Service Dog Rules for Staying in Hotels

Service dogs’ access rights to hotels are part of the public access rights bestowed on service dogs and their handlers under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This means they cannot be treated as pets and can generally go wherever their handlers can at no additional cost. Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop certain hotels and staff from infringing on these rights. The following information is a thorough overview of the main points to know about service dogs and hotels.

Can hotels charge for a service dog?

No. Under the ADA, the hotel cannot charge an extra fee for the service animal as they would a client with a pet. This also means you and your dog will be allowed in public areas of the hotel, as well as to a room and floors not normally designated for people traveling with pets.

What to expect from hotels and service dogs

Verification questions: When traveling with a service animal, according to the ADA, the hotel staff only has the right to ask you two questions:

1. Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

If the task is apparent (seeing-eye dog, wheelchair-related), the staff has no right to inquire about the service dog or your disability. When dealing with ignorant hotel staff members, presenting your service dog certification and identification card can help alleviate tension. Remember, the staff members are only employees and might not be properly trained in dealing with service animals in the hotel. Keep in mind, however, that under the ADA hotel staff cannot insist on seeing documents as a condition of entry.

In addition, the hotel staff still has to act according to the rules of conduct the general public should adhere to concerning a service dog. These include:

• No petting the dog
• No speaking to, teasing, or distracting the dog
• No feeding the dog or interfering with its work

The staff is also not required to help you perform any tasks related to the service dog, such as taking it out to relieve itself, feeding it, handling it, etc.

Following the rules of the hotel

Under the ADA, persons with disabilities have several rights. However, you will still be expected to follow the rules of the hotel as they are set forth for all their visiting clients.

Your service dog must be under your control at all times, whether this is by means of a leash, hand gestures, or voice control. Your dog cannot become unruly. In addition, if your service dog were to damage anything in the hotel room, you are still liable for the cost of those damages.

Staying at an Airbnb with your service dog

With Airbnb as a popular hotel alternative among travelers, the application of the ADA is crucial. Airbnb hosts in the United States must allow service animals if they rent out the entire home or apartment to an Airbnb guest. Airbnb’s nondiscrimination policy requires hosts to allow all service animals into their homes. Please research your specific destination before booking an Airbnb that you plan on staying at with your service dog.

The history of service dogs under the ADA

The ADA was established in 1990 and was put into place to prevent establishments from discriminating against people with physical or mental disabilities, extending the protections to any companion that may accompany them for support. Over time, “companions” began referring less to humans and more to members of the animal kingdom. Many people used this policy to treat exotic pets, such as reptiles, ferrets, pigs, and parrots, as “service animals.”

To stop people from taking advantage of the intended scope of the ADA, amendments have been made to these rules. These changes state that only dogs are considered as service animals. 

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