Fort Myers Emotional Support Animal and PSD Letters
Fort Myers fills up every winter and has spent the years since Hurricane Ian rebuilding. Whether you are here for a season or for good, a free screening shows whether a Florida-licensed clinician can support your emotional support animal or psychiatric service dog.
Weather your animal lives with
If storms make your anxiety harder to manage, that is worth mentioning in your screening.
How Fort Myers Clients Get Started
Step 1
A few questions
Tell us how you feel day to day, about your animal and where you are living.
Step 2
A licensed review
A Florida-licensed clinician evaluates your needs and meets you by telehealth when clinically indicated.
Step 3
A signed letter
Approved? Choose your plan and receive the letter by email, often within a day.
Letters for Every Kind of Fort Myers Resident
Winter residents
Renting a condo for the season? An ESA letter supports your request even when the building bans pets.
Families still rebuilding
Moved into a temporary rental after storm damage? The letter goes with you to any Florida housing provider.
Service dog handlers
A psychiatric service dog letter documents the need for a dog trained to perform tasks for you.
Fort Myers Price Tags
Every tag reads its price from our live plan list. Multi-pet letters cover up to three dogs or cats.
Snowbird Check: Lee County License and Your Letter
Enter the dates you spend in Lee County this year. We will show whether the county license applies and what to bring.
Your stay
- The county license applies to dogs, cats and ferrets four months and older that live in Lee County at least 30 days a year.
A Seminole Wars Fort, Edison and Ford
The city is named for a fort from the Seminole Wars, itself named in 1850 for Colonel Abraham Myers. After the Army left, Captain Manuel A. Gonzalez founded the community on February 21, 1866 and opened its first trading post.
Winter estates
Thomas Edison's Seminole Lodge and Henry Ford's The Mangoes are the city's best-known attractions.
Spring training
JetBlue Park is the spring home of the Boston Red Sox.
86,395 residents
Counted in 2020, with fast growth since.
County seat
Fort Myers is the seat of Lee County and anchors the metro area with Cape Coral.
Housing After Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ian struck on September 28, 2022 and caused catastrophic damage in Fort Myers. Many residents moved, some more than once. Each new housing provider needs its own request.
- Keep a digital copy of your letter, rabies certificate and Lee County license where you can reach them from any phone.
- Send the letter to each new landlord, property manager or association in writing.
- If your letter is getting old, a fresh evaluation keeps the request current.
Downtown on the Caloosahatchee
Historic Downtown and Centennial Park line the Caloosahatchee River. A few local spots, and how an animal fits in:
Centennial Park
Leashed walks by the river.
Calusa Nature Center
Check its pet policy before visiting.
Downtown dining
Service dogs welcome; pets only where allowed.
Lee County Domestic Animal Services Rules
Who
Dogs, cats and ferrets four months and older living in Lee County 30 days a year or more.
One tag
The Lee County license doubles as the rabies tag.
Where
Some vets sell it, or visit Domestic Animal Services at 5600 Banner Drive.
Dog Beach Park
The county's off-leash dog beach is near Bonita Beach.
Fort Myers FAQ
I spend winters in Fort Myers. Does my dog need a Lee County license?
Yes, if your dog, cat or ferret is four months or older and lives in Lee County for at least 30 days a year. The Lee County license also serves as the rabies tag.
My pet's rabies shot is from another state. Is that accepted?
If the vaccination is still current, you only need to buy a Lee County license, which expires when that rabies vaccination expires.
My home was damaged in Hurricane Ian and I am renting now. Do I need a new letter?
You need to make a new accommodation request to the new housing provider. If your letter is recent, it may be enough; if it is older, a new evaluation keeps the request current.
Is there a place in Lee County where my dog can run off leash on the sand?
Lee County's Dog Beach Park near Bonita Beach allows dogs off leash. It is a pet area, so your ESA letter is not needed to use it.
Can a Fort Myers condo board reject my letter because my therapist is up north?
Florida accepts letters from out-of-state clinicians only if they have seen you in person at least once or are registered for Florida telehealth. Otherwise, a Florida-licensed clinician avoids the dispute.
Do I pay before I know if I qualify?
No. The screening is free, and you pay only after a clinician approves you and you choose a plan.
More of Southwest Florida
General information for Fort Myers residents and visitors, current as of September 2026. It is not legal advice. Licensing is run by Lee County Domestic Animal Services, and park and business pet rules are set by each operator; all can change. Screening does not guarantee a letter. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Your Fort Myers Letter, Ready Before the Lease Is
Begin the free screening now and a Florida-licensed clinician can respond quickly, season or not.
