Hot topic. More info for your knowledge
While this is interesting and has some good, and probably accurate information, my take is that we are more likely bound by Airbnb’s terms and conditions.
I have my first service animal here now. In 6 years I’ve never had anyone book a stay with one. My pugs are not pleased, they never are, however, this dog is amazing. He will not let his owner out of eyesight. If it weren’t for my two guys, I wouldn’t even know he was here.
That said, when these first time Airbnb guests requested a booking (they could have instant booked btw) he sent an amazing, respectful, polite, informative request. After a couple of back and forth exchanges I learned they were under 21 which is one of my house rules. Due to the first impression I told them I would be happy to host them and their service dog.
They might be the nicest guests I have ever had. It gave me pause after I met them because I realize MANY hosts out there would never have given these lovely first timers a chance because they just signed up on the day they booked, had no reviews, are under 21 and are booking with a service dog. I asked him why he didn’t just IB and he said he saw I was a no pet home listing and felt it would be disrespectful to have done that.
This experience has reinforced why I use instant book, even though these kids didn’t use it, and why I accept guests with no prior reviews or recommendations from other hosts. You cannot judge people by their names or lack of Airbnb experience.
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I’ve read quite a few posts on this forum about service animals and ESAs that make me really uncomfortable. While I understand people have legitimate reasons to not want someone else’s animal in their home, the comments strike me as quite unsympathetic to people who rely on these animals and rife with unconscious bias.
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I’ve no issue with service animals, it’s the ESA’s. I am bipolar depressive with high anxiety & at home my pets are wonderful and I know they help out. I do not take them with me, though. I do not take them to work or anything else. ESA’s are not a 24/7 animal like Service Animals & literally do nothing but make the owner more comfortable (my niece & a friend have one) and most are not trained. No thank you to bring in my house doing who knows what under the guise of trying to equate a service animal.
A lot of ESA owners have been forcing themselves in non-pet rentals for free.
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I agree with you, I have PTSD and anxiety and every dog I have ever had makes me feel better. I had one who would actually sense my anxiety and come put her head on my lap. I would not impose my dog onto a host or any other business owner that does not allow dogs.
I have had one service dog stay in my no pet listing, I had no issue at all with it. The guest had severe hearing loss and the dog alerted her to her phone ringing and that sort of thing.
I have an upcoming reservation in my dogs allowed listing and they declared it to be an ESA. I have to say that I am a bit resentful and I think this person should pay the pet fee for the pet that makes them feel better.
Not worth the fight though, when I review them I likely will check the box that I would not host again even if otherwise they are good guests because I already wish they had not booked and I certainly do not want them back.
My bias is conscious, I do not agree with AirBnb letting pets stay for free.
RR
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You need to read the new policies.
I like VRBO’s ESA policy. Has always been simple and common sense. I’m not sure why it’s taken AirBNB so long to get with the program:
“The accommodation of an emotional support animal is something that hosts and guests should discuss and decide between themselves.”
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Because Airbnb has always totally pandered to guests in a way I don’t think other platforms have. Not to mention their millennial Silicon Valley image and PR where nothing and no one is ever to be judged or “discriminated” against (except hosts).
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drop!
1981
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I did, and they incorrectly except California from the new policy. San Francisco has regulations allowing ESA’s. The state of California does not that I can find.
RR
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They may have made a mistake on CA law but with the change in ESA policy and the pet fee drop down menu Airbnb is no longer “letting pets stay for free” as an across the board policy.
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This is good news.
RR
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All the threads over time on the Airbnb forum dealing with ESAs usually consist of hosts posting why they don’t want ESAs, since so many lie about it, and guests posting that hosts are evil and compassionless.
What I kept pointing out to those guests is that it isn’t hosts who are their nemesis, it’s the people who want to bring their pet and claim it’s an ESA when it isn’t. That those are the people who have created a situation where hosts can’t believe guests in that regard and that those who have a real ESA should lobby the ADA to provide some sort of documentation for true ESAs, and crack down on that online fake ESA paperwork.
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Psychiatric service dogs are true service animals and should be treated by hosts as such.
Exactly what @JJD said. I knew an amazing veteran who had a service dog (NOT esa) who assisted him with his ptsd. He told me the dog saved his life by interrupting episodes of anxiety. It was specially trained to do a task, definitely not a pet.
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I almost wish this person had booked my non pet friendly listing, then I might have used the nuclear option that has been discussed here before, which I am now unwilling to post in public… But I would have to not accept dogs in my pet friendly listing if I did that with this guest.
RR
I just did some private browser checking on my listing and the service animal thing was there.
'RR