US Service Animals

U.S. Registry of Emotional Support Animals and Service Dogs

US Service Animals operates a national registry in the United States for emotional support animals (ESAs) and service dogs, with lifetime validity per animal. The platform combines the registry itself with associated services: consultations with licensed mental health professionals to obtain an ESA letter, online psychiatric service dog training, and lost pet recovery tools.

Registration and Included Benefits

Registration is per animal and is lifetime within the emotional support animal and service dog database, which also functions as a lost pet recovery database so shelters can reunite owners with their animals. Enrollment includes an ID card and animal certificate, access to 24/7 televet via video and chat, a $25 discount toward the ESA letter consultation, and access to a legal support team in case of rights violations under the FHA or ADA. The company itself clarifies that the card and certificate do not grant legal housing rights.

ESA Letters and Consultations with Licensed Professionals

To obtain a valid ESA letter under the Fair Housing Act, the individual must undergo a live clinical assessment with a licensed mental health professional (therapist, psychiatrist, doctor, etc.). The letter must be on the professional's letterhead and include license type, number, jurisdiction, date, and signature, without needing to disclose the specific disability. Some states require an established therapeutic relationship of at least 30 days before issuing it. The company states that its network exceeds 120 licensed mental health professionals and that it can serve all 50 states seven days a week. Most consultations take place the same day as the request and, according to the company, 95% occur within the following 24 hours. It offers a 100% refund guarantee of the consultation payment if the client does not qualify for the letter or if the landlord rejects it.

Psychiatric Service Dog Training

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, service dogs have the right to accompany their handlers in public and private spaces open to the public, provided the animal is individually trained to perform a task related to the disability. The company offers online psychiatric service dog training focused on tasks such as deep pressure therapy, tactile stimulation, grounding, and interrupting dissociative episodes, aimed at anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress.

Differences Between an Emotional Support Animal and a Service Dog

The platform distinguishes both cases according to the applicable legal framework. Emotional support animals are covered under the Fair Housing Act, can be of any species (dogs, cats, birds, etc.), and do not require specific training, but they only gain access to housing through reasonable accommodation and do not have access to public spaces. Service dogs are covered under the ADA, must be dogs (with limited cases of miniature horses), require individual training for a specific task, and have full public access, including the airplane cabin. Since 2021, emotional support animals are no longer protected by the ACAA in air travel. Both registrations are valid in all 50 states.

Registration Process and Customer Support

Registration is completed in three steps: submitting contact information and confirming that requirements are met, uploading the animal's information and photograph, and receiving the ID and certificate by mail, which grants access to lost pet recovery, televet, and legal support services. The company offers live customer support seven days a week, from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. CST, as well as live chat and email. The site states that registration has a one-time payment per animal for life.