Thanks for all the advice! I feel very well prepared now should we have another service dog inquiry in the furture 
We have two cats, one of whom is older and hates dogs with a passion. For this reason, we have a no pets policy for our guests. That said, when my husband and I were talking about this thread, we agreed we would allow a service dog in the house provided he or she was well enough trained to remain in the guest room quietly when not going out with the guest. Iām not sure how well it would work out with the service dog sitting in our dining room during breakfast. Itās something weād have to work out with the potential guest.
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discriminate. Allergies, asthma etc.
Louise. The fact is some people do have allergies to pet dander. Severe allergies. So itās not always a case of discrimination when people decline dogs, service ones or otherwise.
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A true service dog would never be left behind while the guest goes out. A service dog is the guestās lifeline. An emotional support animal would be the type that the guest leaves behind because it is not allowed to go places a service dog is allowed.
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I may be wrong, but an emotional support dog is a service dog, so they can go anywhere simply by saying āthis is a service dogā, which many are not and people get away with it.
An emotional support dog is not the same as a service dog. People who use emotional support dogs do not have the same rights to have the dog accompany them. A service dog is a dog who is trained to provide a specific service (picking up things that are dropped, letting the person know if itās safe to cross the street, opening doors, alerting that the person is about to have a seizure, etc.).
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I agree. However, Iāve seen severe allergies to a substance change to a mild intolerance when it has suited the individual. As a nurse I take allergy histories everyday. The most common, Sulla, penicillin, nuts. Very rare to have severe environmental allergies. Iām allergic to bee stings. A true allergy in medical terms causes anaphylaxis, not a stuffy nose, cough. I go into homes with pets every day, Iām not allergic to dander. However, at one home I immediately started to cough, eyes and nose running. Wheezing within minutes facial swelling. So I guess Iām allergic to whatever was in house. I carry meds to treat allergies and took care of myself. I continue to work as a home care nurse. Letās just say, I find it very scary when people say they are allergic when they arenāt as it creates a lax attitude which seriously endangers people with genuine allergies. This is a serious problem for food preparation professionals.
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Sigh how did we get from allergies to pet dander to food preparation and cross contamination? This topic is making my head hurt.
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No, a service dog is different than an emotional support animal. Itās all very confusing. There are several factors here.
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The Fair Housing Act in regards to landlords (long term housing) making āreasonable accommodationsā for those with service dogs and sometimes emotional support animals. Itās very detailed and landlords generally can require much more information than a front desk hotel where the staff can only ask if the animal is a service dog, and what task the animal performs.
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The American Disabilities Act which covers public accommodations.
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Whole home vacation rentals - this is the grey area in how the FHA and ADA apply, and it is looked at on a case by case basis. It isnāt black and white at all. Some condos may be considered a public accommodation, and others are not. Just because someone advertises their home online and makes money, it doesnāt automatially make them a public accommodation such as a restaurant, hotel, etc. where the general public can just walk in the front door.
What Airbnb has done is decided that all emotional support animals and service animals are allowed and is calling them all "assitance animals. " Their policy is that there is no need to tell the host you are bringing one before you arrive (although they encourage you to do so). You cannot charge a pet fee even for the emotional support animal. You never could charge a pet fee for a service dog because they are not considered pets. Think of someone who needs to carry an oxygen tank. This is comparable to a service dog being necessary for a person to function.
But owners in shared spaces can deny both if they are causing a health or safety hazard for the host. This is all stuff Airbnb is doing on their ownā¦creating their own policies. If you host and have your own animals on site that may be upset with another animal entering their space, then you can deny. Or if you are allergic to the animal then you cal also deny.
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Lol I actually do. Unlike the fakers. And if they cry discrimination how do they prove it if they donāt have any documentation?
Which means that guests who are allergic to dogs will no longer use AirBNB. I have people who have chosen my place specifically because we use scent free cleaning products and do not have animals. These pesky unintended consequences.
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No, not while the guest goes out. I mean while the guest is in the house.
Obesity is not legally considered a disability as of yet. Therefore, obese people arenāt given the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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I was wondering about this. We had a long term tenant in our building with an emotional support dog. Much of the time the dog was left alone in the apartment, being annoying and barking and whining.
I hope so, Many years ago I had to endure a flight wedged in between my large other half and a huge Hawaiian guy. I decided then that hugely overweight people should buy two seats or pay a surcharge. We have to pay surcharges if our baggage is overweight after all.
I imagine this isnāt a popular viewā¦
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If a passenger is large enough that he/she canāt fit between the armrests and/or canāt buckle the seat belt with an extender; that person is required to use two seats. Some airlines make the passenger pay for the second seat, some do not.
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I donāt use an extender; I am very tall with broad shoulders. Iāve never been able to get my shoulders or indeed arms to fit inside the tiny little space provided on planes.
There was an article in which magazine that confirmed while people are getting larger (and here I mean taller and slightly bigger is normal now) airplane seats are getting smaller and are currently the smallest they have ever been in terms of width and legroom. So itās really a twofold problem .
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Oh, yes it is. People just donāt like to admit it, because itās not politically correct. The fact is, not taking care of oneās health is a lifestyle choice, and those who make the choice should live with the consequences.
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I actually know someone with severe mental illness that has an emotional support rabbit. It helps her stay in reality and provides a comfort when things spiral. There are a variety of animals that can provide a legitimate service. And as I mentioned much earlier in the thread: travel is a very stressful time for people with mental illness. I have a trip coming in 2 weeks and Iām already dealing with the stress of it, but thankfully my dog will be coming with me. And honestly my only concern beyond the true stressors, i.e. packing, loss of sleep, traveling with children, etc, is how Iām going to handle dealing with people who wonāt let me bring my dog with me, or how Iāll be able to safely leave him alone at times if necessary.
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Iām sympathetic to folks who are traveling with prescribed service or emotional support animals. But the bottom line for me is they should stay in a hotel that is equipped to clean the space to the degree necessary so future allergic guests can stay there, or has plenty of rooms such that they can dedicated some for those traveling with animals and the dander and fur that comes with. Itās very burdensome to STR private hosts with a single space that needs to be turned over, possibly same day, to accommodate the next guests. I personally would feel uncomfortable imposing that on a private host that does not otherwise accept pets.
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Thankfully individuals donāt get to choose which businesses have to abide by the Americans With Disabilities Act. Why should disabled people not enjoy the same benefits of Airbnb that able bodied people do?