A guest is bringing an assistance animal. What hosts can and can't do

Your listing says "no pets". A guest messages to say they'll be bringing their assistance dog. Can you say no? In most cases, no. Airbnb treats assistance animals differently from pets, and so do the laws in many countries. The good news is that these stays are almost always uneventful, and preparing for them is simple.

Assistance animals aren't pets

An assistance animal, such as a guide dog for someone with a visual impairment, is trained to help its owner with a disability. Airbnb's non-discrimination and accessibility policies require hosts to accommodate them in most cases, even if the listing doesn't allow pets. Local laws often say the same.

In practice, that means:

• A no-pets rule generally doesn't apply.
• You can't charge a pet fee or extra cleaning fee because of the animal.
• You shouldn't decline or cancel the booking because of the animal.

There are limited exceptions in Airbnb's policy, for example certain situations where the host lives in a shared space. The rules can change, so read the current version in Airbnb's Help Centre. If you think an exception applies, contact Airbnb support rather than refusing the guest yourself.

What you can ask

Don't ask for certificates, ID cards or medical details. Instead, ask the practical questions you'd want answered for any guest:

Thanks for letting me know. You're very welcome. Is there anything that would help, like a spot for a water bowl or directions to the nearest green space?

That's welcoming, it's useful, and it keeps the conversation on the stay rather than the guest's disability.

Preparing the place

You don't need to do much. A few small things help:

• Tell your cleaner in advance, so they can plan for extra vacuuming and lint rolling of soft furnishings.
• Point out the nearest grass or park in your check-in information.
• Mention any hazards: a busy road outside the gate, a pond in the garden, a cat that visits from next door.

Your house rules still apply to the guest. Things like keeping noise down and leaving the place reasonably tidy are still reasonable expectations.

Cleaning afterwards

After the stay, give the place a thorough clean with attention to hair. That's the main extra job. If future guests have allergies, a careful vacuum of floors, sofas and mattresses, and washing all soft furnishings that can be washed, goes a long way. Add a line to your cleaning checklist for stays involving animals so this happens consistently.

If there's damage

Assistance animals are well trained and damage is rare. If it does happen, the guest is responsible in the same way as for any other damage. Document it with photos and use Airbnb's resolution process, as covered in our post on when a guest breaks something. Don't try to charge an informal "dog fee" after the fact.

What about pets?

If a guest asks to bring a regular pet, that's a different conversation, and you can follow your own rules. Our post on whether to allow pets covers the pros and cons. Keep the two separate in your mind and in your listing: "No pets (assistance animals welcome)" is a clear, fair way to put it.

Why it's worth getting right

Getting this wrong can mean a complaint to Airbnb, a policy violation and, in some places, legal trouble. Getting it right usually means a quiet stay with a careful guest. Treat assistance animal requests as routine, ask practical questions and plan the clean, and most of these bookings will be some of your easiest.