Emotional support animals (ESAs) can be wonderful companions for those who are dealing with certain mental health issues or conditions. In general, there is no limit to the type of animal you can make your ESA, though it’s important to be realistic and understand your animal’s care needs and living restrictions. In this guide, we tell you more about adopting an emotional support goat and what you need to know about your ESA rights.
What Is an Emotional Support Animal?
Emotional support animals are companion animals that benefit their owners with the presence and routine they offer. These animals can be any type of animal, including cats, dogs, birds, fish, and snakes, and they are generally prescribed by a mental healthcare professional to help an individual deal with a mental health condition. The most common conditions that ESAs can help provide relief for include anxiety, depression, PTSD, and chronic stress.
It’s important to note that an emotional support animal is different from a service animal, as it are not trained to perform disability-related tasks. If you think you need more help from your animal companion besides comfort, routine, and emotional support, you may want to look into adopting a service animal instead.
Do Emotional Support Animals Have Rights?
Emotional support animals have certain rights that allow their owners to live alongside them in any suitable area of housing. The right to fair housing is the main right to understand when it comes to ESAs, and your emotional support animal must be valid and prescribed to you by a mental healthcare professional in order for you to take advantage of these rights.
Your ESA will not have public access rights like a service animal would, nor will they have travel rights for things like airplanes. That being said, you can take your ESA with you to pet-friendly public areas, as long as your animal is reasonable for that area. For example, you can take an emotional support dog to most restaurant patios, but you might not be allowed to bring an emotional support bird or snake.
Can Goats Be Emotional Support Animals?
Goats could potentially be emotional support animals, though this can get complicated when you consider where to live with your ESA. Emotional support goats are unlikely to be accepted into apartment complexes, and they can be difficult to care for. You should also check with local restrictions, as some counties and states make it illegal to own goats in certain areas.
However, if it is legal and feasible to adopt a goat and live with them, for example, in a single-family home you are renting, you might be able to adopt a goat and make them your ESA. Your mental healthcare provider will have the final word on this, and you must be able to financially provide care for your goat, in addition to caring for them properly.
Will a Landlord Deny My Emotional Support Goat?
If you are able to adopt an emotional support goat, it’s unlikely that a landlord will let you bring them into your apartment complex. This is especially true if you live in a very populated apartment or a high-rise building. Goats must have access to the outdoors, and proper care of a goat cannot take place within an apartment.
Furthermore, goats are not potty trained, they can be destructive, and they may present safety and health threats to other tenants in the apartment – these are all valid reasons for a landlord to deny your accommodations for an emotional support goat.
Keep in mind that if you do have a valid emotional support goat, you will likely need to rent a larger space with access to the outdoors. A landlord who is shown that you can properly care for your emotional support goat and are willing to clean up after them may approve your ESA during your rental period.
Keeping Your Emotional Support Goat at Your Side
Emotional support goats might be possible, but ensuring you can properly care for and live with one of these animals can be a challenge. Talk to your mental healthcare provider for more information on adding an ESA to your treatment plan, and consider your options for emotional support animals if a goat is not feasible in your chosen living space.