What are the rules for emotional support pets at timeshares

[Bunk]

Did the rules change? I thought pet owners didn't have to bring any documentation when they bring their pet to a hotel or timeshare.
But then I saw several websites that say that emotional support laws don't apply to hotels. e.g:

Key Rights Regarding Emotional Support Animals In Hotels

Know ESA rights in hotels: no guaranteed access (businesses can deny), airline protections, documentation tips & chain policies. Travel smart with your support animal – avoid fees & hassles domestically/intl.

elleblonde.com

I thought that hotels have to allow emotional support pets and that the pet owner only has to answer two questions.
In fact I think this topic has been discussed on these forums and there have been complaints in particular about too many pets at Marriott Time shares.
But who knows, I could be having a senior moment

What are the rules?

 

[Sandy VDH]

I am posting this as someone who had a Certified Therapy Pet, a dog in my case. So am I familiar with the differences and the rules that apply to each category.

Note not MY Therapy Dog, but one that I took to visit hospitals and seniors homes etc. They have to be certified (ie trained and then pass tests), they have to have proper insurance, they have to be well behaved, and act appropriately in social situations with not only people but other animals and pets, and in addition to listening and behaving to me, they had to actually listen and behave to others, without me being present.

ADA rules are for service DOGS (not animals, but dogs only). The Fair Housing Act covers ESA in a permanent housing situation, like a rental apartment. Certified Therapy Pet gets NO accommodations for temporary or permanent housing.

Hotels need only follow the ADA rules on Service Animals. Most Timeshares follow ADA rules, and very few allow Pets (including ESA and CTP).

Here is the comparison.

 

[linpat]

I’m curious about that too since we’ve seen small dogs being carried into several Wyndham resorts.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I’m curious about that too since we’ve seen small dogs being carried into several Wyndham resorts.

Do people LIE and claim their Pet is an ESA, and even more importantly they claim their ESA is a SERVICE Animal? All the time.

I for one wish the ADA provided something less than vague wording and questions, as too many people are abusing the service dog designation.

 

[geist1223]

ADA should be amended to require Certification and Licensing by Federal Agency. Many people lie to get their pets or ESA into timesharea. Some timeshares (WM Windsor) have little to no enforcement. The GM reacts very negatively to be questioned about this and avout the lack of enforcement. He verbally attacked me as if I was the problem.

ESA are not Assistance Animals and should not be allowed in timeshares or hotels.

 

[controller1]

I wouldn't place too much credence in this article as this part of the article is not accurate.

For example:
American Airlines
Please note, service animals in training, emotional support animals, and comfort animals may travel as pets, not as service animals. All requirements and applicable fees will apply.

Delta Airlines
When flying on Delta, our top priority is the health, comfort and safety of our customers. In accordance with the final rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Delta will no longer recognize emotional support animals as service animals beginning January 11, 2021. We will honor reservations submitted and confirmed by Delta prior to January 11, 2021 but will not accept new EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL reservations for upcoming travel.

Also beginning January 11, 2021, Delta will only accept trained service animals that are dogs.

United Airlines
Emotional support animals
United does not transport emotional support animals.

 

[Bunk]

I'm confused.
Does Marriott Vacation Club have a policy about when pets are permitted? I recall lots of complaints about pets and even a petition was posted at one point

 

[SueDonJ]

I'm confused.
Does Marriott Vacation Club have a policy about when pets are permitted? I recall lots of complaints about pets and even a petition was posted at one point

Marriott's official policy is that Service animals are allowed, emotional support animals and pets are not. They say they follow ADA guidelines and are only allowed to ask limited questions to owners who make it known that they're bringing animals in. Regardless, there's been a noticeable difference in the number of obvious pets that are being brought to Marriott timeshares and like everything else, some GM's respond correctly to complaints while others don't.

If I saw an animal that was obviously not a service dog I'd bring it the GM's attention and warn that if nothing changed, I'd be contacting corporate within 48 hours. It's ridiculous that more and more people are being allowed to break the rules this way.

 

[Bunk]

Marriott's official policy is that Service animals are allowed, emotional support animals and pets are not. They say they follow ADA guidelines and are only allowed to ask limited questions to owners who make it known that they're bringing animals in. Regardless, there's been a noticeable difference in the number of obvious pets that are being brought to Marriott timeshares and like everything else, some GM's respond correctly to complaints while others don't.

If I saw an animal that was obviously not a service dog I'd bring it the GM's attention and warn that if nothing changed, I'd be contacting corporate within 48 hours. It's ridiculous that more and more people are being allowed to break the rules this way.

Thanks

 

[JudyH]

My neighbor got her son the psychiatrist to write a letter certifying her Giant Schnauzer as an Emotional Support Dog so she doesn’t have to leave him. That dog needs his own therapy dog.

 

[Sandy VDH]

My neighbor got her son the psychiatrist to write a letter certifying her Giant Schnauzer as an Emotional Support Dog so she doesn’t have to leave him. That dog needs his own therapy dog.

Doesn't matter, no hotels have to accommodate an ESA.

 

[spirit1]

Doesn't matter, no hotels have to accommodate an ESA.

My son has a Giant and we babysit him quite often. Love that dog but he does need to be with people. When he was younger he was pretty rambunctious. But I know what you mean.

 

[dagger1]

We were at the Worldmark New Braunfels last weekend and there was a young lady walking (they were actually walking her) two large Irish Setters…

 

[MrockStar]

We where at Blue Green Mountain run last week end the unit below had a poodle walked in the common area no problem, clearly not a service dog. it was mostly very quite and we where only there for the weekend. So i didn't bother checking on ESA rules but i thought about after they smoked in the bathroom directly below our bathroom and we could clearly smell it. Two violations that diminished an otherwise awesome color tour weekend.

 

[tschwa2]

ADA should be amended to require Certification and Licensing by Federal Agency. Many people lie to get their pets or ESA into timesharea. Some timeshares (WM Windsor) have little to no enforcement. The GM reacts very negatively to be questioned about this and avout the lack of enforcement. He verbally attacked me as if I was the problem.

ESA are not Assistance Animals and should not be allowed in timeshares or hotels.

Part of the problem is congress didn't want to have to give any money to enforce ADA either to ensure that businesses complied or that pet owners didn't take advantage or to ensure that disabled people complied with any licensing. The enforcement against businesses is that they can be sued if not in compliance (even by someone not disabled if they take the business to court for violating the law including the business requiring documentation for the assistance dog or any other assistance need. Congress didn't want to have to pay to set up an agency that licensed animals or to oversee independent licensing boards. And they didn't want to require disabled people to have to prove that they were disabled or to require expensive hoops to jump through. They decided that all that was needed was the honor system. What they did was make it easy for people to lie and businesses selling vests to convince people that ESA's were the same as service animals and allowed.

I've always been under the impression that California state law makes it harder under their fair housing laws to refuse ESA's. Holliday Inn, HICV's official policy is to allow ESA's but they don't follow their own policy about requirements for ESA. If someone says they have a dog, they just hand out the collar tags say it is ok for them to be their and they don't charge for the ESA like they are allowed to.

Personally (and I have no dogs or other pets) that larger resorts (especially the less popular one in areas that have more than one resort in an area- like Orlando) should make 2-10 units pet friendly. Advance reservation only first come, first reserved. Vaccine and vet papers sent before arrival and a non refundable pet fee and signed very specific rules including specific areas where the pets can't go. Having a few pet friendly units might make those owners less likely to try to sneak their pets in as service dogs, will pay for the extra wear and tare and for upkeep and cleaning of a dog walking area. It would also limit the rooms that pets can be in and someone with allergies doesn't have to worry about being placed in a pet friendly unit. ESA's can be made to comply with everything a regular pet would have to do.

 

[easyrider]

Many of the Worldmark units located in multi-inventory ownership resorts have owners that are allowed pets. I really don't care. I'm more annoyed with kids or drunks making too much noise after mid night unless it's us.

Bill

 

[VacationForever]

Most establishments no longer allow ESA. Dogs that are allowed must be service dogs (ADA) and that's when the owner has to answer the 2 questions.