Service Animals VS Pets

[Laura2714]

I used to list my space as being accepting pets with a fee. I’ve ceased listing my room as ‘pet -friendly with a fee,’ due to the fact that, the majority of the ‘pet’ inquiries where people who’s expectation was that the pet would stay for FREE because they claimed, ‘service animal.’

When I asked these potential guests to provide the proper documentation for a service animal; no one could provide the proper ADA paperwork that certified their animals as a ‘service animal.’

Again, at the time, the listing did accept pets with an added fee. These people did not want to pay the fee. 

Recently, the Arizona state legislature pass a law that clearly states representing a ‘pet’ as a ‘service animal’ is fraud. And, can be charged and prosecuted as fraud. This was a reaction to the number of folks presenting pets as service animals. And, business owners frustration with the situation.

The county I live in provides this sign for business owners and training on the new law. 

I understand that I am required to follow ADA guidelines. I am happy to follow ADA Service Dog Guidelines. I am happy to accept a pet with an extra fee. (Though I no longer list my room as accepting pets, because I got tired of the pet represented as a service dog situation.)

If Airbnb could help and have a ‘certification of service dog’ included in the App. Just like a driver’s license, an authentic service dog has documentation that can be certified. 

Please, help me as a host, respect the law of my country and state by providing a place in the app for guests to certify their legitimate service animals. And, I will happily accept the service animal without an added fee. 

(heck, you could even add a place where hosts review the animal.)

 

[Amy2116]

Thank You. I was up front about my own disabilities & mentioned I had successfully taken an employer to court & won. And I’m also a landlord where it’s a very different kettle of fish. This is actually my home. 

[Kathy122]

I am cancelling my listing because i cannot have animals (even "service animals" on my property ...   Hello VRBO

[Donny-And-April0]

Is VRBO have different rules with regards of pet policy? If that so, we may consider it too. 

[Laura2714]

As per, the Airbnb policy, you are NOT required to host pets if you are a residential listing (ie: hosting at your home) 

I posted in the listing,

“I do not host or accept pets on the property.”

Thats all you need to say. If a guest has questions give them the number to Airbnb customer service for clarification of the of the pet policy.

Think about it this way:

My shower is not ADA compliant.

My Home Entrance is not ADA compliant. 
The majority of homes and apartments are not ADA compliant. 

Are your doors all the measurement that is required by ADA ?

Can someone in a wheelchair get in your shower stall ?

Residential Hosts are NOT required to be compliant with ADA laws, including, service dogs. 

I’d suggest you post, 

“I don’t host pets” to avoid the pet owners who can be demanding. And, refer them to customer service on the issue, If asked. Customer service will confirm that residential hosts are not required to meet ADA requirements, including, service dogs.

hope this helps clarify this emotional issue.  

[Alan1260]

Hi Laura,

I see that you are a level 5 which carries a lot of weight in my eyes.  You made the statement that "Residential Hosts are NOT required to be compliant with ADA laws, including, service dogs."  I was not able to get an Airbnb rep to agree to this and she proceeded with punishing me for refusing a surprise emotional support animal.  How do we get this spelled out in Airbnb policy so there is no confusion?  Or how do we get Airbnb reps to understand their own policy?

[Bethany195]

Contact Airbnb for an exemption. Call again if you need to. They will note your account if it complies with thier exemption policy. Hope this helps.

[Laura2714]

I’d like to add for my friends and family in the disabilities community. It would be helpful to have someway to designate a listing as ADA compliant. 

Unfortunately, my listing would not qualify for that list. 

[Alan1260]

I like the services Airbnb provides.  I really like the host community.  I think the vast majority of guests are some of the finest people I have met.  I am a superhost.  I want all this to continue.

I am trying to do a favor by suggesting to Airbnb administrators and lawyers that you are terribly exposed with these rules.  We live in a litigious society.  Airbnb has deep pockets that attract lawsuits like magnets.  Eventually someone will file a class action lawsuit because these rules hurt both hosts and guests.  Eventually a district attorney will prosecute Airbnb for aiding and abetting fraud with these rules. Why not immediately fix the rules instead of spend millions on lawsuits?

These rules have many problems that are documented in this thread, but I would like to echo a brilliant idea in this thread that would fix one of the problems.  If Airbnb wants to ensure a proper legal process is followed in determining who has a service animal, then do it itself and certify which guests have service animals.  Why should guests have to validate they have a service animal over and over and over again with each booking and host.  Isn't this placing an undue burden which the law prohibits on people with service animals?  Why should hosts go through this validation with guests over and over and over again when the guest has already done the validation?  This division of labor makes no sense.

[Alan1260]

Frankly, I think the 2 questions about a service animal that Airbnb policy allows are way too intrusive and are not lawful.  A host just needs to reliably know that an animal really is a service animal, not exactly what kind of service the animal provides.  The "reliable knowing" must be more than a guest's declaration that the animal is a service animal.  The Airbnb policy does not seem to explicitly allow a host to ask for ADA documentation or even other documentation to "reliably know".  As one poster mentioned this lying about service animals is getting so out of hand that Arizona passed a law that such false claims constitute fraud.  When one of my guests did not provide any documentation that their animal was a service animal, they apparently filed a complaint when I treated it like a pet and asked for a hefty deposit rather than invoke my rule of no pets.  My listing was shut down without allowing me to even tell my side of what happened.  A truly bad experience when all my other Support experiences have been top notch.

[Ben-and-Molly1]

I’ve been told about a guest having a “service dog” after they’ve booked and given check in instructions. Then I’m trapped!!! So these dogs come in our home where our kids are allergic and leave mounds of dog hair on every square inch of my newly renovated home? Guests aren’t respectful and taking advantage of us. I’m so upset!!!!! I’ve been a host for 8 years 

[Sarah977]

@Ben-and-Molly1  I see you have 3 listings which are "entire homes". So how are guests coming in your own home where your kids are allergic? Do you stay at these homes yourself?

[Ben-and-Molly1]

We have a basement apartment. We also have a backhouse and I have to clean with my ten week old strapped to me. I love pets but being a place that doesn’t allow pets then now we get flooded with guests who have service dogs and the dogs sleep in our brand new bed and on our white couch. It’s very discouraging 

[Sarah977]

@Ben-and-Molly1  Thanks for the explanation. I have a private room listing in my home and as such, I can state that I don't allow any pets, including service animals. 

If the basement apartment shares a heating system with the main house where you live, I think you can state no animals and explain the allergy issue. And of course I agree that a host who does their own cleaning should be exempt from accepting service animals if they have allergies.

I have no allergies and have been a dog owner most of my life, but my dogs have never been allowed on furniture, have never relieved themselves indoors, have never chewed things up or damaaged anything. But I know there are plenty of pet owners who don't have well trained dogs and let Fluffy sleep in bed with them, so I don't want guests bringing pets.

A true, trained service dog, I could accept. 

[Emilie]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to let you know that our policy has been updated to honour your concerns in regards to emotional support animals, giving you more control over pet fees. You can find more information here. 

Thanks you again for all the feedback. 🙂

Emilie

[Mark116]

@Catherine-Powell I don't know if you will see this, but I don't believe the issue is the ADA.  The problem that hosts have is that Airbnb has chosen to go far above the ADA and mandate that service animals--trained for a task, carefully selected for temperament, etc. are classed by Airbnb as the same as 'emotional support animals' which are very, very often just people's pets.

Service animals are well trained, you would never find a service animal that would bark all day, claw and damage furniture and finishes or go to the bathroom inside the house.  A real service animal is also going to be always with the handler, not left in the property alone for hours on end.

"Emotional support animals" don't have tasks or skills, and they have been documented to do all of the above.

The easiest fix would be for Airbnb to continue to mandate that barring the already outlined set of circumstances, that service animals must be accommodated, but that 'emotional support animals' are at the discretion of the host.  I know you will not do this, but here is the problem, that emotional support animals much of the time are just people's pets and they want to travel with them to no pet properties and not pay a fee.

[Emilia42]

@Catherine-Powell As Mark said, ALL Airbnb would need to do is follow ADA guidelines and nothing more. Airbnb needs to stop inventing its own rules around this matter. Sounds simple to me.

[Catherine-Powell]

Hi Laura and all,

Thank you for all this great feedback on your experiences with pets and service animals. I completely understand your perspective and realize that we may need more documentations around ADA and service animal guidelines. I will make sure to pass on your thoughts and ideas on the matter to our teams and continue to keep you and our community updated here in the Community Centre.

Kindly,

Catherine

@Laura2714 @Diane1188 @Mark116 @Anonymous @Sarah977 @Emilia42 @Lorna170 

[Sarah977]

@Laura2714  "Many countries think that the American attitude on pets is, daft. "

That is most definitely true. The coddling and anthropomorphizing of pets, calling them "fur babies", putting little pink bows in their fur, referring to oneself as the dog's "mommy", thinking Fido should be welcome everywhere, and so on, seems ridiculous to those in other cultures.

Here in Mexico, dogs tend to wander about on their own. They know where they live and get fed and come and go. 

On ex-pat forums here, do-gooder retirees will post "found dog" ads, asking if anyone wants to adopt the dog they "found", as they can't keep it. 

Others who understand the culture, including those who work in animal rescue programs, will answer, telling them that unless the dog was found injured, obviously ill, starving, or running around disoriented and frantic, as if it is lost, to take it back to where they "found" it. It is no doubt someone's dog and it knows its way home. 

[Diane1188]

I will just say that not all disabilities are visible and if we’re  going to deal with the public as a business owners we assume the liabilities of any other business owners. That’s what insurance is for. That hosts don’t take mental health as seriously as physical disadvantages isn’t the fault of guests. These comments are rather disturbing. If hosts have the proper coverages in place this is a nonissue.

[Bethany195]

Proper coverage does not help in all situations. It's not always about money. Just something to consider. 

[Ben-and-Molly1]

So it’s ok for these dogs to come in our homes where our kids are allergic and leave mounds of dog hair on every square inch of my newly renovated home? Guests aren’t respectful and taking advantage