Guest With Fake Service Animal Using Potty Pads in our property

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Guest With Fake Service Animal Using Potty Pads in our property

I need some help here... Our AirBnB Property is strict no pets, a studio downstairs from the main house. We had a guest check into the unit that claim they have a service dog prior to arriving. We agreed as you cannot refuse a true service animal. After the reservation was made,  about a week before they got here, they told us that it was actually an emotional support animal and could we take up the rugs in our unit just in case there was an accident. At this point we wanted to cancel the reservation but we were told by Airbnb that if we did we wouldn’t be able to rent the unit for that week and we will be penalized. At that point we didn’t know what to do so we just went with. After the guest's first night we noticed that they did not walk the dog in the morning - I quite sure they are using potty pads . Obviously we don’t want a dog urinating and defecating in our strict no pet policy rental for the next five days. What would be the best course of action here?

1 Best Answer
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

"At this point we wanted to cancel the reservation but we were told by Airbnb that if we did we wouldn’t be able to rent the unit for that week and we will be penalized."

 

It's too bad you didn't have the policy at hand to read to the Airbnb agent, who never should have told you that. You had every right to cancel the reservation penalty-free when the guest asked you to remove the rugs indicating that her dog might relieve itself indoors.

 

ESAs and service dogs have to be housebroken. They don't get to have "accidents". That's in the Airbnb rules under that section.

@Lala72

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14 Replies 14
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Lala72 

You are "quite sure they are using potty pads", so there is no proof.

Which makes it difficult to act.

There is proof, the guests allowed access to the unit, the potty pad was "hidden" under the sofa. When I confronted the guest she said "the wind must have blown it under the sofa" but you can see in the pic it was perfect lined up with the edge of the sofa.  We have been manipulated , lied to and disrespected by this guest. Now they have gone into the owners closet and helped themselves to items that are marked "Owners Only" and put a clean sheet over the sofa, and took out a blanket without asking permission. It seems obvious the sheet is covering the sofa, so little foofi doesn't soil the sofa or get hair on it...

 

 

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Colleen253
Level 10
Alberta, Canada

@Lala72  First off, read the link below so you understand the penalties for cancelling a booking. This is something every host needs to know.

 

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/990/as-a-host-what-penalties-apply-if-i-cancel-a-reservation-for-...

 

Also familiarize yourself with ABB policies on SA's. ESA's are lumped in with SA's so you can't refuse them either. The fact this guest is being proactive and wanting to save the rugs is a good sign at least. It hopefully means they won't leave a mess or damage. 

 

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/1869/what-is-an-assistance-animal

@Lala72 @Colleen253 - I think if the animals will cause a danger due to allergies or shared spaces with other guests and pets of the host, this is a way to deny them.  I just had a case last night where a guest demanded to bring a service dog and backed down after I said (twice) that there our no pet policy was based on allergies and having shared spaces with other guests.

I just went through this issue recently - we have a no pets policy and guest brought two dogs for a stay without notifying us before hand or during the stay.  I left a fair but honest review saying that the guest was otherwise OK but violated our no pets policy.  After the fact, the guest contested my review by claiming the animals were service animals and my review was “biased or discriminatory.”  Airbnb did not contact me and instead just removed my review.  I am fairly certain that these were not service animals - they barked, jumped on people, weren’t leashed, and the guest didn’t have any visible disability.  I had a multi-hour discussion with the Airbnb help rep, and confirmed that Airbnb does not screen for service animals, they claimed that they received some sort of “documentation” to support the service animal designation, but refused to describe it or provide me with copies even though CA law allows hosts to request documentation in these types of situations.  It does not appear that Airbnb does anything to protect hosts or verify the validity of a service animal accommodation unless there is a dispute, and they are not interested in receiving any evidence of abuse from hosts (only guests).  The rep did let me know that since certain animals pose a health threat to a member of my family I am allowed to request that service animals be disclosed prior to a stay (normally that is not required).  It’s unclear whether I would be punished for refusing a booking if the animal would pose a health risk.  

 

Bottom line - if people want to take advantage of the service animal laws, Airbnb will not protect you.  Interested if anyone is cross-listing with V R B O - this experience definitely made me interested in switching or stopping hosting altogether, at the very least I will beef up my listing conditions. 

It's complete BS. I'd leave the WORST review for that guest. Being proactive? Urine stains and smells are almost impossible to get rid of. 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

"At this point we wanted to cancel the reservation but we were told by Airbnb that if we did we wouldn’t be able to rent the unit for that week and we will be penalized."

 

It's too bad you didn't have the policy at hand to read to the Airbnb agent, who never should have told you that. You had every right to cancel the reservation penalty-free when the guest asked you to remove the rugs indicating that her dog might relieve itself indoors.

 

ESAs and service dogs have to be housebroken. They don't get to have "accidents". That's in the Airbnb rules under that section.

@Lala72

SO the worst part of this, is that we could have canceled the reservation for the dog being incontinent,  had not AirBnB given us erroneous information.

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

I think as the business owners it's always wise to familiarise ourself with  Airbnb's T&C so you take control in situations like this. @Lala72 

 

you could then have quoted the relevant T&C when insisting on a cancellation. 

This is my first month of hosting and now reading these stories I am reconsidering having my property listed here. I have a no pet policy, the guest disclosed after booking that they have a service animal. I advised her why I do not allow pets on the property but did not cancel the booking as that is against Airbnb policy, however I have now found out that the guest snuck another animal into the residence. It is so frustrating and I am at a complete loss. Don't know what to do, since it doesn't really seem like Airbnb sides with hosts.

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

If your CCTV show guests bringing in extra animals against your hour rules then you can contact the guest and ask them to remove the pet from the property.

 

with the service animal you can ask what tasks the animal helps with and confirm that as it's a service animal it must be with the guests at all times and never left alone at the listing. @Alicia787 

@Alicia787   I send the following Pet Addendum to pet owners who refuse to acknowledge or pay the pet fee that I have as a part of my vacation rental agreement because they claim "Fifi" is a (bogus) service or assistance animal.   This Pet Addendum has acted as a very good deterrent to those people who lie about their animal's status i.e., they pay the advertised pet fee, or they go away.

 

The following rules apply with respect to service and assistance animals:
a. A deposit shall not be assessed for service or assistance animals, but guests are financially
responsible for any injury to persons or damage, repair or replacement of property
relating to any service or assistance animal.
b. Guests are responsible for sanitary disposal of all waste products of service or assistance
animals, including removal of waste materials from outdoor areas and disposal of such waste in trash receptacles.
c. The guest shall provide (i) evidence of current immunization, and (ii) veterinarian contact information.

d.  Service animals will be in the company of the guest at all times.
e. Assistance animals are not to be left alone in the accommodation unless crated.
f. All assistance animals must be properly leashed when outside the accommodation
and must not be left unattended when outdoors.
g. No animal, either service or assistance, will be permitted to sleep or lie on any bed or furnishings in the accommodation.

It is agreed that the forgoing provisions are necessary components of the reasonable
accommodation that is the subject of this Addendum. Noncompliance with this Addendum
constitutes a violation of the host rules and may authorize the remedies for violations provided, including eviction.

 

 

@Lorna170  this policy language is great! I do not allow pets in my Airbnb and have advertised as such but a guest instant booked and informed me that she is bringing her ESA and then quoted the Airbnb policy. I would like to use the language here in your post and put it in my house rules. Is that what you would advise?

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

I ask guests with service animals to confirm what tasks their service animal is designed to help them with and remind them that as a service animal their animal must accompany them at all times and therefore cannot be left in the listing at any time when they are not present. 

@Annette290