When most people think of hotels, motels, and Airbnb types of accommodations, they do not think of pets. Some options exist for pet owners when they are shopping around. In the case of Airbnb, it is the choice of the host for whether or not to allow pets and whether or not to have pets of their own at the listings. What this post dives into is whether or not the host can be successful with a pet. Can you host on Airbnb with pets?
Airbnb Listing adds a Pet
I had been hosting a successful Airbnb for several months. The thought of having a pet never entered my mind. My neighborhood has several clans of feral cats running the streets. I intended to let those feral cats be. Well I was going about my business one Sunday evening when I pulled into the local Jimmy John’s parking lot. A tiny little guy ran out in front of my car. I had barely missed him! I stepped out to have a look and noticed his behavior seemed a little different than the typical crazy ferals that roamed the streets. I watched and realized that he was so small, most likely around 4 weeks, that his initial instincts were not to hiss and growl.
I stayed at a distance; however, a little girl coaxed him over to her. Surprisingly enough, she was able to get him into her arms. She held on to the little guy tightly… that is until the bus came. At that point her father yelled to her that it was time to move along. Next thing I knew she had whipped the cat a good 5 feet onto the ground and he quickly ran away. I felt so terrible for that tiny kitten.
I continued on to the next stop on my list. At the grocery store, I picked up some pepperoni just in case I returned to the scene of the crime and the little bugger was there. “Pepperoni?”, you ask. I looked for something small that I wouldn’t have to portion out and for something that in case the fur ball was gone, I would still want to eat it.
How I met my future Airbnb pet
I returned to Jimmy Johns parking lot, took out my pepperoni, and saw a little black puff ball coming out from the bushes. Luckily, his traumatic experience with the little girl had not scared him against all humans. I gave him a few pieces and then tossed my hoodie over him. I quickly scooped him up and whipped him in my car.
Now what? Well it was Sunday evening in a small town where everything was already closed. I took him home for the evening to figure out what agencies were non-kill so that I could place him in one of their accommodations the following day.
Welcoming Pets to Airbnb
For the first couple of minutes the little guy was petrified. He is seen attached to the bathroom wall hiding by the toilet cleaner. This only lasted for a few minutes. I scooped him up and that totally changed his tune. For the remainder of the evening he was crawling all over me and purring. This kept up continuously so that when the following morning arrived, I was unable to drop him off at any of the local shelters. I had guests staying with me that night so I was about to find out what it was like to host Airbnb with pets.
Guest’s Reaction to Pets at an Airbnb
I was concerned with how my guests would respond to having a pet at my Airbnb. At that time I had a guest that wanted to extend his stay. One of the reasons he told me was that he enjoyed the new cat and wanted to continue his interaction with the kitten. He felt it was a warm addition to his stay. I knew a cat could alienate some guests that were allergy sufferers, but figured that if this guest enjoyed having a furry friend as part of the listing, maybe others would feel the same way. Maybe I really could run an Airbnb with pets.
Current Airbnb/Pet Situation
At the time of this article. six months have passed and my little guy is still with me. I clearly state that I have a cat within the listing so that potential guests understand I am hosting an Airbnb with pets. Additionally, I have added a picture of the cat so that even if you don’t fully read my listing, you should realize there is a cat by looking at the pictures. I would not want to deceive anyone on this issue. I come from a family of allergy sufferers so I am well aware of the hazard this poses for many.
My little guy is not the typical type that stays to himself. He is a very curious feline who introduces himself to my guests. So far this has only added positive attributes to their experiences. Ouzo has even made the Airbnb reviews. “She has an adorable cat that made our stay, a stylish bathroom and the comfiest beds.” Reading this warmed my heart. I had made the right decision to permanently host this little dude.
Not to Confused with “Pet Friendly”
When you are creating your listing, you have the option to designate your home as Airbnb pet friendly. A option is available on listings to check off the box of pet friendly. This is discussed in the article Airbnb Host Step 3 – Get Ready for Guests!. When classifying your listing as Airbnb pet friendly, this means you welcome guests’ pets. The term Aibnb pet friendly has nothing to do with your own pets. At this time there is no area to officially declare your Airbnb listing has a pet.
To have a pet or not as an Airbnb host?
This is the question.. From my experience, I would conclude with this: I would not let the fact that you have a pet deter you from hosting. You must certainly can host an Airbnb with pets. There are positive ways to host an Airbnb with pets. My occupancy rate has stayed strong so Ouzo has not seemed to scare off many potential guests. Make sure to be very clear about the fact that there is a pet on the premises.
And as always, make sure your home is clean. This becomes even more important when you have pets on site. No one wants to visibly see or smell that you have a pet if the pet is not even in the room. Refer to my cleaning list to remind yourself of all the nooks and crannies. Pay special attention to any messes your pet may have made with special attention to fur, hair, or feathers. And just think, not everyone can have a pet where they live. You may have some people book your listing specifically so they can have a furry friend during their stay. For more insight to how to host Airbnb with a pet, you can refer to this blog post.