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Please explain how Hilton-branded properties’ staff are trained on the protocols for those who arrive with service dogs, and further, how they are trained in other aspects of the ADA.
That is not something we’re familiar with but we recommend reaching out to them directly if you have specific questions about their service dog policies.
How about disabled veteran emotional support dogs? Those also wil be charged a service fee?
Emotional support animals unfortunately do not have special rights when it comes to hotels.
I have a s Boston terrier isnd is registered as a emotional support dog I feel they should not have charged me 50 to stay
We are Hilton members an have tied up a lot of money in your system
This 12 pound dog is more trained an acts better than most humans I’ve seen
Unfortunately ESAs do not have legal rights for free hotel accommodation. Some hotels however will still accommodate them as a courtesy.
Firstly, there is NO REGISTRATION for ESAs or service dogs. Having your dog “registered” means someone scammed you out of the money you paid for that fancy paperwork to say your dog is part of a registry that does not even exist. The only true paperwork for an ESA is the letter your doctor wrote for you and even then that does not give you the rights a service dog has.
Secondly, ESAs are considered pets. Service dogs are not. It is against the law to charge fees for a service dog. ESAs are covered under the Fair Housing Act but hotels do not fall under that as they are considered temporary housing.
Sorry you feel like you were unfairly charged. Yes, it sucks having to pay a fee for your pet to stay in a hotel with you but at least they are letting your dog stay with you.
There is a voluntary registration with your state, all paperwork has to be turned in and even a doctors “prescription” for a service dog. Just FYI
That is incorrect – there is no mandatory registration for service dogs and emotional support animals. You generally do not need any specific paperwork for service dogs, other than the DOT’s Service Animal Air Transportation Form. ESAs however do require paperwork – a signed ESA letter from a licensed health care professional.
@Joan-
As a Hilton Employee, I can assure you we have multiple trainings and individual courses we each must complete on both Pet policy -Service Animals and ADA Guest Assistance. It is required that we complete these trainings within 30 days of their release. This is an ongoing requirement and when each state law changes we are given another to course to complete. These are Mandatory not optional. And they are completed by a 100% Scored Test. Every state has different laws and each hotel (Hilton Brand and it’s subsidiaries) have policies in place to protect themselves and their guests. Service Animals have specific characteristics and qualifications. In all cases only specific dog breeds and miniature horses are certified (per the Ada) They are individually trained by professional trainers (acknowledged by the ADA) to perform a very specific task that is determined by their owners disability. An emotional support animal requires no training nor accredited ADA qualifications to ensure the safety and longevity of its persons health. It can be a mild mannered lap dog . Or even a Parrot. A service dog also has very particular behaviors that other animals do not. Such as; they never seek attention from another human that isn’t their owner. They do not bark or pace or go after other animals.
No one typically “carries” their Service dog . Nor do they push them in a pet stroller. They are larger dog breeds and 99% of the time required to have specific colored gear and leashes that help other (ADA trained) people identify their owners disability.
Hopefully that shed a little light on whether or not a trained hotel personal can identify a Service animal or not.
Thank you for your input. A few clarifications: 1. Under the ADA service animals can only be dogs 2. You do not need a professional trainer “acknowledged by the ADA”. While professional trainers can be incredibly helpful, owners are allowed to self-train their service dogs. 3. There is no size minimum or maximum for service dogs, dogs of many different breeds serve successfully as service dogs. 4. While service dog paraphernalia such as the items we sell are helpful for service dog owners, these items are not mandatory.
Staying at the Hilton garden view in Gatlinburg TN, with service dog was denied entrance into the restaurant . Trying to find out what actually the policy is, offered to show the Asst. Gm his paperwork but she did not want to see it just kept saying that it was Hilton Policy not to allow dogs in the resturant..
You do not have to show any type of paperwork in order to be accommodated for a service dog. The manager should have asked you two questions: 1. Is the dog a service dog required for a disability? and 2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
I was just asked to leave the dining area with my service dog at the hampton Inn Douglasville/Atlanta. I will be taking steps to correct this for the next person with disabilities.
I was asked to leave the dining area of the Hampton Inn Wilmington, ***** the morning of 29JUL2023. I tried to educate the dining area as well as the front desk staff of the ADA law regarding service animals but was told I had to talk to the manager on Monday. Very disappointed as I felt discriminated against and more attention was brought to my disability while trying to get breakfast.
We’re very sorry to hear about your experience. Hopefully your discussion with the manager will clear up the situation. Sometimes employees are just not properly trained in service dog accommodation procedures.
Are Hampton inn and suites allowed to charge a pet fee towards any emotional support service animals?
Hotels are not legally required to recognize emotional support animals and waive pet fees for them. Emotional support animals in the U.S. only have rights when it comes to personal housing. They do not have access rights to hotels – only service dogs do.
The ADA does not define emotional support animals as service animals. Only service animals get to stay free and have unlimited access throughout a hotel. Those types of animals are quite expensive and are very highly trained. Emotional support animals are charged as pets only because what they do does not meet the definition of a service animal according to the ADA. If they are not a service animal, they have to be considered a pet. These are the rules that Hampton Inns have to go by.
You are correct, ESAs are not the same as service dogs under the ADA. Emotional support animals don’t have access rights to hotels under the ADA.