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The vest is a tool to help disabled people who need service dogs to fight discrimination. Yes, people are abusing service dog status to take pets places, but that’s no reason to suspect everyone who has a service dog is a fraud. I will tell you there are folks in wheelchairs at the airport who somehow manage to trot along the beach the next day. Are we going to be intrusive and ask for certificates?
No, you can’t charge for the dog.
I do wonder reading posts here why some folks are so distrustful and looking for the bad in every potential guest.
As for allergies,my sister has taken her dog on airplanes several times with not a whisper re allergies.
Adding or asking for extra cleaning? If you had a guest with a wheelchair or walker, would you ask? After all the wheels might be dirty?
Come on folks do we have to hit you with a stick to point out that refusing a service dog, charging for a service dog or asking for papers is WRONG? It’s Discrimination.
Come on Louise. In all fairness most hosts would absolutely welcome true service dogs. They are well-trained, well-behaved, and aren’t going to piss and poop all over the house.
And in all fairness, a service dog in one tiny section of an airplane is not the same amount of cleaning needed for an entire home where a dog has shedded for an entire week. Especially if the next guests checking in same day purposedly chose that place due to their own allergies. It can cost A LOT of money to hire extra help to get rid of all the dog hair/dander within just a few hours. So with people abusing the law left and right…I really don’t blame hosts for being suspicious. I am most definitely suspicious of anyone who does not okay a service dog in a rental that does not allow dogs.
There are exceptions to not allowing a service dog. And I think that someone should not just show up with one, and not take into consideration that the owner may need to hire extra help on checkout day. Also, if it really isn’t a service dog, then it could very well be a guest bringing their non house-trained pet to piss all over the carpet, etc.
It’s a shame that some people will claim to have a service dog just so that they don’t have to pay a pet fee, and so that they can travel with their pet.
Yes, a public accommodation cannot ask for verification. Anyone can claim their dog is a service dog. Of course doing that is against the law, but at the same time, asking a true service dog owner to prove it is against the law.
Landlords I believe can ask more in depth questions/proof, but it’s been a while since I have visited that topic.
Not sure about airlines but I did hear something on the news recently about too many abusing it on airlines. So maybe now they are requiring verification?
When I had more relaxed policies about dogs I had a couple of groups that needed to vacate early due to peoples’ allergies. It affected their ability to enjoy my home. Now that I have firmer policies it isn’t an issue anymore.[quote=“Louise, post:21, topic:9499”]
If you had a guest with a wheelchair or walker, would you ask? After all the wheels might be dirty?
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That would be normal cleanup IMO. The floor has to be cleaned anyway. When you have a dog there is a LOT more cleaning. [quote=“Louise, post:21, topic:9499”]
Come on folks do we have to hit you with a stick to point out that refusing a service dog, charging for a service dog or asking for papers is WRONG? It’s Discrimination.
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I don’t look at this as discrimination. Since we cannot refuse a service dog (I wouldn’t want to) I think of it as people reasonably working out together what is fair. If I were disabled I would welcome weeding out those that are abusing the system that is there to help me. I like to think that most people are reasonable and honest. But unfortunately that’s not always the case. See @hostphx comment.
I’m appalled at the excuses everyone is using to not be open to disabled people. I’ve had dogs for many years, know how much cleaning is involved, so don’t make it sound like such a huge deal. Being disabled usually means your income is much less as they have extra costs and often can’t get work. So it’s a big deal to charge extra.
My sister is very happy with uber they take the dog when public taxis refuse.
Just read a post about a black man being refused an air rental, his white friend was able to book the previously unavailable dates.
If accepting the service dog causes an undue hardship on the owner, poses a direct threat to the health/safety of others, or fundamentally alters the nature of your business - then you do not have to accept the dog.
Also, some hosts wouldn’t be required to accept them anyway. But this is kind of like the whole “advertising no children” thread - because the laws are so vague and overlap, some qualify, some don’t.
I completely agree with you that I would try to assure someone that I have a true service dog. Especially knowing that so many abuse the situation, I personally would want someone to know that I am not that person.
And it may be a really big deal for an owner to pay extra cleaning costs if their rental is not advertised as pet-friendly - it’s possible they are struggling too.
There are many hosts who are also close to the situation. But you cannot deny that the abuse is rampant. And the people who suffer are the ones who have true service dogs like your sister.
If someone brings their non - trained dog into a home and pisses all over the carpets and does other damage…it’s not a simple thing to just relocate the incoming guests into another place. Hotels in all likelihood CAN do this. I have had guests call me to specifically ask and confirm that we do not allow pets because their child is very allergic. So since I am not a pet-friendly rental, I need be sure I have extra help to thoroughly get rid of the dog hair in the entire home.
If the host allows dogs in her listing, i’m not sure what difference it makes if it is a service dog or not?
Surely this is why the guest chose this property so that there wouldn’t be an issue regarding the dog?
Make sure this guest brings the Working Service Dog “shirt” that a working dog should have. Emotional Support dogs and other creatures are specifically NOT given the same privileges as a trained Service Dog.
UPDATE: guests were polite, quiet, showed up late and left early (the best). Pleasant duringh the awkward walk through (didn’t meet the ‘service’ dog) and of course didn’t mention the extra fee. However, at check out i found very heavy doggy dander/hair/smell everywhere, had to deep clean the entire apt on a same day change over (like wash drapes and scrub walls), PISSED the entire time thinking ‘this is EXACTLY what my pet fee is for!’ Then, of course, she wrote a review almost immediately when i didnt plan on it. and i wanted to see it. BAD. So I waited until i was completely over it until responding not knowing what to expect on her end. not expecting the worst, but worried. I carefully craft an honest review; ‘very nice guests, however *service dog (yes i did use an asterisk) dander/smell resulted considerable clean up! recommend only to pet friendly hosts’. crossed my fingers and sent it… she gave me 5 stars and a glowing review. why do i feel like somewhat of a jerk?
eeek… this is the double blind review system…
Don’t feel bad though. The guest wasn’t respectful. No matter how nice she was. And by thew way if you feel really terrible you can always ask Air to edit and they will.
