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Getting an emotional support animal

How to get an emotional support animal in the UK

There is no application and no register. This is what the process actually looks like, from the animal to the letter to the request.

The short answer. You do not apply for an emotional support animal in the UK. There is no official register and no approval process. In practice, getting one means three things: the animal itself, a letter from a doctor confirming it supports your mental health, and a request to whoever has to agree, usually your landlord.

The four steps

What getting an emotional support animal involves, in order.

  1. 1

    Start with the animal

    Most emotional support animals are pets people already have. If you do not have one yet, check your tenancy before you bring an animal home: your landlord’s consent comes first.

  2. 2

    Get supporting evidence

    Ask your GP whether they will write a letter, or use a private service. The letter confirms that the animal supports your mental health. It is optional, but it is the only evidence that carries clinical weight.

  3. 3

    Make your request in writing

    If you rent privately in England, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 says the request must be in writing and describe the pet. Attach the letter if you have one.

  4. 4

    Keep a record

    Keep your request, the letter and the reply. For a private tenancy in England, the landlord must answer in writing within 28 days, and that reply matters if there is a dispute.

How do I make my dog an emotional support dog?

You do not need to do anything to the dog. There is no training requirement, no test and no register. An emotional support dog is simply a dog whose company helps your mental health, and UK law does not define the term at all. What changes when you get a letter is that you have evidence to show someone who has to make a decision.

This is the opposite of an assistance dog, which is defined by training. If what you need is a trained dog, that is a separate route through charities. Emotional support dogs in the UK · emotional support cats.

How to get an emotional support animal letter

There are two routes.

Your own GP. Your GP knows your history. But a letter like this is not part of NHS care, so it is non-NHS work. The BMA says that, with certain exceptions in their contract, doctors do not have to do non-NHS work, and they can charge for it. Ask your practice whether they will write one, what they charge and how long it takes. Free and NHS options.

A private service. A GMC-registered doctor reviews your health online and, if a letter is clinically appropriate, writes one. Check that you are buying a letter rather than a registration, and what happens if the doctor declines. Our letter costs £49, covers up to two pets, and comes with a full refund if a doctor cannot issue it on clinical grounds.

Talking to a doctor about it

Be specific. Say what the animal does for you day to day, how you cope when you are apart, and what you need the letter for (a pet request to your landlord, for example). A doctor can only write what they can stand behind, so the clearer the picture, the more useful the letter.

Making the request

The letter does nothing on its own. It supports a request, and who you ask depends on where you need the animal.

  • A private landlord in England. Since 1 May 2026, you can ask in writing to keep a pet, and your landlord must not unreasonably refuse. They must reply in writing within 28 days, or within 7 days of receiving any further information they reasonably ask you for. How the pet request works.
  • A council, a housing association, or a landlord outside England. The Act’s pet rules do not cover you: they exclude social housing and apply in England only. Ask in writing anyway, with the letter, and check what your tenancy agreement says about pets. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • A university or employer. Ask what their process is and what evidence they want before you apply.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Paying for registration. There is no official register, so paying a site every year buys nothing the law recognises. What those sites sell.
  • Moving the animal in first. In a rented home, ask first. In England the right depends on asking and the landlord consenting.
  • Expecting access rights. A letter does not get an animal into shops, restaurants or aircraft cabins. The CAA’s guidance excludes dogs that solely provide emotional support from recognised assistance dogs on flights.
  • Relying on a verbal yes. Get consent in writing. The Act requires the landlord’s answer to be in writing.

Common questions

How do I apply for an emotional support dog?

There is no application. No UK body approves or registers emotional support animals, so there is nothing to apply to. If your dog supports your mental health, what you can get is a letter from a doctor saying so, to use when you ask a landlord or another organisation to allow the dog.

How do I get papers for my emotional support dog?

The only papers that mean anything are a letter from a doctor, your written request and the reply you get. Cards, certificates and registration numbers sold online have no legal effect.

Can I get an emotional support animal for anxiety?

No law lists the conditions an emotional support animal is for. Whether a letter is appropriate is a clinical decision, made by a doctor who has reviewed your health. Who qualifies for an emotional support animal.

How long does it take to get an ESA letter?

From your own GP, it depends on the practice. From us, where medically appropriate, most letters are issued the same day or by 9am the next day.

Do I need a letter before I get the animal?

Not legally. But if you rent, get your landlord’s consent before the animal moves in. In a private tenancy in England, the right to keep a pet depends on asking in writing and the landlord consenting.

Sources. The legal and clinical facts on this page were checked against these primary sources on 25 September 2026. Law and landlord, university and airline policies change, so check the source before you rely on it.

Get the letter that supports your request

A GMC-registered UK doctor reviews your request online. Where medically appropriate, most letters are issued the same day or by 9am the next day.

Start your request

Reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor. Full refund if a letter cannot be issued on clinical grounds.