Any individual with a service animal in the United States is likely familiar with the federal and state-level laws that grant their companions access to most spaces, regardless of whether or not animals are allowed. These laws are in place to help individuals with disabilities go about their day with greater ease and confidence, and they are vital laws to encourage accessibility for individuals with disabilities. If you are traveling and planning to book an Airbnb, you may be wondering if these laws extend to Airbnb bookings.
Our article discusses the Airbnb service animal policy so you can understand exactly what your rights are when traveling to an Airbnb with a service animal.
What Is Airbnb?
Airbnb is one of the most popular home-sharing and booking platforms around today. With Airbnb, individuals can rent out spare properties or spare rooms, allowing others to stay in desired locations around popular tourist destinations and other vacation areas without booking a hotel or a resort. Airbnbs range in price, and each person putting their property up for rent on Airbnb can set their own policies and restrictions for guests.
Can I Bring Animals Into an Airbnb?
You may be able to bring animals into an Airbnb if the Airbnb is pet-friendly. Airbnbs have varying rules and it is very important to pay attention to these rules, especially if you are traveling out of the country. While Airbnbs can be pet friendly, they may only allow certain animals, such as cats or dogs, to stay in the home with you.
You might also need to pay additional pet fees or adhere to certain cleaning requirements.
As anyone with a service animal knows, service animals are not simply pets – they are valuable companions trained to perform tasks that directly help their owners deal with a disability. As such, service animals are granted different access rights, and the Airbnb service animal policy recognizes this.
According to Airbnb’s service animal policy, hosts are allowed to ask the questions outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of their guests. These questions are as follows:
- Is this animal a service animal?
- What work or task has this animal been trained to perform?
If a guest answers that their animal is a service animal, the host must treat them as such. The host is not allowed to request that the guest demonstrate their dog’s skills, and once it has been established that the dog is a service animal, they must accept the guest and their animal without extra fees, restrictions, or discrimination.
There are a few exceptions to this policy, and these exemptions will apply to what hosts are required to accept on a case-by-case basis.
Can an Airbnb Deny My Service Animal?
An Airbnb host may deny your service animal in a very limited number of circumstances. For example, if your service animal is not trained properly, they are destructive, or they are out of control and dangerous, you may not be able to bring your service animal with you to an Airbnb. If your service animal poses a threat to others or to the property, they could also be denied.
You can avoid issues with your service animal in an Airbnb by ensuring that your dog is properly trained, potty trained, and under your control at all times.
Are Emotional Support Animals Accepted By Airbnb?
Emotional support animals (ESA) are not required to be accepted into an Airbnb. ESAs must adhere to a different set of ESA laws from service animals in the United States, and these laws do not grant ESAs the right to access almost any space alongside their owners.
Emotional support animals primarily have housing rights, and Airbnb hosts can treat these companion animals as pets when you travel with them.
You should also note that if your ESA is a more exotic animal, such as a snake, fish, or bird, you may not be permitted to stay with them even in an Airbnb that is pet friendly, as the pet-friendly rule may only apply to dogs and cats.
Understanding Airbnb Service Animal Policy
Traveling with your service animal is essential, as you will no doubt need your service animal’s assistance wherever you go. When you’re booking an Airbnb, you might be worried about bringing your service animal with you, but, fortunately, Airbnb’s service animal policy protects your right to stay with your service animal.
There are only a few circumstances in which your service animal might be legally denied, but if your pup is well-behaved and properly trained, you should not encounter any issues when staying with your dog. Contact Airbnb customer service directly if you have questions or concerns about this policy for your stay.
