My way just happened to work out for me. My listing is a suite attached to my main home with the entrance from the back yard. I have an American Bulldog. She is true to her breed characteristic as she is a Guardian, she loves people (especially children) but won’t put up with other dogs that show the slightest sign of aggression. I state in my listing that “she loves people but would not be happy about other animals being on property.” So far no one has asked to bring their Emotional Support Whatever. Guests rarely even see/hear my dog since she lives inside with us and isn’t a barker but there’s still the risk as the backyard is shared.
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That’s a great response… thanks.
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Keep in mind that if you decline too many bookings, animals or not, Airbnb automatically moves you down in the search queue. If it’s a support or service animal and they show up without having told you in advance and you turn them away they are almost certainly going to contact Airbnb and complain and ask for a refund and then Airbnb is going to penalize you, apparently by delisting you for a week. I’m not sure how you turn someone away last minute at your door without incurring their wrath.
Your best strategy is to discourage them from booking your place, from even inquiring. TuMo’s strategy is a good one if you can employ it. Whatever you do you need to make it about them and the safety of their animal if possible. Some people aren’t going to read your listing closely because they already know what Airbnb policy is. I had some fellow hosts who travel with their two “therapy dogs.” I didn’t even attempt to charge them as I figured they are playing the system. They stayed with me twice, coming and going on their trip and then I blocked them (a feature that seems to be removed now) so they can’t choose my place in the future.
Good luck. There are several threads here about support animals and Airbnb policy. You should comb through them all to see if you can find some useful tips. In one thread a host successfully used my idea of describing to the guest how dangerous her rural location would be to the dog if it were not kept with them on a leash at all times (skunks, coyotes, bobcats, kicking guard donkeys).
Maybe you could tell guest that your dog just died from parvo virus and the property isn’t safe. I’m not sure how often you could use that lie before you got kicked off Airbnb, maybe save it for a desperate situation.
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She is perfect protection against phoney support animals, personally I would do anything she says. Do you have a photo in your listing?
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No, no photo in listing. I was afraid that would scare potential guests from booking. Most people don’t know this breed and assume she’s a pit bull/boxer mix.
Yes I think Pitbulls are illegal in the UK. I have a spaniel so entitled mothers in my local cafe think it’s just fine to let their toddlers jump on or poke her. No! It’s like dog racism.
Hmmm… my listing discloses that we occasionally have black bears in the back yard. They’re getting ready for hibernation now, and getting more frantic about trying to find more food. They climbed and broke the top off an apple tree 3 doors away, and ate all the rose hips from another neighbor’s roses, just in the last week. 2 nights ago a big bear was trying to break in to the bearproof garbage cans my neighbor and I have. I guess if I have any “support animal” folks who ignore my “severe animal allergies” warning and really want to book I can mention the hungry bears. Black bears aren’t as viscious or aggresive as brown bears, but they have been known to kill and eat small dogs. 
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Any chance I can borrow your dog? I have problems with the odd two legged animals
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So your listing initially said you accept people with disabilities? That’s why they brought the dog? Or it was stated that your house is not fit for people with disabilities and however they brought the dog?
I’m asking because my house cant accommodate people with disabilities (don’t have the ramp for wheelchairs and the bedrooms are upstairs).
in which case if a person is not disabled and just have a dog they claim is for emotional support, how are they different from everyone else who has a dog? On a similar note I read that is very easy to purchase online a certificate that your pet X (snake, iguana, rooster… etc) is an emotional support pet. I would not accept such a thing.
Many people with service animals have no issues walking upstairs and have no need for a ramp. Disabilities are also not always physical.
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I’m trying to think of a polite way of saying this… you need some serious education about disabilities.
Not everyone with a disability is in a wheelchair or has mobility limitations. People have service dogs for a variety of reasons. A friend of mine has a seizure alert dog. Looking at her, you would never know she had a disability.
Also, if you are listing through AirBnB, there is no difference between someone claiming an “emotional support” animal versus a legitimate service animal. You are required to accept them all, per the Air terms of service.
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You wouldn’t have a choice. You agreed to abide by Airbnb’s TOS when you signed up.
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Love @KKC 's suggestion (from Sept) about telling guest your dog just died of parvo virus… a quick google search says that it can last 6 months to a year. I would imagine confronted with this a guest would prefer not to book with the therapy dog.
RR
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I’m so glad this thread was resurrected! (NOT, lol). BTW, that’s a desperation move. It’s sad we would have to lie to some guests in order to get them to respect our needs too.
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They lie to us… (therapy dog) at least some of them do.
RR
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I haven’t heard of many hosts being obligated to take service animals. But they are wonderfully cared for. My current brood are all pet mad; we even have a cat condo out back! So any pet is likely to be over fussed and over fed.
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Ava,
I am also in the R/E industry for 40+ years, and have been in the Five Star hospitality industry, also a Certified CPM and CAPS. And I am sorry to say that regarding Abnb, you are wrong; because,
Despite your training and mine, in the general populace and also specialized areas of business management, Abnb does not go by the Federal ADA guidelines for “Service” animals, instead they have formulated their own policy regarding both Service animals and Emotional support animals, calling them ALL Support animals.
They directly state that you as a Home owner, especially as a Single family home owner, are required to accept a “Support Animal,” by THEIR definition into your home, irregardless of your State, County, City, local, building, and or HOA Rules and or Regulations. That THEIR definition and rules supersede all of the aforementioned rules, guidelines and or policies. They do not even let you distinguish between a PET and a Support Animal, when trying to determine if a fee can or may be levied, because you are not allowed to 1) Even Ask, and 2) request documentation of any kind. So my question; based purely on basic, let’s say, “logic,” is: How is a Home owner/Host supposed to know if they can charge a Pet related fee or not, if they can’t even find out from the Guest/Applicant if the “animal” is a Support animal or not? Some Guest Applicants are forthcoming from the get-go and offer the information up front, but some others DO NOT. (unfortunately, loopholes abound in the homegrown un-ADA substantiated policy.)
AND, Based on Airbnb’s most updated (January 19, 2019) written, Terms of Service and their prior Terms of Service guidelines, a Homeowner/Host “does not get to decide,” instead you are suppose to take the animal regardless if you had decided to take Pets (at all) or Did not decide to take pets as part of your Host Policy Rules/Regulations. They call it being “required to make reasonable accommodation.” So I just thought I should let you know. Forget that this is your own Private Home, that you own and or perhaps still pay a mortgage on, anyone and everyone can bring a Support Animal.
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Actually, they can’t. At least not here.
JF
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So you are not in the USA?
Is that a word? Sorry, I’ll go…
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