Service Dog, Again

[Leon Lee]

Hi, fellow investors, 

Got another inquiry from guests with service dog. I wonder for STRs, what is the best practice when guests inquiring about stays with service dogs? We usually send a letter as below to guests, but want to be see whether there are better approaches. 

Thank you in advance!

Lee 

Hi, XX

We appreciate your interest in staying at our property. We are committed to ensuring that all our guests, including those accompanied by service animals, have a comfortable experience.

In line with the law, guests accompanied by service animals are always welcome. However, it's essential for us to differentiate between service animals and emotional support animals for our records. To help us better prepare for your visit, could you please provide some information about your service animal?

Can you confirm that the animal accompanying you is a service animal trained to assist with a specific disability, rather than an emotional support animal?

Without disclosing the nature of your disability, could you mention the specific work or task the animal is trained to perform?

For the safety and comfort of all our guests and to maintain the integrity of our property, we kindly ask that service animals refrain from sitting on furniture such as sofas and beds. Should any damage occur during your stay as a result of the service animal's actions, responsibility for repair costs would be assumed by the guest.

Please be aware that our property accommodates specific breeds of service dogs. We trust that service animals, given their training, remain calm and non-disruptive during their stay. If there's a breach of the established rules, we may have to reconsider the terms of your stay.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We look forward to hosting you.

Warm regards,

Your host, Lee