Airbnb and Service Dogs – All You Need to Know

A common inquiry on Airbnb rental platforms is whether hosts can refuse bookings to guests with service dogs.

Ownership of dogs has skyrocketed in recent years. Currently, about 500,000 dogs work as service dogs in the United States. They have also been granted limited access to public spaces by most jurisdictions.

Therefore, it is very common to come across a guest with a service dog while operating an Airbnb.

You might be wondering what the policies of Airbnb are when a guest shows up with a service dog. Here’s all you need to know.

What Is Airbnb Service Animal Policy?

Airbnb has a non-discrimination policy that aims to make all customers feel welcome. This includes customers with pets and service animals. Legitimate Service animals are to be treated as guests and not pets.

Even the Updated Airbnb booking interface includes pets as guests. Owners of service dogs require them for their daily activities to run smoothly.

Airbnb acknowledges this and thus, does not discriminate against bringing service animals. Besides, Airbnb hosts are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The ADA mandates that service dogs are allowed to accompany guests with disabilities.

This stands even in rental homes that do not typically allow pets. Any host found in contravention of this policy can be penalized.

How Does Airbnb Define Service Animals?

Airbnb defines a service animal as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability in their daily life. The definition also recognizes miniature horses as service animals.

To be clear, Airbnb’s service animal policy is by definition completely different from the Airbnb pet policy.

Service animals are considered a part of the visiting party’s troupe, like any other person that could be visiting. They are expected to be treated accordingly.

Service dogs are expected to perform tasks such as:

• Guiding individuals with impaired vision.
• Warning those who are hard of hearing.
• Fetching items dropped and cannot be picked by their owners.
• Providing emotional support.

Does Airbnb’s Policy Include Emotional Support Animals?

This is a bone of contention in the short-term rental industry. Airbnb’s service dog policy includes all animals that help owners with all kinds of disabilities, including emotional support animals.

Provided in the Airbnb terms and conditions are that assistance animals can either be service animals or emotional support animals.

Although emotional support animals are not trained to complete daily tasks, they are vital to a person’s medical treatment.

They can provide comfort to those suffering from emotional or mental illnesses like PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other mood disorders.

Can Airbnb Host Deny a Service Dog?

Service dogs or assistance dogs are typically faithful companions of people with physical disabilities. Thus, the Airbnb service animal policy does not exclude non-pet-friendly listings.

A host must not refuse reservations to guests accompanied by a service animal or apply a differential treatment.

Is An Airbnb Host Mandated to Provide Anything for Service Dogs?

Hosts are expected to familiarize themselves with Airbnb service animal policy.

This way, they can properly accommodate guests and also communicate clearly their provisions for service dogs in their listing.

For instance, Hosts may want to make necessary accommodations and facilities available for guests and their service dogs. Such facilities include:

• Providing a designated area for the dog to relieve itself.
• Removing any potentially harmful materials from the premises.
• Providing a list of veterinarians and animal supply stores.

Are Extra Fees or Charges Allowed on Service Dogs?

Service dogs are generally exempted from pet policies, including pet-related charges.

In most jurisdictions, Airbnb hosts are not allowed to charge extra over a service animal. This is because they are not classified as pets.

Are Hosts Allowed to Demand Documentation?

It’s not compulsory to carry your documentation for your service dog with you while staying at an Airbnb.

Hosts are also not allowed to demand from guests the documentation or certification for their service dogs. Nonetheless, they can inquire reasonable questions to get more information about the animal.

These include questions like:

Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?

What specific tasks is the dog trained for in assisting the guests with their disabilities?

Hosts however cannot ask about the nature or severity of the disability.

NOTE

Requirements for documentation may differ if you’re traveling to another country.

Exceptions to the Airbnb Service Animal Policy

It is generally not permissible for hosts to refuse a booking due to service dogs. However, exceptions can be made for homes that are considered strictly non-pet friendly.

Circumstances that Airbnb understands as exceptions to this policy include:

Health and Safety

An exception might be where a service animal poses a threat to the health and safety of others. Perhaps the host or their family have allergies or the animal could pose harm to others on the premises.

In such a case, hosts are required to state this in their listing description. This way, a guest who wishes to make a booking will read this and opt for a more suitable accommodation.

With Airbnbs, guests have access to a wide selection of properties, plenty of which are pet friendly.

Other Pets

Where the pets of the host family can’t be around other pets. They may be able to deny a visiting party if having another animal on the property would cause undue burden.

Each of these situations is unique and should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

What Should You Do If You Were Denied a Reservation Because Of a Service Animal?

Relief is available for a guest that believes they are being discriminated against due to their service animals. Airbnb is very strict about hosts complying with their non-discriminatory policy.

Such guests are encouraged to file a complaint with the Airbnb customer service agency. It is important to document the incident and report it to Airbnb.

Save for the extenuating circumstances, hosts are expected to comply with the Airbnb service animal policy. This is regardless of whether the animal is categorized as emotional support or service animal.

Violating Airbnb’s Service Animal Policy as A Guest

A guest may be held responsible for violating Airbnb’s policy on service animals. Where the service animal causes damage to the host’s property, the guest may be charged for the cost of repairs.

Therefore, guests are obligated to ensure that their service dog is properly trained, house-broken, and well-behaved.

This is to avoid any damage to the home or disturbances of other guests on the premises.

In case of a violation, the host can request the removal of the service animal from their property.

NOTE

Guests are not mandated to leave the accommodation. They can decide to stay without the animal.

Conclusion

Airbnb does not make it compulsory for guests to communicate the presence of a service animal before booking.

Nevertheless, if you would be accompanied by a service dog, you’re encouraged to inform the prospective hosts for transparency’s sake.

This might even propel some hosts to make arrangements for decent animal boarding facilities on the premises.

Hosts of Airbnb are responsible for their guest’s well-being and good experience during their stay.