# Rats as ESAs?



## Pandorascaisse (Mar 12, 2014)

Hello there. I was just wondering, does anyone else have their rats as their ESA (emotional support animal)?

To be honest, when I got my rats, I didn't even consider them to be emotional support animals. But there was just something about them. I suffer from anxiety/depression and take meds for it... but to be honest, they just kind of take the edge off of everything nowadays. And then the rats came. It's so lovely to just have a little furry being who wants nothing more than you to talk to it and to love it.

I was just wondering, are rats eligible to count as ESA animals? I know by law college dorms have to allow ESA animals on the premises, but what about other places? My anxiety has recently been spiking when I leave the house, and I've considered trying to train one of my rats to go out places with me... he's still a little wound up, but he's very calm and doesn't spook easily and comes back to me when I need it of him, so I'm going to chock the wound up-ness to him just being a young little bugger.

Now, I don't mean to bring him into restaurants/grocery stores/etc, because I understand that's unsanitary. But... can he go into other stores with me? I don't really know much about ESA from a legal standpoint. Does anyone else?


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## Mrs.Brisby (Jan 4, 2014)

Two of my rats are coming to college with me as ESA's. Any animal can be considered an ESA as long as there is a documented nexus between the animal and the person. ESA's are considered a reasonable accommodation. Unfortunately there is no law stating that a person can bring their ESA into any public place that bans animals.


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## Pandorascaisse (Mar 12, 2014)

That's really unfortunate. :/ I could understand for larger animals, but I don't think anyone's going to die if I bring my beautiful little rattie into the clothing store 

Maybe someday the law will recognize their importance to the people who rely on them.


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## ClassicFAIL (Aug 2, 2013)

I have an ESA Chase! haha! It seems like since I joined so many other people popped up with rats as ESA's it makes me feel good! :3


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

Apartments have to allow them as well by law. 


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## Pandorascaisse (Mar 12, 2014)

... I didn't even realize apartments would have to allow them too. That is fantastic! I didn't realize so many people used rats as ESAs. That's actually probably one of the coolest things I've heard in awhile  They're literally perfect for the job.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Rats have been a common choice for ESA for quite some time. Just be sure to do your research and know the law. ESA do not enjoy the same legal privileges as other support animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act.


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## ClassicFAIL (Aug 2, 2013)

Pandorascaisse said:


> ... I didn't even realize apartments would have to allow them too. That is fantastic! I didn't realize so many people used rats as ESAs. That's actually probably one of the coolest things I've heard in awhile  They're literally perfect for the job.


ESAs are not species specific. They are allowed to accompany their handerlier in the cabin of an air craft in accordance with the Air Carrier Access Act 49 U.S.C 41705 and Dept of Transportraion 14 C.F.R. Part 382

Also, property managers and landlords are required to make reasonable accommodations (a change in rules) to permit a disabled handlier to keep an ESA, even when a landlord's bolicy prohibits pets as stated in the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

I have all documentation with highlighted portions of any one needs more information.

I have also have Chases certification (which is what i pulled this from) as well a multiple letters from my mental health professionals AND copies of all the documentation listed that I keep in a binder so if anyone questions him I'm ready... (I put it together for school. I don't live on campus but i live in the campus apartments.. Yes they CAN live in apartments IF you have the right documentation. OH and they don't need to be certified BUT it does help if there is a problem (and it makes it easier to sue if there is!) 

If anyone has any questions about certifications and what not PELASE let me know! :3


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## inod3 (Jun 13, 2014)

ESA basically gets you housing & travel rights. It does not give you the right to take your ESA anywhere else that doesn't permit animals normally. Could be useful for the college dorm or apartments situation. Not that useful in taking it with you shopping or doing errands.


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## ClassicFAIL (Aug 2, 2013)

inod3 said:


> ESA basically gets you housing & travel rights. It does not give you the right to take your ESA anywhere else that doesn't permit animals normally. Could be useful for the college dorm or apartments situation. Not that useful in taking it with you shopping or doing errands.


Unless you call a head and ask if they manager/owners minds :3 95% of the time chase is permitted since he is certified. :3 so thats always a bonus :3


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Private businesses are hit or miss with rats. Many you wouldn't expect are very rat friendly, some may ask you to leave, ESA or not. If you don't take it personally, it's no big deal. But over time, you'll find you will take your business to places that treat your rats right.

But, to be very clear, everything depends on your rat being friendly and well behaved. I also might add that you better make very sure your rat is well trained before you start taking him places, if he is your emotional support animal, getting him lost or killed might very adversely affect your state of mind.

As a shoulder ratter, I have no objection to folks taking their rats outside, but it's never 100% safe, it's risk management and things do go wrong.


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## Little Bit (Jul 25, 2014)

My boys are ESA's as well. The only rights an ESA is 100% guaranteed by law is, with the proper paperwork, they're allowed to live in housing that normally would not allow you to have animals, and they're allowed to fly in an airplane cabin with you. That's all. Unfortunately my restrictions on them include not letting them run loose (I do it anyway, they need free range time). Also if you're doing it in a dorm, while you can trust your friends and your roomie, you can't always trust everyone who comes in. I had my boyfriend install a lock on my cage and gave him the extra key, so only one of us can unlock the cage. It's a liability thing as well as a safety thing for the boys, since my university has a rat issue in some dorms, and people have been known to set traps and be pretty cruel to animals. 

Someone also mentioned a binder full of their paperwork, and since the housing office is gunning to get my rats out (they hate rats, like REALLY have an issue with them), it will come in handy. It has all my boys paperwork, their adoption certificate, copies of my accommodation paperwork, their vet records ect. This way no one has any ground to stand on if they decide to give me a hard time. A binder of their paperwork is HIGHLY valuable to you as an ESA owner. I also informed the housing office of the lock on the cage, so if some idiot runs around saying my rats bit them, (Gadget thinks some people are yummy) I have some ground to stand on.

Also I had to have my doctor specify the number of rats I wanted, which was a pair, and even a pair was REALLY hard to get by the university. They think more animals more mess, so I had to write a letter explaining why rats can't be kept alone.


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## Pandorascaisse (Mar 12, 2014)

I was just wondering - how do you go about getting rats certified as ESAs?


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## ClassicFAIL (Aug 2, 2013)

*An emotional support animal (ESA) *is an animal that has been prescribed for a person by his/her licensed therapist (a licensed mental health professional) in a properly formatted letter. This letter should state that the person is determined to be emotionally or psychiatrically disabled and that the presence of the animal is necessary for the disabled person's mental health. 

ESAs are also sometimes referred to as comfort animals, comfort pets, or companion animals. Dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, mini-pigs, hedgehogs, and many more species may qualify as an ESA. These animals do not require specific task-training because it is the very presence of the animal that mitigates the negative symptoms associated with a person's disorder. An ESA can be any age.

All domesticated animals may qualify as an ESA (cats, dog, mice, rabbits, birds, snakes, hedgehogs, rats, mini pigs, ferrets, etc.) and they can be any age (young puppies and kittens, too!). These animals do not need any specific task-training because their very presence mitigates the symptoms associated with a person's psychological/emotional disability, unlike a working service dog. The only requirement is that the animal is manageable in public and does not create a nuisance in or around the home setting.


*How To Qualify for an ESA*
For a person to legally qualify for an emotional support animal (ESA), he/she must be considered emotionally disabled by a licensed mental health professional (therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.), as evidenced by a properly formatted prescription letter. Typically, a medical doctor does not qualify because they are not a licensed mental health professional. Some airlines and property managers will accept a verification form completed by a family doctor, however.


_The letter should state that:_

You are currently his/her patient

Are under his/her care for the treatment of mental disability found in the DSM IV or V (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, version 4 or 5).

Your disability substantially limits at least one major life activity

He/she prescribes for you an emotional support animal as a necessary treatment for your mental health.
In addition, the letter must be dated, written on his/her letterhead, include his/her license type, number, date of license, and state in which the license was issued.

*The legal protections an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) has are to:*

Fly with its emotionally or psychologically disabled handler in the cabin of an aircraft without being charged a pet fee. Click here for detailed information on Flying with Your Emotional Support Animal.

Qualify for no-pet housing (that also includes limited sze, breed, or species housing) without being charged a pet fee. Click here for detailed information on Housing Rights For You And Your ESA.

No other public or private entity (motels, restaurants, stores, trains, taxis, busses, theaters, parks, beaches, libraries, zoos, etc.) is required to allow your ESA to accompany you and in all other instances, your ESA has no more rights than a pet. That means they aren't protected by law to accompany you into any public place that does not allow pets. That doesn't mean these places won't let you, it just means that they are not required to, by law.
*If you have no therapist or your therapist is unwilling to write such a letter, you can contact Chilhowee Psychological Services*
They are a licensed mental health services agency that specializes in online/telephone disability assessments and offers letters of prescription to clients who qualify. 
*This agency is approved by the U.S. Justice Department, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (the agencies that govern the laws protecting emotionally disabled handlers and their ESAs)*
http://www.cptas.com
*
To better understand your rights please visit*
http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxUYigpZQYWDOUt0aVQ1VnZXbUE/edit?usp=sharing

Here is a copy of his certificate.


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## EmilyGPK (Jul 7, 2014)

The law requires access be given only to service animals which are only dogs and miniature horses (Americans with Disabilities Act). ESAs may be refused or admitted at the proprietor's/landlord's discretion. The recent changes say they need to try and accomodate these animals in housing, but this is contingent on having evidence that you cannot properly use the housing without the animal. So it applies to only a subset of all ESA situations.


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