My dogs vs. service dog

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

I rescued two little terriers a 18 months ago that were living in conditions that would make you cry with 15 other terriers.  My dogs had never been socialized and it took a good eight to twelve months to be able to leave them around my grand children.  One of my terriers thinks she's Rocky Balboa and the other believes she is The Terminator.  I can't leave my dogs off-leash outdoors as they are batpoop crazy around other dogs.  They have LITERALLY tried to lunge at boxers, pitbulls, and other dogs I can't identify.

If I allowed someone with a service dog into my house, I can assure you that we'd have the Ali/Frazier fight re-enacted in my living room within 30 seconds of the doorbell ringing.

I am hoping that confronted with the situation, I could explain this to a prospective guest and he/she would be more than happy to pass on my listing.  But if the guest insists on staying, am I liable for what my doggies are going to do their beautiful, expensive, much-needed service animal?  Cuz I know my dogs will win.

[David126]

Put them in their cage?

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

Its definitely a gray area, but I would assume you would have to make reasonable accommodations for the service dog.  Including keeping your dogs confined to a separate room or a crate.

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

Crating a dog for days or possibly weeks is hardly humane.  But I suppose I could crate them at night and I might be able to work something out where my dogs and the service dog never have to cross paths (separate entrances, scheduled walk times, etc.)  My fear is that I'll have someone who never leaves the house OR leaves the house without the service animal.  Can you charge a pet fee for service dogs?  They're not recognized as "pets" by the ADA so how does this work?

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

No, you can't charge a pet fee because they are not considered pets.  And if the animal is a TRUE service animal, the owner would never leave home without it because they NEED that animal with them at all times to perform their duties.

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

Thank you, @Cynthia-and-Chris1.  It's as I suspected.  I read some horror stories on these forums about guests who leave their animals behind while they hit the town.  Boggles the mind, sometimes!  I'll figure it out and I'm sure it will be fine.  Overthinking things rarely solves anything.  🙂

[Andrea9 · Accepted solution]

@Wendy-and-Frank0

Since you only rent a room in your home you are not subject to having to accept people with service dogs.

Here's a long thread about somebody else's question  that at some point describes exactly that situation re. private room hosting. I suggest you go through it to get to know your rights.

And then let Rocky B. and The Terminator hold their ground against all 4-legged intruders 😉

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/New-Hosts/Service-Dogs-beware/m-p/63265#M6796

I'm making an edit, because THIS is the link that I was actually referring to (looks like the service dog theme was popular today!):

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/Community-Help/service-dog/m-p/241614#M26574

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

@Andrea9, thank you, thank you, thank you!  I know there are a million exceptions to Fair Housing laws in the States if the guest is sharing the home but I couldn't find anything online that clearly stated the rules regarding service animals.

Rocky B and Terminator are forever grateful to you!!!

*mwah*

[Andrea9]

Glad to hear and you're very welcome @Wendy-and-Frank0!

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

@Andrea9, crazy thing is that in the link you provided, it was ME who provided the link to the ADA rule about in-house hosts.  I knew I had seen it but when I couldn't find it, I thought I had dreamed it.  Ha ha ha

[Andrea9]

@Wendy-and-Frank0

Haha Wendy, very funny and  typically something that could have happened to me too!

[Mariann4]

😭😭😭😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

(Sorry... 🙊)

Mariann 🙂

[Tom-And-Karen1]

We just had guests who asked if they could bring their dog even though we have a no pets policy. Although I love dogs, I explained that the next guests had specifically asked if there had been any animals in our suite due to allergies.  Two days later I followed up with a message to make sure they still wanted to keep their booking, even if their dog could not come. They assured me they still planned on coming. 

The night before arriving they asked about bringing their dog again. After reexplaining our policy they wrote and said we had to take service dogs. Nothing was said earlier about a service dog. After research, my understanding was that Airbnb required no official service dog papers. At that point I agreed that hosts could not discriminate against service animals, but expressed the expectation that they'd take their dog with them when they left the house. Pause. Well, it wasn't really a service dog, but an emotional support dog and would not fit on their paddleboards. I was getting frustrated and volunteered to walk the dog while they were out.

They ended up leaving the dog with their parents, but only gave us a 4 star review. I expected worse, but know that it was retribution (as we'd an unbroken record of 5 star reviews). What can a host do in such a situation? Shouldn't service dogs be required to have paper certification?

[Helen350]

@Tom-And-Karen1  - Physically & mentally well enough to go paddleboarding......  - Grrrrr!!!!

[Marianne88]

Ahhh.... the service dog scam.  I fell for that.  I have a No Pets policy.  This guest says he has a service dog.  I'm thinking something small that can be crated at night.  Out pops Marmiduke from his car!  Service Pet....NOT.  The dog was a puppy  at 18 months and it knocked the guest's mother over on the cement.  

I NOW refuse all pets.  Service or otherwise.  I tell people it is to keep the room allergy free for those allergic to pet hair and dander.