@Daryl82 Well that's unfortunate. Certainly not fair to be overcharged and not get your deposit back if you are responsible about cleaning up after your dog.
But I'm surprised to read you say that Airbnbs that accept animals are 2 to 3 times more expensive. That isn't my impression from reading what other hosts on this forum say they charge as a pet fee. Usually they say they charge between an extra $15-$50.
The dilemma for hosts is that many guests with animals definitely do not make any effort to clean up. If it's a heavily shedding dog or one that is allowed on the furniture or the bed, there can be dog hair in every nook and cranny. I had a dog like that. So it can very well take 3 hours of intense cleaning to make sure there are no dog hairs anywhere, depending on how big the space is.
And it just doesn't work to say that if the guest does a good job cleaning up that the fee would be refunded. That goes for guests with or without animals. It's ripe for disagreements and acrimony, as one person's idea of clean isn't necessarily what the other considers to be clean. I'm not talking about someone who is just greedy and won't return a deposit even if you spend 10 hours steam cleaning, leave the place immaculate, and the dog hasn't done any damage, I mean an actual difference in perception. Like people who think and would assert they washed the dishes, but don't notice there are bits of food still stuck to them and they are still greasy.
You know what I'd do if I didn't own my own home, moved around a lot, and either needed or wanted to have my dog with me at all times? I'd get myself a vehicle I could live in and be independent. A bus or a van, something like that.