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Emotional Support Animal Laws in Colorado

By USSA

Having an emotional support animal gives you support to live better with your mental health disability in Colorado. You might find it difficult performing everyday activities because of your mental health condition such as anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Getting an emotional support animal in Colorado is easy and you can get an ESA letter hassle-free at US Service Animals.

It is important to know the difference between a service dog and an emotional support animal. Service animals have been trained to perform specific tasks and are allowed in most public places. Whereas emotional support animals are not trained and can be any kind of animals including dogs, cats, birds and even miniature horses. In Colorado, the Fair Housing Act and the Air Carriers Access Act both cover emotional support animals. These laws help to protect emotional support animals and their owners in getting fair housing and access to air travel.

Travel Laws

The Air Carriers Access Act in Colorado protects owners and their emotional support animals. The law allows anyone with a disability to travel with their emotional support animal as long as they have an ESA letter. All airlines require this letter as proof of the animal being an emotional support animal. Even if the airline does not allow pets, an emotional support animal will be allowed into the cabin of the plane, free of charge. Airlines are becoming more strict and most now require passengers to have an ESA letter as well as some requiring additional medical information. This information must be given to the airline in advance to notify them of the emotional support animal that will be traveling.

Employment Laws

Although employment is covered under the Americans with Disability Act which states that employers cannot discriminate against anything with a disability, emotional support animals are not included in this. However, if you have an ESA letter to show your employer in Colorado, you may be allowed to bring them into the workplace. This is on a case-by-case basis and if your employer doesn’t approve of having an emotional support animal on the work premises, unfortunately, there is nothing else you can do.

Housing Laws

In Colorado, the Fair Housing Act protects those with an emotional support animal. The act does not allow landlords to discriminate against anyone with a disability and gives those with a service dog or emotional support animal access to housing. Landlords can request an ESA letter before allowing a tenant to have their emotional support animal into their building, apartment or house. So make sure you get yours today from US Service Animals so you’re covered in the future.

University campus housing is also covered under the Fair Housing Act allowing students to have an emotional service animal whilst they study. Again, universities may also request an ESA letter to confirm the animal is an emotional support animal and the need from its owner to have one at university.

It is important to note that if an emotional support animal behaves badly or disruptively, a landlord has the right to refuse entry. And if someone is caught claiming their animal is a service animal when it isn’t, they can face up to 90 days in jail.

How to get an emotional support animal in Colorado

It is quite easy to get an emotional support animal in Colorado. Simply call or schedule a call at US Service Animals where you can speak to one of our medical professionals who will assess your situation to see if you and your animal qualify. If you do then you can register and get an ESA letter. This letter is very important as it required by all airlines and most landlords as proof of the animal being an emotional support animal as well as explaining your mental health disability and need for the emotional support animal.

With US Service Animals, you can talk to a mental health professional and register your information very easily. Follow the simple steps that we state online and you can often get prescribed an emotion support animal in just one phone call. You won’t have to pay anything unless the mental health professional approves you. Then you can receive your ESA letter which will have everything you need to have fair access to air travel and housing with your emotional support animal.