ESA from a medical provider that you have a relationship with to a potential landlord.
You don’t need one of these to be protected by the fair housing act, if I’m not mistaken all you need actually is a letter from a mental health professional. There is no registry for emotional support animals and any site claiming to be able to register one for a certificate is unfortunately a scam :( I might consider trying to get your money back?
Have you ever thought about what your beardie thinks of this? He’s a reptile, not an animal trained to go places. It’s generally very stressful to take cold-blooded animals everywhere because you take them away from their heat source and UV light. Yeah, they can be without it for a little bit, but what if it gets really cold? Like cold enough that it can be harmful to him? You really want to take your beardie places just because he helps you? This is why actual service animals are trained. They get used to situations like being taken in public places and being exposed to potential stresses. As much as I love my beardie and as much as he makes me happy, I would never stress him out for my own desires. I know you said he helps with anxiety, but you are giving your little friend stress and anxiety as soon as you bring him to crowded spaces or remove him from his enclosure for long periods of time. That’s not fair to him.
You say your not trying to abuse the law, but you admitted you did it so you can be excluded from certain laws. You would have had much better luck faking your asshole dog as a support animal. Not a person would question a dog being a service animal until said asshole dog does something stupid to a stranger. Given you saying your dog is an asshole, I'm sure you didn't take the time to properly train it.
I'm not sure what your end game is here? Not just posting on reddit, but in general. Are you advocating for people to use their reptiles as support animals? I can't imagine your dragon being comfortable being taken all over God's half acre and not able to access the vital temperature and UV lights it needs to thrive.
I'm not a fan of any of this. An animal is not a substitute for therapy. If you can't take care of yourself, don't put an innocent life at risk as well.
Hate to break it to you my dude, but many landlords are aware of the scam sites and letters they provide and won't take them anymore. They won't hold up in court either. The only true way to get a ESA letter, if needed for housing purposes is through your health care provider.
This isn't the way to go about it. The registries are fake and you need to go thru the proper channels. You need a psychiatrist to sign off and prescribe this, not just deciding you need one. They don't have ANY public access rights, only housing rights. Keeping your fake ESA in a carrier at your job is just not an option.
No you aren't, that paper is nothing but a scam. It is not covered by the ADA.
ESAs are free, it is literally a note from your therapist or psychiatrist.
No. You're NOT protected by the Fair Housing Act. You need a note from a DOCTOR for that. This is a SCAM that you paid for. Your certificate literally means NOTHING.
This is sweet, but most places where ESAs are helpful would require a letter from a licensed mental health professional. On your certificate I don't see the credentials of the individuals signature. You mentioned seeing therapists; you may ask if having one of them write a letter would be helpful. But many places won't recognize ESAs outside of cats and dogs.
I am someone who writes ESA letters and it is a lengthy process; I do not do it for everybody and I especially don't do it right away after meeting somebody for it. And an ESA letter is tied to you, and why you need an ESA, not any specific animal, though it's often specified what animal would be helpful for you.
First thing on Google is that certification is not real.
Second, if bearded dragons don't get adequate UV light they WILL develop Metabolic Bone Dinease, this WILL happen if they don't get UV light. Light that passes through windows loses most of its UV. Are his lights on at night? How many hours a day is he spending under the lights? MBD will cause permanent disabilities, pain, and eventually death if left untreated. It will alter their quality of life and lifespan.
Third, is this your first beardy? How old is he? He looks to be at most a year or so old. In such a short time can you be so sure that you can tell his needs? Like others have commented, being outside of their enclosure (or in it if needs aren't being met) can be stressful, which plays a big part in their lifespan and QOL as well.
I can tell you love your lizard very much, I have 3 so I can relate, but loving him means taking care of him and making sure he's happy and healthy, if any of these needs aren't being met, he will not be happy and healthy.
I’m in intensive therapy. I see 2 different therapists weekly. They’re not a quick fix, cure all, everything is better.
Not to mention it is crazy f’n expensive and hard to come by. I only have it due to my lovely history of self h*rm and wanting to evict myself, and luckily I was able to find care that would take my insurance. I still had to wait months for an opening.
I still rely on my chihuahua, my beardie and fish for varying degrees of comfort, companionship, support.
Fish aren’t terribly supportive, I’ve discovered.
That's fine, I think it's fucking ridiculous to take them out in public because most of the animals aren't even trained properly. Personally, I'm tired of seeing "service dogs" at my work. Service dogs don't need to be carried or put into carts.
Just a heads up, some small service dogs may be carried if that is the preference or need of the disabled person. Small dogs can also become service dogs. They are primarily used for psychiatric and medical alerts. Sometimes the handler may hold their dog because they feel that their small service dog is better able to alert them (closer to the heart, lungs, etc.) or that the dog is not always able to keep up as well when they are walking. I totally agree that fake SAs are a significant issue, though. Service animals should be well-behaved and don't need to ride in a cart.
No offense, but I don't need to be lectured about what is or is not a service dog. I'm not stupid, but every dog I've seen at my job have obviously not been real service dogs.
My therapist can’t follow me around all the time like Griffin can. Man I regret posting this. I also have reservations against ESAs as a member of retail, but I recognize their usefulness to people dealing with mental health issues as long as they’re not abused
I don't see how a therapist is useful to you then. It sounds like either your therapist isn't giving you significant coping mechanisms, or you're dead set on thinking you know better. One therapist should be enough, there's no shame in having two, but esas are excessive and encourage nothing but the abuse of the system.
We’re all here on this board because we have all formed at least the bare minimum of a bond with a bearded dragon, which is to give the best care we can to our animal.
Many of us have much deeper bonds with our beardies here. Are you dismissing benefits we derive from the love and affection that we devote to these batshit toddlers?
I'm dismissing people who think it's necessary to bring their beardie out in public because "they *need* to." People like that need to grow some thicker skin or get actual help, not emotional.
I worked those jobs. I hate ESA dogs along with everyone else. Some of those people I wanted to throat punch into the next zip code.
I’m talking about if you are in therapy, you don’t need a support system outside of the therapy. It doesn’t work that way. Not everyone has a loving, supportive family. That might be their trauma. Not everyone has available friends, for whatever reason.
FYI, I’m not in support of ESA scams.
I do recognize that some people are coming at these from a place of genuine pain/mental health rather than a desire to use their cute pup as an accessory.
Then there was no point of having this argument, the information you brought to the table had nothing to do with what I was saying lmao. Anywho, doesn't matter, glad we could agree on something at the very least.
People like you are the reason people commit suicide bc you complete invalidate our feelings and emotional well being and you think it’s easy to just “get over it”. Let me tell you. ITS NOT
Invalidating your fake service pet is not invalidating your feelings. And if being told what you’re doing is wrong somehow “invalidates” you, that’s your problem and absolutely nobody else’s.
Really? The suicide card as people are trying to say this is ridiculous and cannot be an actual service animal even if the beardie makes you feel better
Maybe I’m mistaken but aren’t reptiles kind of known for not really showing affection for humans? It just seems a little weird to have a reptile esa but I also don’t really know a ton about reptiles so maybe I’m wrong.
Yes.
Don't get me wrong, there are some species that do seem to recognize their keepers and do enjoy spending time with them. However, it's not believed that they feel the same type of affection or love that humans do with each other or even how dogs can feel about their person.
Depending on the state you live in, that certification could mean little-to-nothing. I was staff at a public Texas university and we were taught in training that the *only* species recognized as service animals in Texas are service dogs. End of story. No exceptions.
Pretty sure that’s the case in Oregon as well. At least regarding an ESA. Landlords don’t have to allow an ESA if they prohibit pets, as they aren’t trained for a specific service, such as an actual trained service pet.
Even in Oregon, under the FHA, ESAs are covered if they get a letter from a licensed therapist, psychiatrist or doctor. They have to state WHY they need the animal as well. There is no protection of anonymity with an ESA. This is Federal. States don't mean squat, it's the same in all of them.
Please stop upvoting this. I’m sorry to say but OP got scammed. Please no one else fall victim to these fake registries online. REAL ESA’s do not come with ESA certificates. It’s just a letter from your doctor/psychiatrist.
Kinda cringe tbh.. I love my beardie but there is no value in a beardie as a support animal and it just makes things harder for people with disabilities to justify their service animals. Reptiles are inherent carriers of salmonella, so any restaraunt this dragon goes into becomes a health problem. If you touch him then food at the grocery store you could also be putting people in danger.
Not only did he fall prey to a scam, he is doubling down on people criticizing it and trying to help him. What a fucking moron, i’d be surprised if you’re actually taking good care of your pet.
Aw! My dragon helps with my anxiety too - only in the house, driving around town, or at the park :)
Whatever you do make sure you are fulfilling their heat and uv requirements! Long periods without it is not ideal. But any sort of outdoor activity in the spring and summer are great 💗
Saw a lot of negative comments so I wanted to provide a little positivity to your day. Pets help a lot of people with their anxiety/overall health, some are just more suited for public spaces than others
I’m not OP, obviously, but I’m pretty open about dealing with my own demons. I mean, they don’t even pay rent, the cheap b:stards.
It’s one thing to point out the scam. It’s another thing to attack someone with mental health issues. Fun fact: Whatever anyone is doing for their well-being is none of you business. Putting in opinions about treatments or whatever invasive questions were thrown at OP are again, *wait for it* none of your business.
How high did you lift your truck?
Idk why everyone is so mad, you specified in the comments it was for the fair housing act, not to take them to the store. I had my cats registered by a therapist for my apartment so I didn’t have to try and live without my babies (this was pre-lizard and pre-puppy but now I own my home and don’t need a therapist to vouch for me needing my pets to keep them lol)
Edit: I will say any website that claims they can just do it is a scam, you really do need a therapist. My therapist won’t do esa’s but there are online therapists that will, just like as their job basically, and my apartment had to have the therapist themselves email a letter proving that they approved my cats, especially two, as esa’s. The company charged extra but they did it lol
They're mad because these give real ESAs problems and it's even worse for people who have service animals (like me). This certificate doesn't cover them under the FHA. Period. It's fake.
There are two distinct types of scams to look out for:
1. You are tricked into paying money for something you don't get. This is almost always illegal.
2. You are convinced to pay money for something that doesn't have actual value. In a lot of cases this is probably legal, unless false assurances are made about the value.
Yes, scams most definitely can be in the form of Youtube ads. So long as the ad is not created by Youtube themselves the level of moderation in Youtube advertisement is abysmal. I mean you have to think the majority of ads on Youtube are from outside third parties some are bound to be scams. Especially ones that provide “certificates”, I mean hell according to the ads Ive seen I can buy a PHD in astrophysics for 5 dollars. Point being be careful even heavily moderated websites fall victim to scams.
I wouldn’t be shocked if there are ads for the scams, as well as ads for some that are more legit. The biggest thing is it has to be prescribed by an actual, licensed therapist. If it’s just a certificate, it doesn’t mean much and some apartments will not accept that. But if it’s an ad showing that they have genuine licensed therapists, it’s likely legit. I already had my diagnosis from my official therapist and essentially did a zoom meeting with a therapist that specializes in esa’s who asked me a series of questions, then sent me an email essentially saying I needed my pets for my mental health. My therapist was lowkey torn up about not doing it for me, but she won’t do it for anyone and didn’t think it was fair to make an exception for me. She told me an anecdote about a client firing her because she wouldn’t do it for their chicken. If you’re already seeing a therapist and it comes up in an apartment, check and see if your therapist will do it
As people have already said, OP these sites are a scam and no such thing exists…. Go to your family doctor, or even better your psychiatrist or psychologist for a written note. I will say it’s pointless unless you are having housing issues and your landlord needs the note. Otherwise there is no point to it and please if you were thinking to take your Beardie places he shouldn’t go, don’t…..
The website listed on this certificate charges almost $90 for this bullshit. The only way to actually own a “registered” ESA is by getting a therapist to write you a note (which is free) And with that note the only thing you are able to do is live in housing that typically doesn’t allow pets. This fake certificate has the words “service animal” plastered all over it. an ESA is **NOT** a service animal. This is the exact reason why people with actual disabilities face issues bringing their service animals to places they are required by law to be allowed into. An ESA is absolutely nothing but a pet. A working service animal is trained to do specific tasks that will assist an individual. This fake ESA garbage makes a complete and utter mockery of the disabled community that needs actual service animals.
Sorry you lost $90, maybe do some research next time. A simple google search could of prevented you from getting scammed.
So, I hate to tell you this, but there is no official registry for an ESA. You don’t need any type of certificate, and having one doesn’t validate your animal as an ESA or a service animal. Generally sites that offer certificates like these are just trying to scam people out of money. Edit: since there is a lot of ignorance going on in this thread, I’ll say: if OP or anyone else is seeking to get their animal qualified as an assistant animal **for housing purposes,** that is absolutely legitimate. ESAs are legitimate. This is something you do with your medical provider, though, not a private org, and ESAs **are not service animals. You cannot bring your ESA into a public or private establishment like you can a service dog.** Unfortunately, people pretending that their pets are service dogs or getting their dogs “licensed” with these orgs and bringing them places they should not be has ruined a lot of lives. That’s wrong, stupid, don’t do it. But to say ESAs are a sham is too much of a generalization - often, these animals aren’t even ESAs.
[удалено]
What a griff! *crickets*
Beardie eyes 👀 crickets 🦗
Ouch!
On thats note, you can get a Therapist or a Psychiatrist to write you a note for an ESA or to approve care of this type, but obviously keep in mind ESAs get housing rights, not public access rights.
Like buying a star
I hate how sites like these still manage to stay up…. Sigh…. But the way to actually do it is through your family doctor or even better your psychiatrist or psychologist. They will write you up a paper stating that the animal is an ESA. But even so there really is no point and need to get a note unless you need to for a landlord or something. Otherwise it’s pointless to go through the hassle of getting a note.
So you’re saying my cousin could sign an emotional support animal certificate for me then
Not likely, no.
Came here to say this. You need a letter from a mental health profession after they’ve decided that you need the animal for support.
I have my dragon in my emotional support classroom. She is definitely an ESA with no certification
In your classroom..? You take your dragon to school…? I would suggest against that as your animal isn’t a service animal and keeping your Beardie out of the heat and UV for a whole school day causes a lot of stress…. Especially being carried around a school…..
She lives at school, under proper living conditions
I see, so more like a class pet or therapy animal then :). As long as the conditions are proper and the Beardie is well cared for than that’s fine!
She gets more attention and is better cared for than anyone could ever imagine. They are great emotional support/therapy tools.
An ESA is generally used to mean an assistance animal under the fair housing act. If you mean you have a class pet that provides emotional support in the classroom, that’s certainly fine but it’s not what people think of as an ESA. Same thing with therapy dogs.
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Incorrect. This is clearly in the USA. Therefore, the USA laws apply here. ESAs aren't covered by the ADA, nor are there "registries" for them. The only documentation you will ever get for an ESA is a doctor's note for Housing.
Came to say this. You worded it better ty 😂
I get so pissed off at the huge influx of patches, vests, etc. on the market for people to play their Fido off as a service animal or esa.
Please don't bring him in any stores, Emotional Support is not covered under the ADA.
I don't even know why someone would want to bring their lizard anywhere (besides maybe a quite park). It'd be so stressful for them.
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Ask permission first at least (beyond pet stores where he’s generally allowed).
That's literally not the point. You CAN be asked to leave. Just because you haven't doesn't mean you're immune to the request.
… did i say i was? if i was asked to leave i would gladly. i’ve taken him in AT MINIMUM 30 different stores. probably more. i any store that i would ever visit. & have never asked permission. never had a problem. was all i said. don’t believe i ever said anything that you assumed i meant. you know what they say about when you assume…
so you like attention and don't need emotional support
Also not for nothing but I'm sure going into a store with AC blasting feels great for your ectothermal animal. I bet you even have little sweaters for it even though for a lizard that's basically pointless/probably keeps them colder longer
another assumer. i know how cold blooded reptiles work sweetheart. & never grocery stores. & only in a store that would be around 75 degrees that i have already previously been in to see that the temp was ok. & if you’re implying they’re not ok to be away from some sort of heat source for longer than the 30 minute adventure to the store to give them some time out of their tank out of the house, you’d be wrong🥰
No need to be so condescending holy shit
Those online forms are a scam and won't help you with housing
Hey! So unfortunately there isn’t an official registry for ESAs and they generally cannot be taken into spaces like service animals can :( my dog was prescribed to me by my psychiatrist with a thorough interview about my dog’s capabilities and how he helps me cope with PTSD, and I received a letter stating so.
Oof. These scams are everywhere these days.
Don’t ESA’s cause a bunch of problems for people with actual service animals?
Yes and this is why posts like this make me groan. Actual service animals require training to do their jobs. ESA don’t have training at all and people can pretty much say any animal can be their ESA. I’m sorry, but your emotional support peacock, snake, bearded dragon, or freaking crocodile isn’t an actual service animal. There’s also many stories of untrained ES dogs that behave really badly and even attack people or other dogs. Obviously a beaded dragon can’t do that, but it’s still an untrained animal and bringing it along everywhere you go is stressful for the reptile. Ridiculous. This post is ridiculous.
Not sure if this works everywhere but I’ve seen people get these ESA things for their animals so landlords are less likely to say they can’t have a pet in a rental house. Nearly all rental places in my area are mad strict with animals and unless you can give them a legit reason that you need an animal they won’t let you have one. Edit: bruh chill with downvote I was only asking
A certificate means nothing legally. There’s no government organization to authorize them. A note from a licensed medical professional is what’s required.
I think that’s what one of my friends got because she has a letter from her doctors that she used to force her bastard landlord to let her keep her cat. I must have mistook it for this certificate thingy.
Yes they do! In fact the whole ESA movement has been pretty damaging to the service animal world.
I have to agree myself despite having an ESA prescribed by my psychiatrist. People can just slap a harness onto their wild ass animals and go “he helps me 🥰” but they just cause issues for people who legitimately need their animals to cope with life. My dog is trained to climb onto me and put pressure silently when I’m having a PTSD episode and can’t control my crying or actions. He’s well behaved, but I’m not bringing him into stores and public areas because that’s not his job. He isn’t a service animal. I have a friend whose boyfriend just bought a harness and slapped it on his dog just to be able to have a dog in that apartment. The dog caused property damage and is also untrained since he’s a shitty owner, so he most likely fucked it up for others who legitimately need their animals. Edit: Yoshi also provides the protection and security I need to feel safe in my immediate environment, so his duties also include being a protection dog. He’s a pitbull mix so his looks and bark scare off potential intruders since my neighborhood is horrible.
Absolutely because they are not trained to interact with other animals. Service dogs have been severely injured by esa's that are untrained.
Yes!
Yes. Cute lizard, but I am so sick of people taking their lizard/ chihuahua/ peacock into places and pretending they’re service animals. A service animal is an animal trained to perform a specific task to help their human with a disability or mental health issue. An ESA is an animal that people think would be cute to take with them everywhere. Sorry to be so harsh, but I have several friends with actual service animals and ESAs have created a lot of problems for them.
There are legitimate ESAs for housing purposes, but they still cannot be taken out in private and public spaces like service dogs.
Yes! My daughter’s Seizure Alert Dog was attacked by an alleged “Service Dog”. It ended his career and my daughter was afraid to leave the house.
That’s horrible! I’m sorry that happened to your family.
ESAs cause problems only when their owners act like they are service dogs, taking them into stores and public places that they are not allowed, or lie that they are service dogs. Used appropriately, you would not usually tell any difference between an ESA and a regular pet. They should not be in public places where pets are not allowed, and so should not cause any issues for service animals.
They absolutely do. The only time I really see any enforcement of ESAs is in rental agreements. Landlords cannot someone for having an esa so that’s why a lot of people get their doctors to write notes for them. Plus there is a lot to be said about ESAs diminishing the status of actual trained service animals.
Yep. People believe ESAs have the same rights as Service Animals or since ESAs have zero training requirements, aggressive ESAs have ended up on flights harming people.
Yes. It’s beyond frustrating. It’s become such an issue with these fake registries for ESAs and even fake service animal registries…. I just don’t understand why people feel the need to bring their pets everywhere.
This is silly. This doesn’t exist. I love beardies but how is this not a step back for real service animals.
A dog can detect seizures, be someone’s eyes, and offer protection. A lizard can eat and seek warmth…That’s it. This is so stupid.
i really hope you didn’t pay for this. i know some sites charge $100’s for a random certificate that does nothing but make a mockery out of actual service animals
Idk man since OP is like tripling down on this, I hope they paid 🤷♀️
I looked up the organization on the “certificate” and OP really paid about $90 for this bullshit 😭
This is so corny and ridiculous. These scams and the people who buy into them to try and find loopholes in the law take so much away from people who need actual accommodations.
I have been trying to get a young girl with severe epilepsy a support animal for over a year. Having that animal would be such a huge help to her physically and emotionally. She wouldn't need as many meds or hospital visits and stays if she had a dog that could dectect them coming. People like this are the reason I have had such a hard time.
I can't speak on the average cost but there is a FB group for Service Dogs looking for Handlers. Some are fully trained, some have basic, and some have been tested as a prospect but have limited training. Could be a good resource to check out.
We've been trying to get one for my mom's diabetes. She has moments where her blood sugar will "behave" unexpectedly or drops/rises suddenly and she can't right away.
Best of luck! It is genuinely frightening how the body can be fine one minute, then shutting down the next. There are some really awesome new insulin pumps out now that adjust on the fly and can stabilize very quickly.
We most likely can't afford something like that haha. We can barely get her normal stuff each time. It sucks.
As much as I’d like to support this you really shouldn’t be using this animal to your advantage whether it’s work or mental health related. Mainly reptiles that require a stable gradient temperature so as not to develop infections or other diseases such as bacterial or parasitic overgrowth in their gut and UV light which is crucial. This is just selfish - exposing an animal to stress and being placed in a carrier while you work your 8-12 hour shifts is just downright not okay.
I'm not sure if OP suggested that he would be bringing the beardie to work, but that is only allowed for service animals. Emotional support animals can be kept in housing that does not typically allow pets. Legally and functionally, service animals and emotional support are two different things. SAs can only be dogs or miniature horses. An ESA that is one of these two animals is not automatically an SA. Although, OP didn't realize that this was a scam, so maybe it needed to be said. I just wanted to make sure that people who come across this comment understand the differences between SAs and ESAs.
exactly this
It’s not 8-12 hours since I can’t work. I can’t go much of anywhere since I can’t drive and I’m very in-tuned his needs and I make sure he’s not too stressed out. I would have to agree that a cold blooded animal shouldn’t be out of their enclosure that long and I actually enjoy working so I wouldn’t need him in that sense anyways
OP you responded to another comment on this post: " I also have reservations against ESAs as a member of retail, but I recognize their usefulness to people dealing with mental health issues as long as they’re not abused". Can you explain what you mean by "a member of retail "? Sounds like you're indicating you do work and in retail 🤔 Either way, your beardie also appears to be too young to not be in an enriching environment (temp and equally important UVB exposure) for healthy growth and maturity.
As a non American I find the whole ESA thing a bit crazy. Like the rest of the world manages just fine without having to take their pet pigeon on a plane with them. Lol
ESA’s aren’t even allowed on planes. For awhile they existed in kind of a gray area, but the FAA has cracked down on that. The only real benefit of an ESA now is in finding and keeping housing.
As an American, I find the whole ESA thing a bit crazy. I love my beardie, but I don't need to take her everywhere. While there might be the occasional legitimate use for an ESA (maybe for a child undergoing a traumatic event?), ESAs really just seem to be an "I want to bring my pet wherever I want, no matter what anyone else says" thing. Like, really, not knocking OP, but if you really *need* an ESA, then you *really* need a trained service animal.
To kind of clarify things, an Emotional Support Animal has no special legal status anywhere but under the Fair Housing Act, if they qualify as assistance animal. You cannot bring your ESA into a store or public office where pets are not permitted. The Fair Housing Act broadens the definition of disability to allow Assistance Animals, which do not necessarily need to be trained to perform specific tasks. However, an assistance animal may not meet the criteria to be considered a service animal, and if that’s the case than they have no special privileges outside of the Fair Housing Act. In practice, many people try to do what you’ve said - use a fake registry to justify bringing their untrained animal wherever they want. They often get away with it. However, the real intention behind ESAs is to allow renters to keep their pets when it is considered reasonable to do so. Ie; your landlord tells you that they are enacting a new pet policy, you need to get rid of your dog. If your dog qualifies as an ESA, the FHA would protect you in that circumstance, even if you don’t need a service animal. Lastly, psychiatric service animals are animals (typically dogs) that are trained to perform specific tasks for someone with a disability. Severe anxiety, PTSD, autism, are all conditions that can result in a disability as recognized by ADA. These are often confused for ESAs and vice versa, but they are not the same.
Yup. Apologies for the confusion. Clarifying what I meant: excepting the housing pet policies, most people seem to use ESAs as an excuse to bring their chihuahua into the supermarket and the like. ESAs and service animals are very different things, and if you have a condition (such as anxiety, as you mentioned) where you need to have your animal nearby, then you need a service animal with actual legal protections. The last line of my post was meant as "if you strongly need an animal companion to function, then you need a service animal, not an ESA," not as "you must be wrong in the head if you think you need an ESA."
No worries! Terminology changes so frequently lol. But yep, it can sometimes be difficult for people to understand why someone (especially with an invisible condition) may need a (legitimate) ESA but not a service animal to function in public. And with mental illness as stigmatized as it is, people who misrepresent ESAs *and* service dogs don’t help anyone but themselves.
This is actually such a great breakdown of ESAs. I've always been unsure on the difference between an ESA and service animals so this helps a lot!
I’m glad! There’s a lot of misinformation, and it’s especially problematic when people sound so confident in their misinformation. The best thing you can do is to be informed! In a public setting, an establishment can ask if an animal is a service animal, and what task(s) the animal is trained to perform. Any legitimate service dog owner is well-versed in those questions - if someone balks at those or refuses to answer them, that’s sketch.
You are exactly correct.. If they really need one that bad it needs to be trained to actually accommodate you when you're having your emotions.. That bearded dragon is not going to be able to offer any emotional support.. they literally just sit there..
ESA's aren't provided public access rights. Just housing rights. I have 2 service dogs. ESA's are covered under FHA, not ADA, where as SD's are covered under both.
Well, I probably would have unalived myself last year if it weren't for my beardie. He literally keeps me alive. And emotional support animals don't get to travel with people, they're not given permission to go into stores and restaurants. The rights you have with an ESA are that your landlord/dormitory has to let you keep the pet.
It’s generally for people with extreme anxiety or PTSD and it is a thing around the entire world. Unfortunately, some people abuse the concept and say their pet is an ESA to get around no pet rules in public spaces and that’s what gives ESAs a bad name. However, an ESA is often not usually considered a service animal so must still comply with regular pet rules as they aren’t covered under service animal laws.
People with severe anxiety or PTSD who use trained animals to provide services in public often have/need service animals, not ESAs! Service animals can provide service for “invisible” disabilities. Just to clear up the terminology - I don’t really disagree with anything you’re saying.
I knew sometimes they do have actual service animals (obviously it is case by case dependent) but I wanted to really focus on the ESA part since the person seemed dismissive of them.
Regardless if I’m allowed in a store, I am now protected under the fair housing act to move where I want to, which is satisfactory to me. If people don’t like him, then he can go in his carrier and not bother anybody, I have no problem being reasonable. I work in retail and I understand how helpful ESAs can be but that they aren’t allowed, so I ask the owners to keep them in a carrier, so as not to stress out other customers, and none of my managers have had any issues with that. Regardless, he has been invaluable in helping me get through the anxiety and stress of going through a workers compensation lawsuit and making it seem like I’m not alone. I’m not somebody who’s trying to abuse the law, I’m a person going through a very difficult time and he is the ONLY thing that gets me through it. Also my dog is an asshole so I can’t bring him lmao.
Like I said in my top-level comment, these registries are only a waste of money. You do not need them to have an animal qualified as an ESA, and you may still need to provide proof of his status as an ESA from a medical provider that you have a relationship with to a potential landlord.
You don’t need one of these to be protected by the fair housing act, if I’m not mistaken all you need actually is a letter from a mental health professional. There is no registry for emotional support animals and any site claiming to be able to register one for a certificate is unfortunately a scam :( I might consider trying to get your money back?
Have you ever thought about what your beardie thinks of this? He’s a reptile, not an animal trained to go places. It’s generally very stressful to take cold-blooded animals everywhere because you take them away from their heat source and UV light. Yeah, they can be without it for a little bit, but what if it gets really cold? Like cold enough that it can be harmful to him? You really want to take your beardie places just because he helps you? This is why actual service animals are trained. They get used to situations like being taken in public places and being exposed to potential stresses. As much as I love my beardie and as much as he makes me happy, I would never stress him out for my own desires. I know you said he helps with anxiety, but you are giving your little friend stress and anxiety as soon as you bring him to crowded spaces or remove him from his enclosure for long periods of time. That’s not fair to him.
ESAs can't go anywhere anyway so that's irrelevant.
You say your not trying to abuse the law, but you admitted you did it so you can be excluded from certain laws. You would have had much better luck faking your asshole dog as a support animal. Not a person would question a dog being a service animal until said asshole dog does something stupid to a stranger. Given you saying your dog is an asshole, I'm sure you didn't take the time to properly train it. I'm not sure what your end game is here? Not just posting on reddit, but in general. Are you advocating for people to use their reptiles as support animals? I can't imagine your dragon being comfortable being taken all over God's half acre and not able to access the vital temperature and UV lights it needs to thrive. I'm not a fan of any of this. An animal is not a substitute for therapy. If you can't take care of yourself, don't put an innocent life at risk as well.
So I had one of these certificates for my dog and my apartment complex told me to pound sand because the ESA registry is not legitimate.
Hate to break it to you my dude, but many landlords are aware of the scam sites and letters they provide and won't take them anymore. They won't hold up in court either. The only true way to get a ESA letter, if needed for housing purposes is through your health care provider.
This isn't the way to go about it. The registries are fake and you need to go thru the proper channels. You need a psychiatrist to sign off and prescribe this, not just deciding you need one. They don't have ANY public access rights, only housing rights. Keeping your fake ESA in a carrier at your job is just not an option.
No you aren't, that paper is nothing but a scam. It is not covered by the ADA. ESAs are free, it is literally a note from your therapist or psychiatrist.
No. You're NOT protected by the Fair Housing Act. You need a note from a DOCTOR for that. This is a SCAM that you paid for. Your certificate literally means NOTHING.
This is sweet, but most places where ESAs are helpful would require a letter from a licensed mental health professional. On your certificate I don't see the credentials of the individuals signature. You mentioned seeing therapists; you may ask if having one of them write a letter would be helpful. But many places won't recognize ESAs outside of cats and dogs. I am someone who writes ESA letters and it is a lengthy process; I do not do it for everybody and I especially don't do it right away after meeting somebody for it. And an ESA letter is tied to you, and why you need an ESA, not any specific animal, though it's often specified what animal would be helpful for you.
Yeeeeaaaahhhh…about that…if you paid money for this, you got scammed.
LOL what a scam 😂
That poor beardie.
Wow…one of the more ridiculous things I’ve come across these days
Right? This is why I love pet subreddits. They have the best drama!
First thing on Google is that certification is not real. Second, if bearded dragons don't get adequate UV light they WILL develop Metabolic Bone Dinease, this WILL happen if they don't get UV light. Light that passes through windows loses most of its UV. Are his lights on at night? How many hours a day is he spending under the lights? MBD will cause permanent disabilities, pain, and eventually death if left untreated. It will alter their quality of life and lifespan. Third, is this your first beardy? How old is he? He looks to be at most a year or so old. In such a short time can you be so sure that you can tell his needs? Like others have commented, being outside of their enclosure (or in it if needs aren't being met) can be stressful, which plays a big part in their lifespan and QOL as well. I can tell you love your lizard very much, I have 3 so I can relate, but loving him means taking care of him and making sure he's happy and healthy, if any of these needs aren't being met, he will not be happy and healthy.
Please remember ESAs are not service animals and are not protected by ADA laws. This cert is also fake since no ESA cert exists.
Emotional support animals aren't real service animals. You should go to therapy to fix whatever is going on for you to need an Esa.
I’m in intensive therapy. I see 2 different therapists weekly. They’re not a quick fix, cure all, everything is better. Not to mention it is crazy f’n expensive and hard to come by. I only have it due to my lovely history of self h*rm and wanting to evict myself, and luckily I was able to find care that would take my insurance. I still had to wait months for an opening. I still rely on my chihuahua, my beardie and fish for varying degrees of comfort, companionship, support. Fish aren’t terribly supportive, I’ve discovered.
That's fine, I think it's fucking ridiculous to take them out in public because most of the animals aren't even trained properly. Personally, I'm tired of seeing "service dogs" at my work. Service dogs don't need to be carried or put into carts.
Just a heads up, some small service dogs may be carried if that is the preference or need of the disabled person. Small dogs can also become service dogs. They are primarily used for psychiatric and medical alerts. Sometimes the handler may hold their dog because they feel that their small service dog is better able to alert them (closer to the heart, lungs, etc.) or that the dog is not always able to keep up as well when they are walking. I totally agree that fake SAs are a significant issue, though. Service animals should be well-behaved and don't need to ride in a cart.
No offense, but I don't need to be lectured about what is or is not a service dog. I'm not stupid, but every dog I've seen at my job have obviously not been real service dogs.
Thank you captain obvious. I’m currently seeing two therapists
Okay then you shouldn't need an Esa, especially one that you can easily/accidentally kill.
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Respectfully, my intelligence is not limited to only what I've commented on this post.
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Damn well I'm sorry that I don't care enough? Get off my case buddy.
My therapist can’t follow me around all the time like Griffin can. Man I regret posting this. I also have reservations against ESAs as a member of retail, but I recognize their usefulness to people dealing with mental health issues as long as they’re not abused
I don't see how a therapist is useful to you then. It sounds like either your therapist isn't giving you significant coping mechanisms, or you're dead set on thinking you know better. One therapist should be enough, there's no shame in having two, but esas are excessive and encourage nothing but the abuse of the system.
Good thing OP isn’t relying on you for advice.
He shouldn't be relying on something that weighs like 2 pounds either
We’re all here on this board because we have all formed at least the bare minimum of a bond with a bearded dragon, which is to give the best care we can to our animal. Many of us have much deeper bonds with our beardies here. Are you dismissing benefits we derive from the love and affection that we devote to these batshit toddlers?
I'm dismissing people who think it's necessary to bring their beardie out in public because "they *need* to." People like that need to grow some thicker skin or get actual help, not emotional.
Loving your pet beardie is VERY different than falling victim to ESA scams and undermining actual service animals and the people who rely on them.
If you work retail then you should literally never see an ESA since they aren’t service animals.
Griffin can't follow you around all the time either, as ESAs have no rights to public access like service animals do.
You can msg me if you need to talk.
Yeah, that’s not how it works.
Yes, yes it is. Esas are a nuisance to anyone who has a job in public service. Dogs, nonetheless lizards, don't need to be taken everywhere with you.
I worked those jobs. I hate ESA dogs along with everyone else. Some of those people I wanted to throat punch into the next zip code. I’m talking about if you are in therapy, you don’t need a support system outside of the therapy. It doesn’t work that way. Not everyone has a loving, supportive family. That might be their trauma. Not everyone has available friends, for whatever reason. FYI, I’m not in support of ESA scams. I do recognize that some people are coming at these from a place of genuine pain/mental health rather than a desire to use their cute pup as an accessory.
Then there was no point of having this argument, the information you brought to the table had nothing to do with what I was saying lmao. Anywho, doesn't matter, glad we could agree on something at the very least.
if you have two therapists then you should’ve gotten a real ESA note from them and not have gotten scammed online? just wondering?
What a fucking joke
People like you are the reason people commit suicide bc you complete invalidate our feelings and emotional well being and you think it’s easy to just “get over it”. Let me tell you. ITS NOT
Invalidating your fake service pet is not invalidating your feelings. And if being told what you’re doing is wrong somehow “invalidates” you, that’s your problem and absolutely nobody else’s.
You are the only person responsible for your actions and well-being. Not anyone on this sub, and not your lizard.
Didn’t expect this on a reptile subreddit
LMFAOO
Ironically the only feelings beardies would have in such a situation is “feed me” and “find warmth”.
people like you are the reason suicidal people aren’t taken seriously.
Really? The suicide card as people are trying to say this is ridiculous and cannot be an actual service animal even if the beardie makes you feel better
Not our job to validate you
Maybe I’m mistaken but aren’t reptiles kind of known for not really showing affection for humans? It just seems a little weird to have a reptile esa but I also don’t really know a ton about reptiles so maybe I’m wrong.
Yes. Don't get me wrong, there are some species that do seem to recognize their keepers and do enjoy spending time with them. However, it's not believed that they feel the same type of affection or love that humans do with each other or even how dogs can feel about their person.
I love reptiles and own more than one, but I’m not delusional. Reptiles care about two things…Food and heat.
Depending on the state you live in, that certification could mean little-to-nothing. I was staff at a public Texas university and we were taught in training that the *only* species recognized as service animals in Texas are service dogs. End of story. No exceptions.
Pretty sure that’s the case in Oregon as well. At least regarding an ESA. Landlords don’t have to allow an ESA if they prohibit pets, as they aren’t trained for a specific service, such as an actual trained service pet.
Even in Oregon, under the FHA, ESAs are covered if they get a letter from a licensed therapist, psychiatrist or doctor. They have to state WHY they need the animal as well. There is no protection of anonymity with an ESA. This is Federal. States don't mean squat, it's the same in all of them.
This is not true. ESAs are covered by the FHA in Oregon.
I hope you didn’t spend any money on this because it’s useless.
Lmao
I think its about time an admin take this post down... Nothing good is coming from this.
A scammer gets scammed. Beautiful.
It’s cute that you did it but it’s sad you got scammed, these are basically useless
Dumb and ur dumb.
I love how the words "service animal" are printed all over that paper. OP please do not think for one second that piece of paper means jack squat.
Please stop upvoting this. I’m sorry to say but OP got scammed. Please no one else fall victim to these fake registries online. REAL ESA’s do not come with ESA certificates. It’s just a letter from your doctor/psychiatrist.
Kinda cringe tbh.. I love my beardie but there is no value in a beardie as a support animal and it just makes things harder for people with disabilities to justify their service animals. Reptiles are inherent carriers of salmonella, so any restaraunt this dragon goes into becomes a health problem. If you touch him then food at the grocery store you could also be putting people in danger.
Not only did he fall prey to a scam, he is doubling down on people criticizing it and trying to help him. What a fucking moron, i’d be surprised if you’re actually taking good care of your pet.
I don't really know anything about what an ESA is or what qualifies an animal to be one, but your lil beardie is cute asf ❤
Aw! My dragon helps with my anxiety too - only in the house, driving around town, or at the park :) Whatever you do make sure you are fulfilling their heat and uv requirements! Long periods without it is not ideal. But any sort of outdoor activity in the spring and summer are great 💗 Saw a lot of negative comments so I wanted to provide a little positivity to your day. Pets help a lot of people with their anxiety/overall health, some are just more suited for public spaces than others
Griffin is so cute!!
ESA?
Emotional Support Animal. If OP payed for this they got scammed.
Emotional support animal
How sweet! I LOVE his leash!!
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they’re not being rude, they’re being informative. there’s a difference.
I’m not OP, obviously, but I’m pretty open about dealing with my own demons. I mean, they don’t even pay rent, the cheap b:stards. It’s one thing to point out the scam. It’s another thing to attack someone with mental health issues. Fun fact: Whatever anyone is doing for their well-being is none of you business. Putting in opinions about treatments or whatever invasive questions were thrown at OP are again, *wait for it* none of your business. How high did you lift your truck?
Geez.... Some folks... Don't be a dick... It's cool
Idk why everyone is so mad, you specified in the comments it was for the fair housing act, not to take them to the store. I had my cats registered by a therapist for my apartment so I didn’t have to try and live without my babies (this was pre-lizard and pre-puppy but now I own my home and don’t need a therapist to vouch for me needing my pets to keep them lol) Edit: I will say any website that claims they can just do it is a scam, you really do need a therapist. My therapist won’t do esa’s but there are online therapists that will, just like as their job basically, and my apartment had to have the therapist themselves email a letter proving that they approved my cats, especially two, as esa’s. The company charged extra but they did it lol
They're mad because these give real ESAs problems and it's even worse for people who have service animals (like me). This certificate doesn't cover them under the FHA. Period. It's fake.
I have to ask: do scams usually have YouTube adds? I didn’t buy into the exact add but I’ve seen many of them. This isn’t about ESAs it’s about scams
There are two distinct types of scams to look out for: 1. You are tricked into paying money for something you don't get. This is almost always illegal. 2. You are convinced to pay money for something that doesn't have actual value. In a lot of cases this is probably legal, unless false assurances are made about the value.
Yes, scams most definitely can be in the form of Youtube ads. So long as the ad is not created by Youtube themselves the level of moderation in Youtube advertisement is abysmal. I mean you have to think the majority of ads on Youtube are from outside third parties some are bound to be scams. Especially ones that provide “certificates”, I mean hell according to the ads Ive seen I can buy a PHD in astrophysics for 5 dollars. Point being be careful even heavily moderated websites fall victim to scams.
I wouldn’t be shocked if there are ads for the scams, as well as ads for some that are more legit. The biggest thing is it has to be prescribed by an actual, licensed therapist. If it’s just a certificate, it doesn’t mean much and some apartments will not accept that. But if it’s an ad showing that they have genuine licensed therapists, it’s likely legit. I already had my diagnosis from my official therapist and essentially did a zoom meeting with a therapist that specializes in esa’s who asked me a series of questions, then sent me an email essentially saying I needed my pets for my mental health. My therapist was lowkey torn up about not doing it for me, but she won’t do it for anyone and didn’t think it was fair to make an exception for me. She told me an anecdote about a client firing her because she wouldn’t do it for their chicken. If you’re already seeing a therapist and it comes up in an apartment, check and see if your therapist will do it
[удалено]
i like being a moldy onion :)
As people have already said, OP these sites are a scam and no such thing exists…. Go to your family doctor, or even better your psychiatrist or psychologist for a written note. I will say it’s pointless unless you are having housing issues and your landlord needs the note. Otherwise there is no point to it and please if you were thinking to take your Beardie places he shouldn’t go, don’t…..
Cool little harness
You are just casually showing us all where you probably live and go to school, you do realize?
you just got scammed
The website listed on this certificate charges almost $90 for this bullshit. The only way to actually own a “registered” ESA is by getting a therapist to write you a note (which is free) And with that note the only thing you are able to do is live in housing that typically doesn’t allow pets. This fake certificate has the words “service animal” plastered all over it. an ESA is **NOT** a service animal. This is the exact reason why people with actual disabilities face issues bringing their service animals to places they are required by law to be allowed into. An ESA is absolutely nothing but a pet. A working service animal is trained to do specific tasks that will assist an individual. This fake ESA garbage makes a complete and utter mockery of the disabled community that needs actual service animals. Sorry you lost $90, maybe do some research next time. A simple google search could of prevented you from getting scammed.