This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
Bob, I know you’re new here so please excuse me but the ‘best policy’ for you might be a no pet policy and remember that you are not representing all hosts. I’m not either, nor is any other member who posts here. All hosts are different.
This forum is widely read by would-be or new hosts so we try to avoid blanket statements. The above two posts show this admirably - you don’t host pets yet @KKC has an extremely long lasting and successful business doing just that.
I commend you in doing the fair thing rather than sticking it to the guest. You would not have gotten any grief from requiring full payment for the cleaning, since in the end their pet did what it did.
Ok, Then it’s not the best policy, but after 15 years I can say the best way to handle pet problems is not to allow them at all. ADA compliant service animals must be allowed though.
Any animal. If the guest claims that their giraffe, penguin, iguana or (more commonly) dog is an emotional support animal then the Airbnb non-discrimination policy means that hosts must accept that animal unless it poses a provable health and safety issue.
According to the ADA emotional support or companion animals are not service animals and lodging establishments are not required to accept them. According to the ADA there are only 2 questions a lodging establishment can legally ask the owner of service animal. #1 - Is this animal required because of a disability? #2 - What special training has this animal had to help mitigate that disability?
We cannot ask the person what their disability is nor can we ask for the dog to demonstrate any training services. We are also not allowed to ask for any veterinarian documentation with regards to anything about the animal. In addition people may offer to show a host documentation that the animal is a service animal, but that is complete BS. There is no documentation either issued or recognized by the US government. There are dozens of places online that will sell dog owners a laminated card with the pets picture, or a vest etc., but it is a total sham. Hosts have nothing, but the two questions I mentioned and the hope that the guest with the animal is not lying. As far as giraffes, penguins & etc. go it’s highly unlikely that a guest with a real disability will be using one of them although I have been reading about the use of miniature horses. I speak from the experience of having a guest file a complaint with the Department of Justice against me. After 18 months of letters back and forth to the DOJ and a few hundred dollars in fines paid to both the DOJ and the guest the matter was just settled and closed last month. I urge all hosts to read up on and understand the requirements of the ADA. I violation can be costly, aggravating, and time consuming. Trust me on that one.
We all trust you. We’ve had about 100 posts on this subject. It’s interesting to see that you actually got to the fined stage. Since most of us are Airbnb hosts their policy is as important to us as the law.
Bob, I urge you to read the Airbnb non-discriminatory policy and the many topics in this forum where the issue of emotional support dogs/animals has been discussed. We’re all aware of the ADA regulations regarding support animals but they are not the same as the Airbnb policies. This is a forum for Airbnb hosts.
For the benefit of lurkers:
Airbnb defines assistance animals to include Emotional Support Animals. These are animals that are used as part of medical treatment and/or therapy to assist with an individual’s daily functional tasks, but are not limited to a specific type of animal and are not required to be trained to assist an individual in a particular task. These animals are sometimes referred to as comfort animals or therapy animals.
Are hosts required to accept assistance animals?
Generally, yes, unless there is a threat to health or safety
A person called to make a reservation. A staff member made the mistake of telling them that we do not allow dogs. Person filed a complaint with The US Department of Justice saying we denied them a room because of her dog which was in fact a legitimate service animal. Through this we read up on the ADA and learned a big lesson about hosting to the general public and service animals. It doesn’t matter if you fear dogs, are allergic to them, or just plain don’t like them. The person with the service animal overrides any issue a host may have.
I find it inside of vases on top of shelves and the worst, inside the freezer sometimes. It’s the price of having a constant loyal companion who is always happy to see you, cuddles on demand, and never bitches at you. I’ll take it.
People can’t agree on what’s “right by each other” which is why institutions like goverment were invented 6000 years ago.
I’m on record as saying I think animal owners should choose pet friendly listings. But if not for the law many people with support animals would be the ones always getting screwed over.
This seems like a situation that could be avoided with a simple conversation. Sad to think that the dog owner went straight to the govt to complain instead of asserting their rights with this ill trained employee.
