Pets give companionship, and for many people they also serve a meaningful purpose. More pet owners are seeking to designate their animals as emotional support animals (ESAs). A survey by the American Psychiatric Association reported that one in five pet owners responding had done so. Keeping a pet can be expensive — especially if you pay for professional instruction. Finding emotional support animal discounts and money-saving options can help offset some of those expenses.
What Does an Emotional Support Animal Cost?
The largest ESA expense is typically the animal itself, unless you already own a companion you plan to register. You can adopt a dog from a nearby rescue for very little, though you’ll still be responsible for veterinary appointments and any necessary vaccinations or procedures.
The other main cost is the letter from a medical professional verifying your need for an emotional support animal. You’ll probably pay for the appointment to obtain that letter, but that document is essentially what’s required to validate the animal.
“An emotional support animal letter must be on the official letterhead of the health care provider, note the existence of a disability, outline the treatment relationship with the provider and recommend the animal as an appropriate therapy,” said Alexandra Alvarado, director of marketing and education at the American Apartment Owners Association. “If multiple animals are requested, the provider should explain why each one is necessary.”
Service dogs often display vests that identify them, but ESAs aren’t required to wear such gear. If you prefer, you can purchase vests, ID tags and informational cards online.
Like any pet, you’ll need to buy food, treats and essentials. If you choose a dog that needs frequent grooming, add that recurring cost into your budget as well.
Ways to Save on Emotional Support Animal Costs
There are several places to find emotional support animal discounts and savings. Below are six avenues to explore if you own an ESA.
1. Veterinary Expenses
Vet bills might not be the first thing you consider when calculating ESA costs, but they can become significant. For a dog, annual vaccines for canine parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and rabies are typically required. Spay/neuter surgery is another likely one-time cost and can be at least $150.
Joey Lusvardi, a certified cat behavior consultant at Class Act Cats, notes that vets and groomers sometimes offer discounts to service animals. With some tact, you might be able to secure similar savings for an ESA.
“It’s always worth asking if your ESA qualifies for the same discount,” he said. “The worst outcome is they decline, and the best is a modest saving. Remember they aren’t required to give the discount, so be polite if they refuse.”
2. Tax Considerations
The IRS provides tax relief for taxpayers who have service dogs for particular medical conditions or disabilities. That benefit does not apply to emotional support animals. If your animal carries out a specific trained task and meets the criteria for a service animal, pursuing certification could allow you to claim certain deductions.
ESA owners can still deduct medical expenses related to treating their condition if those costs aren’t covered by insurance. Out-of-pocket payments for therapy sessions and prescriptions may qualify as deductible medical expenses, so maintain good records for tax filing.
3. Renting Housing
Renting can be difficult with a pet. Whether you’re looking at apartments, condos or single-family rentals, many landlords restrict or ban certain animals and those who accept pets often levy large fees. For ESA owners, those pet fees generally do not apply.
“If a tenant has a bona fide emotional support animal or service animal, not merely a pet, they typically aren’t required to pay the usual pet fees a housing provider might charge,” Alvarado said.
Lusvardi adds this could lead to additional savings. “In theory, you could use this protection to secure housing with lower rent that normally doesn’t permit pets and thus save on overall housing costs,” he said.
4. Lodging While Traveling
ESAs often accompany owners on trips, meaning hotel and vacation rental pet fees can inflate travel spending. If you possess an ESA letter, research properties that prohibit pets and inquire about waiving pet charges.
“Hotels can’t impose extra charges for your ESA or levy a cleaning surcharge,” Lusvardi said. “They can, however, bill for damages, so ensure your ESA doesn’t cause harm while staying there.”
5. Airline Travel
Bringing pets on planes became more complex in 2021, when rules clarified differences between service animals and emotional support animals under the Air Carrier Access Act. The law specifies that species other than dogs, emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals and service animals in training are not considered service animals under that regulation. Since then, airlines have been allowed to charge fees to transport emotional support animals.
“Trained service animals that perform a defined task remain exempt from fees provided the animal meets documentation standards, isn’t disruptive and doesn’t pose health or safety risks,” Lusvardi said.
Although there’s no automatic discount, you can save by comparing airline fees before booking. For example, American Airlines charges $150 per kennel per flight, while Delta charges $95 per pet per flight. Be mindful that many carriers have a carry-on weight limit near 20 pounds for in-cabin pets.
6. Food, Toys and Supplies
A frequently overlooked ESA expense is supplies. Like any household pet, ESAs need food, and many owners buy toys and treats too. These purchases add up; Rover estimates monthly dog ownership costs between $80 and $440.
Those costs apply whether you have a service dog or an ESA. Lusvardi suggests ways to reduce supply expenses.
“The Buy Nothing Project is an excellent place to find usable items shared locally for free,” he said. “I’ve seen clients score expensive cat towers and other items from community groups that their pets adore.”
He also recommends general money-saving tactics pet owners use.
“Many online retailers offer discounts for recurring orders via autoship, which can lower the cost of items you’ll buy repeatedly,” he said. “I get my cats’ food and litter on autoship from Chewy and receive a 5% saving. Small percentages add up over time.”
Even modest emotional support animal discounts and savings can accumulate. While ESAs don’t qualify for some of the cost advantages service animals receive, they usually cost less in training and certification, potentially making them more affordable overall.
Georgia Lane is a personal finance writer with more than a decade of experience. Her articles have appeared on several prominent finance sites, including Money Under 30, GoBankingRates, Retirable, Sapling and Sifter.
