What is Therapy Animal Hub's role in the verification process?

Therapy Animal Hub is simply the referral service for licensed providers — we do not issue your letter. We connect clients with independent, licensed mental health professionals who, after their own evaluation, may issue ESA documentation if they determine it is clinically appropriate. We do not issue, sign, or verify ESA letters ourselves. ESA letters are not for sale: payment is only accepted for an evaluation, offered to clients who may be likely to meet the requirements for needing an ESA, and the evaluation is a proper telehealth session with a licensed provider.

All verification requests should go directly to your provider using the contact details printed on your letter — their name, email, and phone are on the header or footer. Therapy Animal Hub should not be listed as the provider or the issuer of the documentation.

It's not uncommon for properties to want to verify that your letter came from a legitimate provider, and to initially push back or claim that it matches similar online templates. Most providers use some templated language as part of their letters in order to ensure they meet legal requirements.

Can my provider respond to verification requests?

Yes. Providers who are part of Therapy Animal Hub's referral network commit to being reasonably available for verification of letters they have issued, including filling out verification forms within reason. They are familiar with standard pet screening processes (such as PetScreening.com and OurPetPolicy) and can respond to reasonable verification questions confirming that the evaluation took place and that the letter is the result of their professional judgment. They may refuse to answer certain questions that ask for unnecessary health information or force them to answer binary questions about the nature of their evaluation. If you have trouble reaching your provider, contact us and we can help facilitate.

Where do I find my provider's verification contact info?

It's on the header or footer of your ESA letter — provider name, email, and phone number. You do not need to list a physical address (many providers work from a home office and prefer not to disclose it).

Are letters from Therapy Animal Hub's referred providers FHA-compliant?

Yes. ESA letters issued through our referral network come from licensed mental health professionals after a real clinical evaluation, are issued in accordance with applicable state law, and meet Fair Housing Act requirements for reasonable accommodation requests. HUD guidance (FHEO-2020-01) explicitly recognizes documentation from licensed health care professionals operating via telehealth, though note that this guidance is now out of date.

Refunds and renewals

We offer refunds within 180 days of letter issuance. It's important to note that our referral does not guarantee that a letter will be issued — that decision rests with the licensed clinician based on their independent evaluation, and a provider may determine that an ESA is not clinically appropriate for a given client. What our referral does guarantee is that if a provider does issue a letter, that letter will be verifiable: the issuing provider commits to being reasonably available to confirm the evaluation through standard verification channels. If, for any reason, an issued letter cannot be verified or your provider is not available to complete the verification, we will issue a refund.

ESA letters generally need to be renewed annually because state laws require a fresh evaluation each year to confirm that an ESA continues to be clinically appropriate for you. For that reason, letters approaching their annual renewal date are not eligible for a refund or further verification support — at that point the path forward is a renewal rather than a refund. Clients renewing through Therapy Animal Hub receive a discount on the renewal.