SEE: Advice from AirBnb Expert on Service Animals

[Aaron279]

I was informed yesterday, months after the reservation was made, that a guest will be bringing a service animal. I am aware of AirBnB's policy and unless health and safety is an issue, accepting service animals is the fine print. They (Marco an AirBnB Expert) did tell me, however, that I can edit my listing to note this, and they will support me. I have since changed my listing to include: "About SERVICE ANIMALS: We are aware of the value service animals bring to people, and we are aware of AirBnB's policy of allowing service animals without discrimination unless health and safety becomes an issue. My children suffer from moderate to severe pet allergies and this is our primary living space when not hosting guests. As such we can only welcome non-shedding/no dander companions to our house as we need to guarantee the health of our children."

Hopefully this helps others in similar scenarios.

[Pete28]

I didn't get that far - but that would seem to be the case. Why guests don't just rent somewhere pet friendly is beyond me ?

Ive seen other people suggest that the animal owner provide medical proof that it is needed - sadly I don't believe Airbnb requires this and may  count it as discrimination.

[Letti0]

@Pete28  You can ask for a doctors verifiction on an ESA not a service animal. Also it's best to remind all ESA owners that per AirBnB's policy the animal can not be left alone on the property at any time. One pet owner states she doesn't rent from places that take pets because they are not as clean or as nice as places that don't take pets. So she sneaks in her dog and claims it as a service animal if they find out. I personally find this horrendous behavior, but it happens a lot.

[Katie---Sean0]

I'm currently hosting long-term guests for 2.5 months in our "no pets allergy-friendly" Bungalow. They booked FIVE months ago, but informed me 2 days before arrival about their "Service Dog".

I had never encountered the "service animal" situation before, so I had a very quick learning curve to find out -- anyone can bring their "Service Animal" without giving ANY notice whatsoever, they can just turn up.  However Airbnb asks they let us know as a courtesy.

Airbnb told me I can't refuse on the basis of allergies, but we're still going back and forth on this subject. Our Bungalow is separate from our main house so it's perhaps not considered a "shared space" -- however we advertise it as "allergen friendly" and clean/launder using non-toxic unscnented products.

Our next gues... arriving immediately after the current folks leave... is allergic to dogs, which I know because she's a return guest and mentioned it last time. So this puts in an interesting dilemma, and I'm not sure how it will work out just yet.

At the very least I'd like the opportunity to go in the Bungalow part-way through the stay to see if it... smells of dog! Which I know will be a huge problem for my recurring next guest. Sigh. It's not like I'm offering a "public space" which per ADA Rules is what it should be. This is frustrating.

[Tania646]

I'm wondering how this all turned out.

[Chris16283]

1. https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1869/accessibility-policy
Hosts are allowed to refuse certain unreasonable or unattainable requests that:
* Increase the safety risk to the Host or others
* Fundamentally change the nature of an Experience or impact it for other guests
* Require the Host to take on added responsibilities that are time-intensive or put a significant physical or financial burden on them.

Additional considerations:
* A Host will not be penalized if the Host’s failure to make a reasonable accommodation is deemed out of their control or if the Host has objectively shown why the request is unreasonable or unattainable for them.

2. Federal Fair Housing Act (FHA).
The department requires housing providers to reasonably accommodate a person with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, unless doing so would create an undue financial or administrative burden on the providers or would fundamentally alter their service.

3. ADA Title III - § 12181(7)(a). CFR § 36.104 Place of Public Accommodation definition.
Any place of lodging that contains no more than five rooms for rent and is actually occupied by
the proprietor of the establishment as a resident is not subject to the ADA.

[Cherie71]

I found this suggestion on one of the Airbnb 'help' pages.  I include it in my House Rules. 

I've had one instance where someone brought a dog and I refused them entry. Airbnb stood by the House Rules and canceled the guest reservation and gave me the full rental fee.

"Health or safety concerns: We do not allow pets of any type - including assistance animals. We have shared spaces where any animal may create a safety concern -and advertise our properties free of allergy situations. To prevent health or safety issues, we do not host guests with assistance animal/s."