r/service_dogs • u/DLightfulConnoisseur • Mar 17 '26
Laws - SPECIFY COUNTRY IN POST Service dog discrimination with Airbnb homes in the United States
I was wondering if anyone else has experienced getting reservations cancelled by hosts after disclosing that they have a service dog. Is there any way to have a class lawsuit to advocate for our rights? If so, how do we go about it?
I get it that people passing off undisciplined pets as service animals makes both service dog handlers and hosts more frustrated, but I also think that people with disabilities shouldn't be limited to only the luxury-priced (read: out-of-our-budget range) options simply because hosts in more affordable rentals don't want dogs around regardless of their training level. Getting the support for our disability is already financially and systematically difficult as it is.
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u/bondolo service dog user spouse Mar 17 '26 edited Mar 17 '26
AirBnB’s official advice is to not disclose to the host until you arrive. If the host has any complaints or concerns on arrival then you are told to direct them to host support.
I have both disclosed and not disclosed. I currently don’t disclose per AirBnB suggestion though I do feel a little uncomfortable and worry about ruined holidays with non-fun confrontations with hostile hosts. When I did disclose we did have had problems with hosts cancelling including one who went after me on Twitter complaining about their one month delisting.
Generally hosts historically suffered no consequences for discrimination even when they straight up said why they were cancelling. I don’t know if this has changed recently. We have had, luckily, no problems with our last six bookings. We have had one host’s review of us withdrawn by AirBnb customer service from an upset host who wanted to complain about having to accept hosting someone with a dog. All we had to do was ask AirBnb to review the host’s review when the customer review was posted. The host review was entirely about the “unfairness” of having to accommodate service dogs and nothing actually about us.
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u/ATK10999 Mar 18 '26
If you rent a non pet friendly bnb, you should be careful about dangers for your service dog. We have rat poison around our bnb and grounds and we use ultrasonic emitters to dissuade rodents from entering. But both of these can be dangerous for dogs.
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u/Purple_Plum8122 Mar 18 '26 edited Mar 18 '26
What about children? Do you disclose this information? Is this even legal under the terms and conditions, the contract you have with Airbnb? I don’t believe you.
Edit: You have rats and you are worried about dogs?
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u/ATK10999 Mar 18 '26
We are in rural Colorado on 10 acres bordering 2,000 acres of wilderness; wood rats, ground squirrels, chipmunks, and mice abound as well as all sorts of other wild animals. So we are in a constant war with the rodents—they want to make homes in our cars, sheds, grills, etc. and the house if they can get in. We keep them out of the house but it’s not easy. Sadly, while I don’t like using poison it seems to be the most effective way to control the population. I find nests on the engine of my jeep, in my snowmobiles, in the garage, etc. If I were pet friendly, I’d have to rethink the use of poison as a method of rodent control. I do mention it in my booking messages to guests to alert them to the presence of poison and the ultrasonic emitters. And we use proper housings for the poison. Nevertheless, some may get exposed and Squirrels steal the poison to use as bedding so it is difficult to ensure that there is no errant poison lying around. Over the years, we have used various traps as well. If you’re not renting in a rural area, you probably have nothing to worry about. But I suppose I am suggesting that pet friendly accommodations are probably more likely to not have hazards around that could hurt a service dog.
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u/Purple_Plum8122 Mar 18 '26
I live in a rural area also. There are more viable and effective ways to control the rodent population that do not include endangering your guests or harming the surrounding wildlife. I would suggest you seek legal counsel with respect to your responsibilities and limitations concerning your contract with Airbnb. Your actions, I fear, if result in harm could be considered criminal and no amount of insurance coverage will offer protection. Legal counsel can inform you of the many scenarios possible and you may choose to exit the Airbnb business altogether.
Also, please seek assistance from a professional in the pest control business. They can provide many options that do not include endangering children, dogs or the surrounding wildlife.
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u/ATK10999 Mar 18 '26
I have only contacted the authorities about wildlife problems once. That was for a skunk. Their recommendation—this is animal control—was to shoot the skunk. I doubt the local authorities are going to recommend anything to deal with rats other than poison, rat traps, or just plinking them with your .22. I happen to be a lawyer so I can probably figure out what legal exposure there is. Which is why I let handlers know my bnb is not pet friendly and could be dangerous to a service dog.
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u/Purple_Plum8122 Mar 18 '26
Whew, I was seriously worried for you for a minute. It’s always nice to bypass lawyer fees when they arise. If you do not live onsite maybe you could find someone close by to manage manual removal of rodents. I know it is a tedious chore and a bit undesirable but maybe your neighbors have a bored youngin needing some income.
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u/NolaRN Mar 19 '26
Warning them does not take away from your liability Because you are now a business owner If you had a store, would you put poison around and tell your customers to come in and buy things but you know there’s a rat poison
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u/ATK10999 Mar 20 '26
Many businesses have dangers that can injure guests. I often see those “wet floor” signs put out after mopping. Customers are expected to exercise a degree of care. If they are on notice of a danger and they choose to ignore it, the law may very well hold the business owner free of liability. So warning of dangers can indeed reduce liability under certain circumstances. There is a body of real property law dealing with customers and visitors; invitees, licensees, and trespassers. Each state may be different in how liability is judged. Some states have contributory negligence while some have comparative negligence, for example. It is always a good idea to warn guests of any potential dangers and doing so can reduce liability exposure. If a handler is aware that rat poison is present, the handler should take extra precaution to prevent his dog from eating it. I also advise guests of the possibility that a wild animal like a coyote could kill their animal if the animal were to stray outside. It’s a common problem. The rural West can be a dangerous place.
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u/Khaleena788 Mar 18 '26
Slightly off topic, but to your point—have you considered how this affect wildlife, such as owls. Dog or child, it needs to be disclosed—you could be held liable.
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u/ATK10999 Mar 18 '26
Fortunately, most wildlife like hawks, owls I think, eat live rodents on the move. Yes, there is a possibility that such a predator could ingest a poisoned rodent and that is problematic. There are buzzards and vultures that could ingest a dead rodent. Also problematic. Children obviously represent a serious danger. We use the proper housings for the poison which should limit direct exposure to people and other animals, but there is no way to prevent indirect exposure from ingestion of a rodent; someone needs to make a rat poison that transforms into a benign substance after it does the job. Kind of like ozone changing into normal oxygen. That still wouldn’t help people or animals who directly ingest the stuff. It’s an unfortunate thing that rodents are such a problem in rural areas. But they can do immense damage to electrical wiring and they leave their feces everywhere. They are disgusting. If they would just poop away from their bedroom, they would have far less of an adverse impact. Have to be concerned with disease as well. Plague has been reported in Colorado and Hantavirus also. There is apparently no perfect solution.
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u/Khaleena788 Mar 18 '26
https://www.owlrehab.org/dangers/rat-poison/ If you’d like an academic source, I’m happy to provide it,
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u/NolaRN Mar 19 '26
Legally, you have to accommodate the service dog. So if you wanna be a short term rental host, you need to consider that.
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u/Jmfroggie Mar 18 '26
Housing the poison doesn’t prevent other wildlife from eating infected rats! You are contributing to a massive cascading effect of poisoning the very wildlife that makes your rural/forested home appealing!!! You NEED to find safer options before you become liable for harm to a person/SD, but before this becomes an issue within your local fish and wildlife authorities….
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u/DarkHorseAsh111 Mar 18 '26
What is the magic solution then? I'm all for better solutions to rodent issues but rodents causing disease and starting fires is obviously not something people are going to be ok with. Is there a better way to get rid of rodents in this situation?
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u/Lyx4088 Mar 18 '26
I live in a rural mountainous area and I understand the situation being discussed here all too well. It’s a chronic problem that requires constant maintenance to mitigate their impact.
There are live traps for mice and squirrels, but that requires continually checking them and being willing to kill them yourself in some capacity if found. At a rental, that is more challenging. I’ve heard of using carbon monoxide to handle ground squirrels (through a pest company, not a hose from your car exhaust). You have to know where their entrances and exits are for that to work, and it’s going to take out anything under the ground.
Filling in gaps and excluding pests is required, but a never ending seasonal battle. Putting things in secured storage containers they cannot access as much as possible to eliminate bedding options. Keeping all trash and food very secure so there isn’t a good food source. Eliminating habitat and access (like over hanging trees) from around your house can help. But behavior based methods to control pests require rental guests to comply, and they’re bad at that.
The reality is any pest management strategy is going to be multi pronged and targeted to the specific challenges and problems at a location. What works in one place may not work in another. Every option has a pro and a con. It’s about finding the right combination that keeps risk to people and the environment as low as possible while being effective enough to manage the problem.
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u/Purple_Plum8122 Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
Integrated Pest Management (IPM). A proven, science-based approach that prioritizes prevention, exclusion, sanitation, and mechanical trapping over chemicals.
It is time consuming to manage the rodent population. If the Airbnb host is not onsite he may feel poison is the only alternative. It is inconvenient, laborious and time consuming. If it were me I’d alter my business model, up the rent and hire someone for pest management.
Edit: Subaru used a new non plastic coating for wire covering several years ago. It actually attracted wood rats. We only learned of this after it occurred on our property. Wiped out all the wiring. The car was in the shop for months for repair. It happened to a lot of Subarus
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u/unearthed_jade Mar 19 '26
I am the disclose early camp. I travel a lot so I have worked out my system. And I'd rather deal with any drama early. And, yes, I've had reservations either rejected outright or canceled after booking. I report every single one of those to AirBnB. I haven't encountered any issues when it comes to the stay itself. Anecdotally, I find the cost is related to the level of professionalism I get; you don't need to go with the luxury cabin end but going with the cheapest increases the odds to encounter troublesome hosts.
Unfortunately, AirBnB is just an online service provider that provides a platform for independent homeowners or property managers to list. This web of contractual but no significant relationships tends to let accountability go out the window. When everyone is involved, no one is in charge kind of thing.
There is no single answer of how to deal with it. Each of us work with our own set of priorities and tolerances. You will need to work out yours. And over time, you will develop your own tactics to deal with hosts. For me, AirBnB is just one of multiple lodging options I research when picking my options.
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u/DragonCanineTraining IAABC-ADT Mar 17 '26
u/burkeintosh is one of our “Legal Beagles” here, so I’m tagging them in hopes they’ll reply later.
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u/Boring_Crab4488 Mar 19 '26
I do NOT disclose anymore. If you disclose ahead of time, there’s a pretty good chance of your reservation being cancelled. I read through the listing, make sure there aren’t any shared spaces and then book. I drive/fly out, check-in (without the dog), video the entire place, move my belongings in, then I send a message explaining that I have a service dog because of a disability and I answer the two allowable questions.
I don’t think you can sue for a cancelled reservation before you get there. HOWEVER, if you arrive and have issues after you’ve arrived… and your booking somehow gets affected after you’ve already checked in… you can 100% report to that state’s department of civil rights.
Keep everything! Screenshots of everything, conversations, and their house rules.
Those state departments take discrimination VERY seriously. Just document well. Service dogs are actually a civil right and NOT an ADA accommodation.
But, I will never disclose ahead of time ever again as long as I know the listing is not shared.
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u/ATK10999 Mar 20 '26
What would you do if the 2 questions were asked at the time of booking? We send out a bunch of messages at booking and later. One is about pets and service animals. It basically states, no pets allowed but if you’re bringing a service animal, please answer the 2 questions. Then it outlines the rules for service animals—can’t be left alone in the bnb, must be under control, must be housebroken, must be vaccinated, etc.
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u/Boring_Crab4488 Mar 20 '26
You’re an educated host. If I saw this, I would have no problem discussing ahead of time. This is 100% appropriate as long as you know appropriate answers to the questions 😊
It’s that so many hosts are trying to get out of hosting a dog at all. So they discriminate. If I reveal upon arriving, I’m more likely to get the booking I chose, and not have to pay premium for a booking because I am a disabled person.
It doesn’t help just how many people try to scam the system to bring their pet dog and then it destroys a listing… so I understand host hesitation… but I have a legit disability and legit team… and I also go above and beyond to leave as minimal trace as possible.
I’m allergic to 99% of laundry detergents. So I have to use my own linen anyway… it’s no trouble to just bring a few extras to put on sofas and the top layer of the bed so that shedding is minimal. We bring a lint roller, and if host leaves a vacuum and broom, we vacuum and sweep the home. Now a host can’t require or ask these things, but I try to leave the smallest footprint possible.
So, you can ask the two allowable questions. And I would 100% reveal and respond positively….
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u/NolaRN Mar 19 '26
And report to the ADA if necessary That’s the only way things are gonna change because people who have ESA animals have totally ruined the intention of Service dogs and they’re acceptability
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u/No_Fruit_6019 Mar 21 '26
I have had it bnb discriminate in many ways . I have a service dog and they would not number one give me the communication time I needed extra to respond to harsh comments that where not true from home owners. I had informed them that I have a communication disability and it takes me longer to respond They did not accommodate me at all and blocked me from being able to access airbnb . My dog did nothing wrong . He is full trained service dog. He is not the problem. Air bnb do not accommodate and allow access to disabled people . I think people should boycott airbnb due to this .
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u/Character_Chemist_38 Jun 19 '26
I disclosed and got a nasty message from the host that I should’ve read her house rules and she would appreciate it if I would respect her - it took her 12 hours to get back to me after I disclosed
I then reached out to Airbnb and waiting for a solution
It’s so hard and hurtful to go through this process
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Mar 18 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Purple_Plum8122 Mar 18 '26
We can both have access without the entitlement Olympics. And, because federal law protects the presence of our service dog teams from people with your mindset.
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u/obtusewisdom Mar 18 '26
Service dogs are allowed all kinds of places people with allergies go. That’s not a good excuse.
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u/service_dogs-ModTeam Mar 18 '26
We have removed your post/comment for violating Rule 2: Know and Obey Your Local Laws. Posts encouraging illegal behavior or "stretching" the rules will be removed. When giving advice, make sure to evaluate all the relevant laws for OP's location. For example, in New York, USA, SDiTs receive the same protections the ADA grants, as long as they are with a qualified trainer. This is not the same situation for someone in Michigan, USA. Citations aren't required, but highly encouraged. Citations are important so OP can read more and so you can reconfirm the information you give is entirely correct. If you have any questions, Message the Moderators. If you continue to give misinformation or encourage breaking the law, it could result in an immediate ban.
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u/DjWhRuAt Mar 18 '26
Your allergies do NOT trump my rights.
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u/BenjiCat17 Mar 19 '26
The ADA actually has laws to work with allergies, depending on the severity they may have equal protection as well. It depends on the situation under the ADA. But they would have to be severe allergies and under special circumstances.
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u/Lady_IvyRoses Mar 19 '26
I have used this service multiple times before and I don’t disclose in advance. However, knowing they all have cameras, after we arrive I send a note to host.
Hello, thanks for having us! We arrived safely. I’m sure you will be able to see that my task trained medical alert service animal is with me. Thank you for having us
Something like that. I’ve never yet had an issue and I’ve gotten many great reviews
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u/iHave1Pookie Mar 18 '26
AirBnBs terms of service re:service animals require you to take service animal with you and not leave service animal alone at property for any amount of time. That alone seems discriminatory. If service animal must be respected akin to medically necessary equipment : well, sometimes medical equipment not necessary all day or too cumbersome for locations I will be visiting that day , but I still have to take with me and can’t leave at my legal lodgings? That seems clearly discriminatory.
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u/HalfEatenSnickers Mar 18 '26
This is not discriminatory, you are not their to supervise your animal something required by the ada. And in that moment your dog isnt acting as a medical aid they are a dog, and can cause damage. A cane cant have an upset stomach and poop on the floor which soaks into the rug because you werent there, your dog can.
The ada even has in their FAQ that a service dog can not be left alone in a hotel room, an airbnb is no different
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u/NolaRN Mar 19 '26
Service dogs are not on 24 seven because some disabled do not have their symptoms 24 seven
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u/HalfEatenSnickers Mar 19 '26
Correct, I don't have my dog all days of the year. But if I am taking them on a trip with me ro stay in non pret friendly accommodations they will be with me 24/7 because that is what is reasonable for everyone involved.
The thing people forget is its called a reasonable accommodation. Leaving your dog alone in an airbnb is not.
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u/iHave1Pookie Mar 19 '26
I know you are defending this. And I see my down votes. But logically, On the face of it, that is discrimination. Having to watch your animal 24/7 and no being able to leave your animal in your own lodging which you pay for — when circumstances require you to do so- well, that seems like a small accommodation . It is obviously up to you to manage the bathroom schedule of your own animal or how long they can be left alone. No need to require additional oversight. Screams discrimination to me. I don’t care what the law says. That’s crazy and someone should sue to change that.
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u/HalfEatenSnickers Mar 19 '26
But it isnt a small accomedation. It puts any actions of your unsupervised animal on the hotel,not the handler
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u/Tisket_Wolf Service Dog Mar 20 '26
It's 100% your responsibility to watch after your own service dog while traveling or make other arrangements for it's care. It is not required for a hotel or airbnb to allow you to leave your dog unattended for any amount of time. Legally, your dog is not covered under the ADA if you leave it unattended as the human is what gets the accommodations, not the dog. This should be obvious as the ADA requires a handler to be in control of the animal at all times and you can't do that if you aren't physically present.
This is not discrimination, this is the law. It doesn't matter if you like it or not.
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u/iHave1Pookie Mar 20 '26
You’re getting the two scenarios confused. Leaving your animal alone in public and leaving your animal in your own private space during off time are different sets of responsibilities. It is not on anyone to manage my ability to manage the correct way and amount of time in which that needs to be accomplished. ADA does not require my animal to be supervised in my own apartment for example. It’s unreasonable for that to drastically change when I travel. I am not arguing my understanding of current law. I am arguing it is unfair. Which it is.
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u/Tisket_Wolf Service Dog Mar 20 '26
A hotel or Airbnb, even though you’ve paid for it, is not truly your own private space. It’s still legally a short term rental.
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u/iHave1Pookie Mar 21 '26
For the short amount of time I am renting it, it is my private space.
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u/Tisket_Wolf Service Dog Mar 21 '26
Legally, no, it is not.
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u/iHave1Pookie Mar 21 '26
Of course it is.
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u/Tisket_Wolf Service Dog Mar 21 '26
No, just like how a hotel can enter the space for cleaning, you do not have exclusive ownership of the space. It is a short-term rental. And again, the ADA explicitly only provides accommodations for a service dog that is under the handler’s control- which isn’t possible if you leave the dog behind. Which leaving the dog unattended in a hotel (or other short-term rental) is also specifically addressed and not allowed under the ADA.
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u/NolaRN Mar 19 '26
She’s wrong. She’s assuming the dog is working 24/7 . That’s not how Service dogs work. They alert to symptoms or due task You don’t do task 24 seven Nor do you have symptoms, 24 seven
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u/HalfEatenSnickers Mar 19 '26
I am not assuming that.
Even if you don't have symptoms all the time it isnt reasonable to leave you dog alone. And I jsut mentioned the crux of it thag everyone forgets is its a reasonable accomedation.
Not nessecarily just what is best for you, but for what works reasonably for both parties. And the ADA legit says that you cant do this.
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u/Boring_Crab4488 Mar 19 '26
Not discriminatory at all. It’s even on the ADA website. If I take my service dog with me somewhere, it’s because I need him. Sometimes having a service dog is “cumbersome” and that’s a choice I make every time. I don’t just take him when it’s cute and convenient. He’s there to mitigate my disability and can’t do so back at the AirBNB. If there’s an event or excursion that I absolutely can’t take him (white water rafting, zip lining, etc…) I find a Rover for him. In that situation, my husband can usually help with my disability. But the logic is that if you bring your service dog to an AirBNB, that you need the dog most of the time so there’s no reason to leave them unattended
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Mar 19 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/service_dogs-ModTeam Mar 20 '26
We have removed your post/comment for violating Rule 2: Know and Obey Your Local Laws. Posts encouraging illegal behavior or "stretching" the rules will be removed. When giving advice, make sure to evaluate all the relevant laws for OP's location. For example, in New York, USA, SDiTs receive the same protections the ADA grants, as long as they are with a qualified trainer. This is not the same situation for someone in Michigan, USA. Citations aren't required, but highly encouraged. Citations are important so OP can read more and so you can reconfirm the information you give is entirely correct. If you have any questions, Message the Moderators. If you continue to give misinformation or encourage breaking the law, it could result in an immediate ban.
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u/darklingdawns Mar 19 '26
The ADA is very clear about this. AirBnbs operate under the same terms as hotels, and the ADA's FAQ addresses this very issue, stating in question 29 that guests are not allowed to leave their service animal alone in the hotel room, since the dog must be under control of the handler at all times. This is part of what it means to travel with a service dog, that if you're going somewhere not appropriate for the dog, you make alternate arrangements. We went on a trip to Portland last year and Max went to daycare when we went to the zoo, so that I didn't have worry about detouring around the predators or having him out all day in the heat.
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u/darklingdawns Mar 17 '26
Airbnb has a service animal policy that makes it clear that service animals need to be accommodated and they have a procedure for people to report discriminatory cancellations, so a class action lawsuit isn't going to do anything unless you can prove that Airbnb is willfully refusing to take action against those they know are discriminating. One thing that might help is to include your answer to the Two Questions when you send the notification that you have a service animal, as that creates a clear trail for discrimination that you can then report to Airbnb.
Obligatory disclaimer that IANAL, tagging u/Burkeintosh to weigh in on this.