Have a kitty. My fiance and i bought him as a kitten. Well, that fiance killed himself a few months ago (he had prety bad depression and schizo. Was the love of my life though. Helped me leave the chirch). Kitty is all i have left of him thats tangible. Dont even have a grave to visit, as his ashes reside with his parents (would have taken a lock of hair if i would have known).
Anyways, current place i live (small on campus group) just found out about him. Would break my heart to have to get rid of him, as he means a lot to me, and really helps with my depression. Very afraid that if i have to give him away my mental health is going to nosedive.
Does anyone know who i could go to to get an emotional support animal note? Im sure i qualify because i have pretty bad depression and anxiety. Havent been diagnosed or treated because im trying to get over this without meds, and i dont know who to go to anyways. Would a normal doctor be able to help me with my depression/anxiety situation, or would he just refer me to someone else? No clue where to even begin with this : /

I e heard of website where you take a psych eval, pay them a hundred bucks, and they mail you a doctors note. Feel like thats a pretty easy way to get scammed though.. :/

So sorry about your fiancé. I'm definitely not an expert here, but my son suffers from PTSD. His apartment manager told him to get a note from his doctor. He goes through the VA, so he does have a psychologist. But, I would think you could start with your MD or go to a mental health professional. Pets can play a very important role in healing. My thoughts are with you.

I dont actually have a regular doctor, he retired years ago. So i guess ill need to find a mental health pro.
Thank you for your thoughts and sympathy

I've gotten my anxiety meds through my family doctor or a specialist at different times, just based on insurance, or whatever. Your regular doc should be able to help you. I even got meds from my gynocologist for a while.
Good luck.

Just saw you don't have a regular doctor. You could find one through your insurance plan. A family doctor is typically a lot cheaper than a specialist.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2014 12:35AM by NewPerspective.

Wierd.. I didnt know that was possible. I thought only paychiatrists could give out meds. Very good to know. Thank you.

I now you weren't necessarily wanting to take meds, but probably any doctor who can prescribe anxiety/depression medication can write you a note for your cat.
And if you do decide to try meds you have some options. :)

So sorry for your loss,

Go to the Doctor treating your depression. Ask them to write you a letter to allow to keep your pet due to your emotional health.

I work in a Doctors office, and we have done this for several patients who would be devastated to lose their companion animal.

RMM

Thank you guys so much for all the good advice. Talked to my mom, who is a social worker, and it looks like she has some names of some good people to talk to (both about kitty and the possible meds).
Just want to get this fixed! Tired of not being able to function :/

Under the Fair Housing Act, people with disabilities (major depressive disorder counts as a disability), are entitled to keep their emotional support animals regardless of whether or not the landlord allows pets. It's called a reasonable accomodation. You can't be charged a pet deposit for an emotional support animal either. As long as a health care professional (therapist, doctor, etc.) provides a letter stating that the animal is your emotional support animal, then you are good to go.

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=servanimals_ntcfheo2013-01.pdf

Many years ago, following a devastating divorce, I was very shaky emotionally and suicide was looking more tempting all the time. It didn't seem like a soul in the world cared about me and I didn't feel I had anything to live for.

I scraped together the last few dollars I had and got a couple of kittens from the local animal shelter.

I knew that if I had those two precious little lives depending on me for their survival, I would be able to keep going. It worked.

Just seeing those two furry little characters romping toward the door when I came home made the whole day worthwhile. They cuddled with me when I slept, curled in my lap or beside me if I read or watched TV. They helped me to hang on.

I've had cats in my life ever since then - not because my life was still so fragile, but because I love feline company. My life has changed for the better, by far - but there are still cats in it!

Furbabies are the best medicine - go for it!

That is a great story. So glad you found something to help you hold onto life. Not everyone is so lucky.

So sorry for you loss. I hope that you are able to get what you need to keep your cat with you. That would be wonderful.

Catnip you are right, cats are the best and they have made my life so much better.

Yes, emotional animals are called PETS. I have 3 cats. I grew up with a houseful of beautiful animals and I swear that without animals around, I would not want to live. They are the best friends one can have.

It seems self-evident that if you are blind, or deaf, or badly impaired physically, and you have a trained service animal to help you, that you should have the law on your side in choosing a place to live with your furry assistant.

But to know that if you are in a fragile place emotionally, and you really NEED the companionship of a furbaby, there is law in place to support you.

Thank you so much, SeeingClearlyNow, for sharing that with us. I am very proud of whoever put that legislation into place. Beautiful, compassionate - I am SO impressed!

I know, when I moved to this state (alone, not knowing a soul) that I chose where I would live based on whether or not they accepted indoor cats. That was always my first question. If they said "no," I crossed them off and moved to the next place on the list. I worried about affordability and location after that. The cats came FIRST. I have never regretted that decision.

Furbaby.. Thats what my fiance always called our kitty. <3

My "visiting teacher" is a skinny little cat. Comes by every day. She likes the cool breeze from my cooler, I like her laid-back attitude. Good food, good times.

Maybe the church should send therapy animals to all the inactive members.

I would rip ip my resignation letter if they changed to that kind of visiting teacher ;)

My neighbors cat likes my house the best of all the other neighbors. It's because I have moles in my garden.

She lays them (dead) in a neat little row on my patio about every 3 days.

I thought about trapping the moles, but I think the cat might abandon me if I did that.

I have a little dog that also likes the cat. The three of us hang out on the patio when the weather allows. Sometimes I wish the cat were mine. She's a sweet soul. She always goes home to the family that owns her. She's a great visiting teacher though.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2014 10:11PM by madalice.

My coworker's neighbor has a service dog for her PTSD. She's a war vet. She says the dog has really helped her with her anxiety. I believe she may have gotten him through the Wounded Warriors Project.

There was a big kerfuffle here because she brought her dog into a restaurant/bar and the wait staff tried to kick her and the dog out. I don't know if it was because she didn't have an obvious disability, like being blind. The dog was wearing his service vest (which is not required by law) and had his service dog paperwork but the staff was still very rude to her. It was a huge story in the paper here. The restaurant manager didn't back down at first but eventually he was getting so much bad publicity that he had to apologize to her and try to make it right.

It really made people understand that not everyone who has a service dog has an obvious disability. I have heard of dogs being used for people with epilepsy, autism, panic attacks, and other not so obvious disorders.

My husband is a Desert Storm vet who suffers from PTSD and as such has an Emotional Support dog. I think you need to look into the law very carefully. Unless it has recently changed (again) only dogs can be certified as Emotional Support Animals. At one time, they allowed cats and monkeys, but in recent years, the laws changed to only dogs.

I can tell you all first hand what a HUGE difference it has made for my husband to be able to take that dog around with him. His depression and anxiety has really lessened, he isn't biting people's heads off, and it gets him to open up and communicate/be social when people approach him and ask him about the dog.

Good luck to you. I sincerely hope they do allow you to register your kitty!

I just looked up the National Service Animal Registry and went under the heading Emotional Support Animals. Seems they have made some serious changes!
What Is An Emotional Support Animal (ESA)?
An emotional support animal (ESA) is a person's pet that has been prescribed by a person's licensed therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist (any licensed mental health professional). The animal is part of the treatment program for this person and is designed to bring comfort and minimize the negative symptoms of the person's emotional/psychological disability.

What Animals Qualify To Be An ESA?
All domesticated animals may qualify as an ESA (cats, dog, mice, rabbits, birds, snakes, hedgehogs, rats, mini pigs, ferrets, etc.) and they can be any age (young puppies and kittens, too!). These animals do not need any specific task-training because their very presence mitigates the symptoms associated with a person's psychological/emotional disability, unlike a working service dog. The only requirement is that the animal is manageable in public and does not create a nuisance in or around the home setting.

How To Qualify
For a person to legally qualify for an emotional support animal (ESA), he/she must be considered emotionally disabled by a licensed mental health professional (therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.), as evidenced by a properly formatted prescription letter. Typically, a medical doctor does not qualify because they are not a licensed mental health professional. Some airlines and property managers will accept a verification form completed by a family doctor, however.

I hope you are getting help with your grieving. I went to a series of classes at a local hospice center after losing a loved one, and it helped immensely. Just being with others who understand helps, and the information we shared was invaluable.

The grief will pass, and it varies how long it will take. For me, the standard year has been about right, and I no longer cry daily. I've finally been able to focus on how I'm going to live as a single person.

Hang in there.

Sounds like you lost a partner too :/ thank you for the good advice. As silly as it sounds, i got a new boyfriend very soon after my fiances passing, and it has helped me immensely. Just having someone to go on walks with and snuggle with. I know not everyone is ready for something like that, or is presented with that, but it is helping me recover. Cant wait until hes back in the lower 48.
hang in there, heresy! I understand your pain <3

Don't be afraid to take any meds! They can be a big help in getting you to feel better. Go to a doctor and get some professional help. You need to take care of yourself. I know from personal experience that there is help for depression and it is nothing to try to ride out on your own. Get some help!

Don't be afraid to take any meds. They can be a big help in getting you to feel better. Go to a doctor and get some professional help. You need to take care of yourself. I know from personal experience that there is help for depression and it is nothing to try to ride out on your own. Get some help!