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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:
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
- 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.
Order your Service Dog ID
Service Dog Identification
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Distinguish your Service Dog from a Pet
Many hotels have policies against pets, but service dogs are not pets. An ID can help distinguish your service dog from a pet, ensuring you get access to your room and other hotel facilities without hassle.
Under the ADA, hotels can’t require documentation for service dogs, but having an ID card can simplify interactions with hotel staff who may not be familiar with service dog laws.
Remember, while ID cards, certificates and other documents can be helpful, they do not convey any rights under the ADA.
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About the Author: The writing team at Service Dog Certifications is made up of folks who really know their stuff when it comes to disability laws and assistance animals. Many of our writers and editors have service dogs themselves and share insights from their own experiences. All of us have a passion for disability rights and animals.
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I’m in Dallas Texas on the Texas storm snow storm we just had here started on February 11th and on Saturday the 19th of February I was forced out of my apartment due to the busted pipes leaking water everywhere and me and my dog and a service dog I went to days inn on military and scyene and that girl behind the counter told me that my dog was sounding loud and I said he’s at I showed her the registration and his card that he was my service dog named emotional support dog and after she took my money she’s table I got to call the manager you can’t bring him in and they denied him to go inside I had no choice they wouldn’t refund my money what can I do
I manage a hotel in a resort area, and this is unfortunately my experience as well. Out of 10 dogs that are claimed by the owners to be service animals, at least half are either left alone in rooms to bark and relieve themselves for hours, or snap at other guests in the hallway, or snatch food off tables in the breakfast area. I fervently wish that there was an actual REGISTRY for service animals, so we all can stop the fake claims of service animals for animals who clearly are not.
I have an entirely different perspective on the dogs in hotel rules. I believe that hotels should allow ALL WELL BEHAVED DOGS — and that dogs must pass a behavioral test, get a certification and that card must be presented at the front desk — it would solve a lot of problems — its not the well behaved dogs that are bothering anyone – its those dogs that are NOT! I am a psychotherapist and I do feel Emotional Support Dogs in many cases are just as important to some people as dogs that perform services – Mental health issues are also a form of disability. So I do not feel its about the type of need the person has — it really comes down to bringing dog to a hotel that is well behaved. I was at the Arizona Biltmore- and a woman was there with her two dogs (SMALL) and they were seated side by side in a little dog stroller – those pups did not make a peep the entire brunch. They were better than 90% of the kids there! Perhaps we have to revisit these ‘dog rules’ – and try again!
Any dog including a service dog that is a public nuisance can be evicted from a business or motel. Read up on the ADA American Disability Act laws concerning service dogs. Yes a dog left alone in a room to bark is most likely not a service dog as a service dog goes with you everywhere to serve you. A dog that takes food off tables is not a service dog and is also a public nuisance too and can be evicted. As a manager you may ask, “Is that a service dog” and “what services do your dog perform for you” but sadly you can not ask for documentation from a doctor etc. I gladly provide doctors letter for my self trained service dog as it helps me show that my dog is actually that, what kind of disability I have and what medical code that is used to diagnose my disability “Panic attacks, Anxiety and PTSD”. People with those conditions may or may not need a service dog and could be helped with what they call comfort animals. A comfort animal is just that. They provide you comfort however do not preform an actual service such as protecting you from yourself when you have an attack or telling you that an attack is coming on or rendering help for you. Those who just carry a card or a badge for their dogs may be fake also. You can buy the card and badges on the internet. There is no such thing as a registered service dog, those who have a paper saying so have bought that off the internet. Service dogs have no registration at all. Those who say that their dog is registered are most definitely fake. Dogs can be either trained by a trainer or by the person themselves. Hope this helps you with your experiences in dealing with the public fraud. I do agree that the ADA should have an actual registry that would require the person to provide a doctors letter outlining that they need the service dog.
I wholeheartedly agree!! Also, I believe that when they are certain breeds of dogs that are considered, in general, dangerous the hotel should have the right to refuse those breeds due to the potential for liability. The ADA has guidelines that are far too loose and undefined.
Yes, I work at the hotel too and this is big problems for us as well. ADA needs to have some kind of registry of name and training of their dogs so hotel and other establishments can double check before renting. This is why airlines are getting very strict on service animals now.
I’m having a problem with a hotel trying to charge me for an ESA. It’s illegal
No it’s not. ESA’s are NOT covered by the ADA. Though I 100% think they should be.
Source: https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html
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Terrific article
I was recently charged 60.00 because I did not tell the desk I has a service animal. It had been my experience that many untrained hotel employees are exceedingly rude and will basically harass me when I tell them I have service dog. I ALWAYS have to tell them what the rules are. I guess what I’m saying is, is it legal for them to charge me for not a announcing “a pet” whichis what I was asked when I checked in. I dont have a pet, she’s a registered service dog and i cant tell you how many places have tried to charge me for having her. What’s the rule here? Can i be charged for not saying yes to the pets question?
So you dont want the people who own the business to even know you have a service animal, the issue is that often times people confuse service animals with emotion support and think they both have public access. My policy is, if you have a service animal the animal should stay with you at all times and should never be left unattended.
The issue is the power is all in the hands of whoever decides they have an service animal. I cant even expect you to tell my front desk at check in? My issue has always been that we have no way to protect our property from people who fill out a 5 min survey they find on a Google search and our hands our tied. I just wish there was legitimate paperwork that shows the dog is trained and is what the owner claims. I dont need to see your medical records or anything like that, all I’m asking is for a way to stop people from taking advantage of an obvious loop hole I would gladly rent a room to anyone with a legitimate service animal. Just sick of my house keepers getting attacked or my room being down for 2 days after you left because of the smell.
It’s illegal to charge for an ESA under the ADA laws. I have the proper paperwork and I’m being harassed by the property manager and Key West Florida stating that I have to pay for my animal for the night that I stay there next month.
The law is: A hotel cannot charge you for a service dog however a Service Dog must be at your side at all times. If you checked in without your Service Dog by your side then that gave the Front Desk clerk the idea that you were trying to hide your pet. This is why you were charged
Under the ADA law a place can NOT charge you even if you arrive and have not told them you have a service dog however an actual service dog will be with you 24/7 at your service so the dog will always be with you when you check in. The motel however can charge you if a service dog chews up something. Places have the right to ask, “Is that a service animal? and also “What services does dog preform for you” and you are obligated to answer them. There is NO SUCH THING as a registered service dog. The fake registration is obtained on the internet and is FAKE. A person who really has a service dog should know the ADA laws and should be able to recite them like I can. I bring my doctors letter on their letter head with the doctors phone number, address, place they work etc. and my diagnosis of why I need my service dog plus the medical code that also defines my condition. I gladly provide this letter to anyone who may give me trouble but not all people will define their disability like I will, I am NOT ashamed of why I need my service dog. Sadly people do not have to provide that letter and their is no real ADA certification to weed out the fakes.
First off you should never accept being harassed for having a service dog. As a hotel manager though it’s important to register your animal. The rooms have to be completely cleaned and stripped to avoid allergy issues with the next guest. We do charge double the fee for animals not registered at the desk. The terminology used isn’t the important thing here as many people refer to them as “pets” even if they are providing a service. Not registering them is being deceitful as there is still a pet policy to sign in reference to particular hotel policy regarding leashes, cleaning up after an animal, leaving dog in room alone, etc. Hope this helps.
Why don’t they just stay in pet friendly hotels? I mean, do these people do this just to annoy people who DON’T want to be around animals?? I have pets at home and that’s where they stay when I travel. If they NEED a service animal, have some consideration for those who choose NOT to stay in a pet friendly establishment. There are those with allergies as well. Does their condition not mean as much as the person traveling with their pet companion??? It’s ridiculous and a problem.
Because we don’t have too. I myself am tired of butt hurt whining liberals being offended by absolutely everything!
You’re the problem sorry not sorry ; we won’t stay in a nasty hotel just like y’all . It’s special cleaning that housekeeping does to remove the dandruff from the dogs that cause the allergies . 😂🙏🏽
so because I was blown up in Afghanistan and bring my dog with me I limited to not staying at certain hotels? If I have money and I am paying for a suite at the Marriott and I have a dog that assist with my daily routine why should I be restricted to pet friendly hotels.
Thank you for your service. God Bless you and your service dog. I am a mother who lost her son at 34 years old and 4 days before retiring as a Major in the United States Army. After his 5th deployment he was taking his 13 year old daughter to a movie when a man opened fire at him outside of a convenience store. He did what any father and soldier would do and protected his daughter. Because of his death I now have a service dog for two reasons, emotional support and I am deaf. After he died I found out he had made an appointment for me to get qualified for a cochlear implant. At first I would not go to the appt but my 3 other children told me that it was what Robert wanted for me. So I went and qualified. But I honestly did not want to have the operation that would take an opportunity away from someone younger than me and probably couldn’t get a job. I own a daycare. I have a job and am 63 years old. As a result I was encouraged to get a service dog. I call my service dog a gift from my son. My son also had an emotional support service dog. He got him after his last deployment. His service dog is with his fiance who is also in the Army and is a wonderful emotional support for her. I am so grateful you are alive and have a service dog to help you. Those who are negative on this site do not understand. Let’s pray they never need to. Again God Bless you!
You are a self involved idiot.
“Just stay in a pet-friendly hotel” is akin to telling the African-American community to just have lunch (breakfast or dinner) at the counter of some diner where the non-white folks are supposed to go. Do you get it now? POINT MADE
Best Western in Bakersfield had checked ne in one night following morning they told me I had to leave after booking a second night
It’s the people who abuse the rules that are causing the problem. I’m at a hotel right now with a man who has two dogs with him who are barking at the pool sniffing around walking 10 to 15 feet away from him from his chair he’s having other gas hold their leash one of them is a 17 week old puppy which can’t be a service dog it’s clearly a total bag of bullshit. Unfortunately these are the people that ruin it for people who actually need a service dog. And it’s been repeated reportedly to the hotel staff there’s been video sent of them barking and causing problems and being all over the walkways and nothings been done
Your a selfish shit bag to ask that a person in need of a SERVICE dog should stay at a hotel not of his/her choosing-
For people who don’t like kids should u ask that they stay at a kid friendly hotel? Don’t tell me it’s not the same thing u idiot- It’s not about canine verses human- But it is scout understanding that every one had individual needs and respecting that- Even the disabled- Your comments are typical examples of discrimination of the disabled .
And there’s office also the selfish shit bag at my hotel right now he’s had a dog two dogs actually at the pool barking every single day walking 20 feet from them on their leashes crossing and covering and blocking a pool pool path so if some elderly or child went by they would trip barking constantly at the pool and they were given rights over us complaining about the fucking dog dry jumping each other and lunging and barking at kids.
Absolutely not ada dogs. These are the a holes that ruin it for real ada folk. It’s a joke. I provided 10 videos to management and they still would not address it.
The man said The dog had to bark to warn him when he needs something but all the dogs did was bark at kids running kids at the edge of the pool and then he would come in for an hour without the dogs and then his wife a show with the dogs yeah right he needs to dogs with him that’s a bunch of bs. Omg ruined our vacation.
Westin mission hills major FAIL! To protect your guests.
Dont like it leave
KA- You my friend are a selfish idiot! Read the fucking article and the ADA rules clearly stated above. So when my dog alerts my wife I’m having a seizure in the middle of the night am I supposed to just leave him at home and die??? Cool story bro, it’s a service animal for a reason! I’m sure you also think people don’t have sex, smoke, use drugs, etc in the room you stay in? Stay home and step in dog shit and take a freaking allergy pill. Cameron D – THANK YOU for defending our country.
Me and my wife lost our son after a long battle, we need our dogs with us all the time, they make us forget a few thoughts, controlling anxiety and panic attacks. You have no idea how is live with a problem like that… so I went to a place cheap outside my city, I came to work, I need the place. The manager just asked to make sure I wont stay with my dogs on common areas, sure, I can do it, they don’t need my dog, I do… the manager saw my dog and said “this is bullshit, they are not service dogs”, we don’t need to say why we have a service dog, but to make sure he would understand how important that dog is to me I said a quick story about my son, he laughed again making a sign “whatever”. I called the owner and he agreed with his manager behavior.
Hotels with “pet friendly” sign are more expensive, and you need to have something in mind, “they and NOT pets, we really need them with us, my dogs came with me on our lap on the plane”
The simple solution would be to register your dog as a service animal. If your need for a service animal is a recognized disability under the ADA you should have no problem obtaining registration. Then you can simply show the ADA registration and legitimatize your exemption. Too often hotels encounter people who claim that their pet is a service animal in order to get around a ‘no pet’ policy. Trained service animals do not deficate on the floors, chew holes in furniture, bark at everyone who passes by the room, etc. The key is that your dog is TRAINED to perform a specific task or tasks to aid you. Simply declaring your dog to be a service animal does not make it one.
I cannot even deal with the kind of retard you are honestly. First of all if you voluntarily choose not to be around pet dogs you you are a horrible human being let’s start there. Then No Karen just because you want to annoy people does not mean we are going out of our way to be at another place. I am staying where ever I please because it is my money my time and not YOUR HOTEL. Then there are very low chances a service dog can give allergies my service dogs are hypoallergenic which in case you did not know let me color code it for you, means that even if you are sniffing his fur you won’t get allergies, and my service dog I bet is cleaner and more educated than you are. So service animals are not pets and all dogs are beautiful, they are trained and capable and have the right to be wherever their owner is and you can whine all you want the ADA protects this as a federal law you moron !
It is very hard to find pet friendly hotels when I travel. Hell its hard to find a hotel at all. So no “we people” don’t sleep in hotels to annoy you. We do it because we need sleep. If you have allergies to my SD then don’t come up to me or my SD that simple. Your pet can stay with a friend, a boarding agency, or family. My SD can not. I need him to live. Just as you said your animal is a pet/companion. My SD has been put through 2 years of training and 7 years of working. You pet has not. I could die if I let my SD stay at home. You need to check your entitlement.
You are tone deaf and need to work on YOU. Once upon a time, it was inconvenient to install ramps for those who were wheelchair bound and people likely thought “they” should just stay in accessible hotels. Obviously, that’s not acceptable. Service dogs go anywhere their human goes if they have the right documentation.
Umh that is an extremely rude thing to say, you seem to think I just bring my dog on vacation because I want to annoy people. I have a right to stay wherever I want and my dog is an attachment to our family so back off. Maybe you should just stay in tour hotel room if you feel like the few that choose to stay at better establishments means your vacation is ruined. That is a little much. My dog is for our family to stay safe and that medications are taken and that I stay healthy. So for you to Be rude and think we only care about ourselves, that is uncalled for.
Because we should have the same rights you do to in joy our vacation. Without pet dos barking at our service dogs or attacking them. Just the way I feel. Our service dog could save our life.
Go away….you ignoramus
Sounds like you don’t have a disability. Lucky you.
If you dont like being around animals, why have any? It sounds like you’re an angry person who probably doesn’t treat your a animals like a member of your family like they ought to be…just sayin.
Sorry that I highly take offense at your post. It is wrong and prejudicial. First of a real service dog is not a pet companion at all. They are servicing the person with a disability. A pet companion is a pet that could be a regular dog or what is called a comfort animal not a service dog. The ADA says that a person that has a REAL service animal is allowed to access ANY public place even if regular dogs are not allowed. People who have real service animals do not have them as pets they NEED them to live independently without fear. I do have consideration for other people however my disability yes takes preference over theirs including those with allergies, those afraid of dogs or those who do not like dogs. Those with real service animals should not be asked to stay in a pet friendly establishment.