Emotional Support Dog Laws Illinois

Illinois law the service animal access act and white cane law are state criminal laws that guarantee the right of a person with a disability to be accompanied by a service animal in public.

Emotional support dog laws illinois.

An illinois emotional support animal means a pet that helps people with mental or emotional disabilities to feel better. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual s disability. If you meet the criteria of these provisions you are entitled to an emotional support animal in the air and in your housing unit. Illinois enacts law to evaluate emotional support animal requests.

However before any animal can be determined to be an esa their owner. Violation of the service animal access act is a class c misdemeanor. Other species of animals whether wild or domestic trained or untrained are not considered service animals either. Violation of the white cane law is a class a misdemeanor.

While typically dogs or cats emotional support animals may include other species. Although emotional support animals do not have the same rights as service dogs under ada they are protected under the fair housing amendment act fhaa and the air carrier access act acaa. The emotional support animal laws in il protect from discrimination them. The tenant is allowed under federal law to have more than one emotional support animal.

These laws help protect emotional support animals and their owners when attempting to rent a living space or travel by air. As long as the therapist has diagnosed these animals to help alleviate at least one of their patient s symptoms it is allowed. In illinois as with other states the fair housing act and the air carriers access act both cover the legal definitions of emotional support animals. Although emotional support animals are not permitted in most public places the laws are different when it comes to rental units.

Emotional support animals in illinois apartments and condos in chicago and all of illinos emotional support animals can live with their owners in rental units regardless of the pet policy. An emotional support animal esa is a dog or other common domesticated animal that provides support to its disabled handler through companionship non judgmental regard affection and or being a distraction from the issues of daily life. Emotional support animals comfort animals and therapy dogs are not service animals under title ii and title iii of the ada. Illinois laws on service dogs and emotional support animals illinois and federal law protect the right to have service dogs in public places and may cover other service animals in housing.

To have an emotional support animal people should prove their disability to a licensed mental health doctor that can write an esa letter. The illinois assistance animal integrity act helps clarify what is required to establish a disability and disability related need for an assistance animal.