One of the almost common questions we see on vacation rental forums and social media pages is that of service animals and whether hosts have the right to pass up bookings to guests with service animals.

There are hosts who cull not to accept pets in their listings. Service animals are not pets equally they serve specific purposes and are trained for said purposes. This is where the complexity of the issue comes in. Some hosts decide not to have bookings from people traveling with pets because they want to continue their listings hypoallergenic.

Call up, Airbnb does not classify service animals as pets, and so pet fees cannot exist charged. This categorization is quite important because it removes the host's ability to cull whether to take bookings from people with animals of whatsoever classification.

Whatever the motivation for keeping your listing pet-free, service animals do not count as pets, and Airbnb's policy is clear – denying a booking due to the presence of a service brute is against their Nondiscrimination Policy.

What Does the Airbnb Nondiscrimination Policy Dictate?

According to the Airbnb Nondiscrimination Policy, a host may not "decline a guest based on any actual or perceived disability", or "impose any different terms or atmospheric condition based on the fact that the guest has a disability".

Airbnb aims to create a community of acceptance, and this ways mandating that neither hosts nor guests can discriminate based on race, gender, nationality, inability, or political views. "Bias, prejudice, racism, and hatred take no identify on our platform or in our community. While hosts are required to follow all applicable laws that prohibit discrimination based on such factors as race, religion, national origin, and others listed below, nosotros commit to exercise more than comply with the minimum requirements established by law," the policy goes on to explain.

What is a Service Creature, According to Airbnb'southward Service Animal Policy?

This is a indicate of considerable argue in the short-term rental industry. Mostly, information technology hinders on whether the term 'service brute' includes emotional back up animals. Emotional back up animals practise not need any preparation. Service animals will become through a variety of grooming and assessment courses.

Airbnb service animal policy

How Does This Relate to Bookings with Service Animals?

Service Animals and their owners cannot be denied a booking based on this fact alone. Hosts on Airbnb take the right to pass up bookings when they run across fit, but not if it relates to a discriminatory reason. If, for instance, your listing volition be under structure in the requested period of a booking, yous can turn down said booking but be enlightened that Airbnb does not accept kindly to hosts doing this.

While Airbnb understands that the Airbnb Service Animal Policy is stricter than y'all might expect. Some hosts take even gone equally far as to charge Airbnb of violating belongings owners' rights. Airbnb displays these policies clearly. Plus, to join the platform, hosts have to hold to abide by all of the policies laid out by Airbnb.

How Can I Protect My Property From Damage?

Nosotros've ever advised that our users add a security eolith to all of their bookings. Nosotros all know how hard information technology can be to get anything out of the Airbnb Resolution Middle. This is why yous should just charge a standard security eolith for all of your bookings.

It's much harder to get money out of a invitee once the harm has been done. It is much easier to inquire for a security deposit equally a standard booking condition.

Airbnb Security Deposit 1

Can I Request Service Creature Documentation?

In brusk, no. Airbnb'southward Assist Animals help page says the following, "We don't require documentation when traveling with an aid creature. In the United States, guests don't demand to provide documentation for a service animal. If a guest says that they have a service animal, a Host may inquire:
1. Whether the assistance animal is required because of a inability
2. What piece of work or task the animal has been trained to perform
If you're traveling outside of the U.s.a., please be aware that requirements may differ. We know that some jurisdictions have prohibitions on all animals, including assistance animals, and nosotros don't desire Hosts to intermission local laws or take deportment that may subject field them to legal liability."

What if I Have Allergies?

According to The Airbnb Ride website, "The almost common example of a service animal posing a health or safe threat is if the host or host'south family unit has allergies to animals. However, Airbnb volition not simply accept a claim that you suffer from allergies. Instead, they'll ask for medical proof. In addition, fifty-fifty proven allergies may not be enough to go along you from having to host a service animal. In nearly cases, Airbnb will notwithstanding require you to host the animate being unless it will be staying in a shared living space where you lot will be exposed to it."

Dynamic Pricing Tool for Airbnb Hosts

What Options Do I Have?

Honestly, there aren't also many options when it comes to bookings from people with service animals. Plus, Airbnb says evidently equally 24-hour interval on their website that guests do not need to disclose that they have an assistance creature if they do not want to, so you might non even know until they arrive!

Service animals will pose no danger to your listing. Service animals are highly trained and must never exist dislocated with pets. Animals classified every bit emotional support animals are slightly harder to verify. According to Airbnb, "These are animals that are used as part of medical treatment and/or therapy to aid with an individual's daily functional tasks but are non express to a specific type of animal and are non required to be trained to assistance an private in a particular task. These animals are sometimes referred to as comfort animals or therapy animals."

When it boils down to it, if y'all want to rent your property on Airbnb, you accept to abide by the Airbnb service animal policy. You can, and should, charge a standard security deposit. You can besides rent your property on other platforms like Booking.com or Vrbo that might take slightly different approaches to the Airbnb service animal policy.