@Barbara-and-Glenn0 Thank you for taking the time to read my post and make such an insightful comment. I did create a similar post last week for the 'Host Voice' section, presenting it as an 'idea' that the policy needs to be changed. After much interesting discussion with many people on these two posts, those who support some kind of change agree that three things must definitely happen for us to feel comfortable as hosts in regard to this policy:
1) Airbnb needs to separate ADA-service dogs from FHA-protected emotional support (comfort/companion) animals, versus calling them both 'assistance animals' as the policy currently states. This is because with ADA-service animals, we are not allowed to ask for documentation, but we ARE legally allowed to ask a few specific questions related to the use of the dog or mini-pony (the only two service animals acknowledged by the ADA). However, FHA 'support' animals are different. Landlords ARE allowed to ask to see documentation / proof of registration (you and I know how easy that is to procure, sadly).
Of course, what many hosts don't know is that they are likely EXEMPT from having to take any emotional support animal at all as they are considered to be 'transient' housing (versus temporary or permanent) and most hosts are renting out less than five units, hence they are exempt from the FHA under the 'Mrs Murphy Exemption'. But Airbnb is unlikely to point this out, as the policy appears to be designed to protect them in various ways, possibly at the expense of the host.
2) Currently Airbnb's Host Protection Program does NOT cover damages relating to guest animals or pest removal. This is very concerning, because we are forced to accept their current policy, be penalized if we don't, or leave the platform (e.g., @Patricia & Cody have already been penalized quite drastically for asking for documention on what appeared to be a 'scam' support animal: Specifically, they lost their super-host status for a year; had to pay a fine; and were reprimanded by Airbnb. Airbnb reportedly did not do any sort of investigation to determine if the support animal was legitimate, but immediately sided with the guest, per Patricia & Cody). Strangely, hosts who have called Airbnb about this have been told that animals WILL be covered as related to hosts following this policy. But we see nothing in writing - The current policy doesn't reflect this at all. So clearly this must be changed as soon as possible.
3) The fact that under the current policy guests can literally sneak animals into an Airbnb rental and be protected by Airbnb's current policy due to the policy treating and referring to the emotional support animal as if it were an ADA-protected service animal is problematic for reasons that should be obvious to anyone with a clear and reasonable 'No Pets' policy
Hopefully enough hosts will start to understand the difference between ADA-service animals and the federal laws that apply to them, and FHA-protected animals, and how federal (FHA) and also their state laws and local ordinances apply to them (which they will have to research). Because when they do, these hosts, like some of us here, will wonder why Airbnb wrote a policy that uses the umbrella term 'assistance animals' that treats ADA-service dogs and mini-ponies the same as FHA-covered emotional support animals, as if the emotional support animals were protected by the same laws protecting ADA-service animals (they are not).
It just doesn't make sense, and it is already creating much confusion and many problems, and not just for us hosts. Guests and even the animals will be negatively impacted as well.
