topic Where do I include deduction for my emotional support animal that I have a doctor's letter assigning for 2025? in After you file

Where do I include deduction for my emotional support animal that I have a doctor's letter assigning for 2025?

bethanyroys — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 20:03:57 GMT

I have two Emotional support animals that were determined as part of my treatment plan by a doctor in a signed letter. Is this something I can include as a medical expense deduction?

Re: Where do I include deduction for my emotional support animal that I have a doctor's letter assigning for 2025?

xmasbaby0 — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 20:08:16 GMT

No. You can deduct expenses for a service animal that helps you with such things as blindness, seizure disorders, or other medical conditions. You cannot deduct expenses for "emotional support" pets.

Re: Where do I include deduction for my emotional support animal that I have a doctor's letter assigning for 2025?

xmasbaby0 — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 20:21:24 GMT

From IRS Publication 502:

Guide Dog or Other Service Animal
You can include in medical expenses the costs of buying,
training, and maintaining a guide dog or other service ani-
mal to assist a visually impaired or hearing disabled per-
son, or a person with other physical disabilities. In general,
this includes any costs, such as food, grooming, and vet-
erinary care, incurred in maintaining the health and vitality
of the service animal so that it may perform its duties.

Re: Where do I include deduction for my emotional support animal that I have a doctor's letter assigning for 2025?

Opus 17 — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 20:30:24 GMT

A service animal is deductible. A service animal is an animal that is trained to perform a specific task to assist with health issues. It could be a seeing eye dog, or an animal that can sense an oncoming seizure -- lots of types of service animals, but the key is that it must be specifically trained to provide a service. If an animal provides emotional comfort due to its natural behaviors but has not been trained to perform a specific assistive task, any costs are not deductible.