A new Pettable report finds that landlord denials of emotional support animal letters directly led to tenants worsened mental health.

WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report released today by Pettable, a Receptive company, found that individuals who had their emotional support animal (ESA) letters denied by their landlords faced a significantly higher risk of depression and self-harm ideation. ESA letters allow individuals who live in pet-restricted housing to live with their emotional support animal.

An estimated one in five pet owners in America reported having an ESA. Previous research has shown that having an emotional support animal improves depression, anxiety, and loneliness. While the physical and mental health benefits of ESA ownership have been well studied, few studies have ever looked at the mental health impact of having an ESA letter denied. 

Today’s report from Pettable helps fill this gap. Jane Sagui, the company’s General Manager, summarized the findings. “We now have demonstrable evidence to show that when a tenant is denied the right to live with their pet, their mental health suffers.”

The Pettable report found ESA letter denials resulted in:

• Increased self-harm ideation in 26% of people
• 39x more likely to experience a decline in overall emotional well-being
• 10x greater likelihood of worsening depression

Amber Gill, the CEO of Receptive, Pettable’s parent company, said knowing those outcomes makes Pettable’s work that much more important. 

“Pets can help people manage anxiety, depression, PTSD, panic disorders, and other mental health-related conditions,” she said. “We know animals are part of a family, especially when an owner relies on that pet for their mental well-being. Our rigorous evaluation process is aimed at keeping people and pets together.” 

Overall, less than two percent of Pettable ESA letters are denied. Gill said that is a credit to the emphasis Pettable places on clinical quality and ensuring patients are eligible for an emotional support animal.

Of the more than 3,000 total Pettable cases examined for this report, Michigan, New Mexico, and Idaho led the country in the percent of ESA letters denied. California had the lowest denial percentage.

To learn more about Pettable, visit https://pettable.com/.

About Pettable

Pettable, a part of the broader Receptive company, is a telehealth platform that helps qualified patients obtain emotional support animal (ESA) letters for housing purposes. Following a rigorous process, patients are assessed by qualified clinicians to determine ESA eligibility. To learn more, visit https://www.pettable.com.

About Receptive Inc.

Receptive Inc. is an online telehealth platform comprising three brands: ADHD Advisor, which provides adult ADHD care, Top Nutrition Coaching, which offers nutritional care, and Pettable, which provides assessments for emotional support animal letters. The company operates as a clinician-first service offering patients telehealth access to quality and licensed clinicians. To learn more, visit https://www.receptive.com/.

Contact

Josh Birch
jbirch@sovyn.com

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SOURCE Receptive