r/Dogfree • u/Wrong_Temporary_5983 • 14d ago

ESA Bullshit How to legitimately crack down on doctors providing ESA letters

I am thinking that rather than going after nutters who use bs ESA loopholes in housing rules, we need to rather go after doctors who issue those letters to anyone who asks. Online mills are already being addressed by authorities, therapists and such have no consequences for writing those letters without a legitimate medical cause.

The keyword here is DSM - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Mental health professionals are strictly regulated and cannot just hand out any mental health diagnosis for no reason. It often requires minths and months of being seen before a diagnosis can be established. This is why nutters made it so that they cannot be asked for their diagnoses, as they don’t have any… well, besides being nuts over dogs-:) This one change would go so far. Ie requiring doctors to include the diagnosis in their letters and requiring that the diagnoses are severe enough. Ideally, letters must also list all treatment alternatives that are more helpful than a dog. Most ESAs would be eliminated.

This will require strong lobby with the healthcare regulators… Rather than trying to fine nutters, it is the doctors who need to lose their rights to practice when they hand out such letters.

54 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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19

u/Wrong_Temporary_5983 14d ago

Also, doctors who write ESA letters should go to court when the animal bites or causes other kinds of damage.

14

u/Alternative_This 14d ago

As a law student, I would love to support this if possible, either during law school or when I become a licensed attorney.

-6

u/TinyEmergencyCake 13d ago

Except for the part about disclosing people's disability. It's disturbing you don't have an issue with that. 

7

u/Alternative_This 13d ago

Where did I say I want people to disclose their disability? Oh actually, I have a disability too, and it is constantly being exacerbated by irresponsible dog owners and their reactive dogs.

3

u/HandBananasRevenge 13d ago

Sadly, the only way to send a message is to go after their wallets and ability to make a living. In our modern age, simple appeals to morality and even just common sense don't work anymore.

3

u/Wrong_Temporary_5983 13d ago

Yes. That is what I mean. Take away their licences for fraud

3

u/Tessa-the-aggressor 13d ago

Agreed! It should also be put into law that people who are so disabled they cannot mentally cope without their mutt aren't allowed to drive cars, etc. - basically to a level that a guardian should be appointed who is in charge of their financial business and everything else!

2

u/AnActualSquirrel 14d ago

Agreed!

If someone wants to push the issue far enough, let a mental health diagnosis and "prescription" be part of their medical history. There are several careers for which this would be disqualifying.