Good morning, readers! Today, CertaPet is taking you to Florida, where an activist is suing a psychologist based in Orlando for selling ESA letters on Fiverr. Read on to discover the details of the story.
Lawsuit Against Florida Health Practitioner Claims Her ESA Documentation Violated Florida’s 2020 Support Animal Law
An Orlando psychologist who sells Emotional Support Animal (ESA) documentation online is facing a lawsuit from a South Florida activist aiming to shut down what he calls scam ESA businesses.
Political activist Timothy “Chaz” Stevens is suing alleged Central Florida clinical psychologist Carolina Estevez, accusing her of “fraudulent” practices. Estevez offers ESA evaluations and letters for $125 on Fiverr, which, if presented to a landlord, can allow an animal to live in housing with no pet policies at no additional cost.
Stevens claims Estevez’s operation is a “letter mill,” issuing ESA documentation to people without disabilities and approving anyone as an ideal candidate. “This is bogus,” said Stevens, talking about the issue. “You fill out a couple questions online, make a payment of about 100 bucks or so and an instant later, a letter pops up.”
Another aspect that makes Estevez’s letters seem problematic is that her practice doesn’t seem to exist at its (listed) Southwest Orlando address. Property records also show she owns no property in Orange County.
Stevens has declared Estevez is one of five U.S. practitioners he’s planning to sue. His case is centered around a 2020 Florida law that requires practitioners to know a patient’s history before issuing ESA letters. Violations of the law carry a misdemeanor charge.
Stevens purchased a letter from Estevez under the name ‘Timothy Richard’ for two imaginary dogs (Max and Luna), as evidence. He told Estevez he had autism and anxiety diagnoses, plus sensory overload issues, which the dogs supposedly alleviated. According to Stevens, he received his ESA letters within a day, and Estevez never actually confirmed his conditions.
While she sent him a mental health evaluation consent form allowing use of his government ID to verify age, Stevens said she never asked for the ID. “She didn’t bother to call me, to verify my name, none of that stuff. I could have been anyone,” he said.
In the ESA letter, Estevez wrote, “I am familiar with Mr. Richard’s mental health conditions and with the functional limitations and impairments imposed by his mental health disabilities.” She also requested “reasonable accommodations” for his ESAs.
The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division warns that online “service animal certification” documents do not convey rights under the ADA and are not recognized as proof of a service animal.
Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, who co-sponsored the 2020 Senate Bill, said fraudulent letters harm those with genuine needs. “If abuse continues, the legislature may roll back these opportunities for people with disabilities,” she said, adding that Steven’s efforts could help strengthen the law.
Stevens, funding his lawsuits out of pocket, vows to press on. “The only way we’re going to change this is if you de-platform, de-list and blacklist these providers,” he said. “You knock them off the internet.”
Source: OrlandoSentinel
CertaPet’s Thoughts on This Week’s News
Fake ESA letters can erode trust in legitimate support animals and create unnecessary hurdles for people with genuine disabilities. It can also trigger lawmakers to scale back vital protections for the emotional support and service animal community. To protect these rights, it’s essential to approach online ESA services with due diligence, especially those offering documentation without a thorough, legitimate evaluation. CertaPet is extremely proud in offering a legal and compliant service thanks to our staff of licensed and fully trained professionals.
Getting an emotional support animal as part of your treatment care plan has never been easier. If you’re living with emotional or mental health challenges, an ESA could ease your symptoms and help you live a happier, fuller life. If you’re ready to start the process, take our 5-minute pre-screening test for free. We’ll connect you with a licensed mental health professional, who will have a consultation with you. Then, if you qualify, you’ll get your Emotional Support Animal letter in no time.