Emotional Support Dog Laws California

In addition to the laws discussed above housing discrimination against people with disabilities is prohibited under federal law in the fair housing amendments act fhaa 42 u s c.

Emotional support dog laws california.

California law guarantees people who use trained service dogs full and equal access to. Laws prohibit employment discrimination because of a disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ada. In california tenants have the right to bring their service dogs and emotional support animals to live with them in many circumstances.

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

An emotional support animal does not need to be a dog but can be. Allowing an individual with a disability to have a service animal or an emotional support animal accompany them to work may be considered an accommodation. Attorney katie holt writes. As a result the laws protecting service dogs do not similarly cover emotional support animals.

Under the americans with disabilities act ada businesses and organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals into all areas of the facility where customers are normally. However the law does not consider emotional support animals to be the same as service dogs for disabled persons. Employers are required to provide reasonable accommodation. 382 27 c 2010 california state law csl.

What are my rights if i have an emotional support animal rather than a service animal or a service animal that is not a dog. An emotional support animal esa is defined as a dog or other animal which provides companionship emotional support and a sense of well being and safety to their owner aiding in the treatment of one or more mental health condition such as anxiety or depression. 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.