Emotional support animals for children
Answers
Yes, and the request is made by the parent on the tenancy rather than by the child.
The Act protects the household
The reasonable accommodation duty is owed where a person with a disability lives in the dwelling, and that person does not have to be the leaseholder. A child with a disability living in the unit is a person with a disability living in the unit, and an accommodation necessary for their equal opportunity to use and enjoy the home is owed.
How it works in practice
- The parent or guardian on the tenancy makes the request.
- Documentation comes from a clinician who has evaluated the child: a paediatrician, a child psychologist, a psychiatrist or a treating therapist.
- It should say that the child has a disability within the meaning of the Fair Housing Act and that the animal alleviates a symptom or effect of it, without naming a diagnosis.
- The parent remains responsible for the animal, its care and any damage.
What comes up
Autism, anxiety disorders and PTSD are the most common bases. Where the animal is trained to perform a task, such as preventing wandering or interrupting self-injury, that is a service animal rather than an emotional support animal, and since May 2026 that characterisation carries more weight in housing than it used to.
School is different
A school is not housing. Animals in schools run through the ADA and through special education law, which is a separate process with its own rules. An emotional support animal letter does nothing there.
Common questions
- Does the child need to be diagnosed?
- A clinician has to form a view about the child. The document should not disclose a diagnosis and a housing provider is not entitled to one.