To allow pets, or not to allow pets? This is one of the things that comes up a lot in my strategy sessions with new vacation rental hosts. If my clients have pets that visit their vacation rentals with them, furniture and surfaces that will hold up to claws, and good communication with their guests, I advise them to be pet friendly for friendly pets.
After all, being pet-friendly can be a real competitive advantage. But what, exactly, does that mean? How can you make sure your vacation rental is ready for your guest’s four-legged friends? And last but not least – how can you avoid a destroyed rental and an experience that leaves a bad taste in your mouth?
Read on to learn how to make pets feel at home in your Airbnb, earn five-star reviews and get more bookings.
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Table of Contents
What Makes an Airbnb Pet-Friendly?
When we talk about paw-friendly vacation rentals, we’re talking about homes that are comfortable for both pet parents and their animals. The first thing to decide is if you are pet-friendly, or really just dog-friendly. People do travel with animals other than dogs, so make it clear in your rental agreement whether those pets are allowed.
You also need to consider if you want to accommodate all types of dogs regardless of age or size. Before you decide, check your insurance policy – some exclude specific dog breeds.
Finally, decide how many pets are too many and make the limit clear in your rules.
Tips for a Pet-Friendly Airbnb Your Guests Will Love
Pet-proofing your place
If your rental is pet friendly, it must be pet safe. Pet-proof your Airbnb by avoiding potentially dangerous items or at least keeping them out of reach. Consider detergents and chemicals, pest control poisons, electrical cords, toxic plants, and choking hazards. Make sure balconies have railings that pets can’t jump over or squeeze through. Fence backyards, terraces, or gardens and make them escape-proof to the best of your ability. If there are features you can’t modify and you know they won’t be safe for certain pets, let your guests know during the booking process. You’ll have the peace of mind that you’ve done your best to prevent an accident, and your guests will be more confident that you’re not hiding anything.
Besides protecting pets, pet-proofing your vacation rental also decreases the risk of damage. Make sure there are no loose ends and move breakable items or plants out of reach.
If there are any rooms in your rental you’d prefer to be off limits for pets, provide removable gates. Having a puppy fence available will be a relief for owners, especially if they’re bringing a young, energetic pup.
Pet-Friendly Furniture & Surfaces
Know that every guest will agree to your rule that no pets are allowed on furniture, but some dogs are bad at following rules, especially if they’re allowed on furniture at home.
Save your sanity by investing in pet-specific throws and leave them on the sofas as a not-so-subtle hint when furry friends come calling to protect your furniture investment.
Leather and microfiber are good choices for pet-proof upholstered furniture.
Hard floors are easier to clean, but carpet isn’t necessarily a no-go. Choose nylon or wool fibers, and find a good carpet cleaning service (and schedule them regularly) to keep carpets looking and smelling good. Your pet fee will cover the added expense.
If you’re choosing hard floors, get samples and check scratch resistance. Luxury vinyl plank is economical and practically bullet-proof, but there are lots of other options that will hold up to claws.
How to become the G.O.A.T. pet-friendly vacation rental
Barkitecture
One of the growing trends in interior design is barkitecture, or “animal-first architecture.” That means things like sleeping nooks and feeding stations built into cabinets, dog washing stations set up in mudrooms, and even giving pets their own doggie den or cat palace.
If you’ve decided to lean hard toward a pet-friendly niche, remodeling your rental to include these types of features might make sense. For the rest of us, adding furniture that will fulfill pets’ needs while also fitting the rental’s interior aesthetic, setting up an attractive doggie corner, or styling your space with subtle animal-themed art and accessories will communicate that you don’t just tolerate your guest’s fur babies, you appreciate that they’re part of the family.
Pet Amenities
Providing pet bowls, dog beds, and blankets serves two purposes: It makes guests feel like they’re getting something for their pet fee, and it prevents them from using people stuff for those purposes.
If you allow both big and small dogs, keep both large and small sets of bowls and beds stored. Make a note in the booking details after your guest tells you what size dog they’re bringing, and they’ll be surprised and delighted when they arrive to find that your housekeeper has set things up just right for their pup.
Consider a separate gift basket just for FIdo. You can include things like pet-friendly stain removers, poop bags, toys, and of course, treats.
In your welcome book, include tips for local activities you can do with Spot, contact info for recommended doggie daycare or pet sitters, list dog-friendly restaurant patios, include a map of pet-friendly areas and dog parks, information for local pet businesses, and of course, information about the nearest vet.
This shows pet parents that you’ve thought of everything and makes their stay that much more enjoyable.
How to create a smooth rental experience
An essential element of pet-friendly Airbnbs is clear and friendly communication with pet owners about your pet rules. Be specific about what you do and don’t allow in your rental, and make sure that this information is easily accessible to guests.
Remember that the person booking your place isn’t necessarily the one bringing a dog. Prevent “I didn’t know” or “it wasn’t my dog” excuses by asking “Will anyone in your group be bringing a dog?” during the booking process. If they say yes, or they think so, make it clear that before that happens, you must be informed and the dog owner must review and agree to the rules.
We find that presenting the rules as an interactive list of questions comes across as friendlier and makes it difficult to skim without reading. Not sure how to do this? Click the graphic below and steal our idea! (available as a Google form or PDF).
Add your pet policy to your listings and use our form or one of your own. Let the primary renter know (subtly, nicely) that they are responsible for everyone in their party following the rules, and make it easy for them to share those rules.
Dog rules we recommend
- No dogs left unattended for long periods (be sure to spell out the number of hours you’re talking about)
- No untrained dogs
- No more than two dogs
- Owners must clean up after dogs both in the yard and on walks
- Dogs must be non-aggressive toward other dogs or people
- No dogs in the pool (dog hair destroys the filters)
You should have a pet fee
There are a couple of reasons to charge a pet fee. The first is the additional cleaning and maintenance that comes with being pet friendly. The second is to prevent people from bringing their dogs because it’s “free” rather than leaving them at home at a kennel or with a pet sitter.
Providing some of the pet amenities listed above will help your guests feel that the fee was worth it.
Some guests may try to sneak pets in to avoid the fee. We recommend making it clear in your rental rules that if pets aren’t pre-approved, the fee is considerably higher at the least, and that guests can be evicted at the worst.
What about service animals?
It’s important to know that regardless of your pet policy, guests who require service animals cannot be charged a pet fee, and are not required to disclose that they are bringing a service animal. Hosts are only permitted to ask whether the guest requires the animal because of a disability, and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform.
With that said, the service animal must be in the guest’s control in public areas (i.e., harnessed or leashed), may not be left unattended and they must be housebroken.
Emotional support animals are in a different category. Unless you are in New York or California, you are permitted to charge a pet fee, and you can decline the booking. If you are in New York or California the same rules apply as for service animals.
But what if damage occurs?
On the whole, pet lovers tend to be very responsible. Most of our clients report minimal damage across multiple properties, but damage can happen. There are a couple of ways to handle it.
- Make it clear that guests are responsible for damage not covered by their pet fee.
- If booked through Airbnb, make a claim through the AirCover program.
- If booked on VRBO or your own website, consider requiring a damage insurance policy when booking with pets. They are typically inexpensive and will give both you and your guests some peace of mind.
- Require a refundable damage deposit (if booked outside Airbnb).
Typically the most damage occurs when travelers leave pets unattended in the vacation rental for long periods of time. Make it clear in your rules that this is not acceptable.
Are you ready to make your rental pet-friendly?
With the popularity of “work from anywhere” travel and longer stays, more and more guests are hitting the road with the entire family in tow, including the furry ones. A recent Trip Advisor survey reported that more than half of the respondents travel with pets, and Airbnb reports that “pet-friendly” is one of the top amenities guests search for.
With pet-friendly design or decor, a few pet amenities, and some friendly communication, you can take your Airbnb from pet-friendly to pet-awesome. Consider asking your guests to tag your vacation rental in the photos they post of their fur babies, and feature the best photos in your own feed. Show your guests that you don’t just tolerate their pets, you welcome them, and enjoy increased bookings, happy guests, and 5-star reviews.
Do you look for pet-friendly rentals when you travel? Wondering about anything we didn’t cover? Pop in the comments below and ask away!
