How to Set-up your Airbnb for Pets

If you are an Airbnb host during the time of Covid-19, you will know it has never been more essential to make sure your listing appeals to as many different types of guests as possible. One such type of guests that you may have not considered before are pets!

While many Airbnb hosts might be scared of the increased likelihood of damages, many do not realise how high of a demand there is for pet-friendly Airbnbs and how easy it is to reduce the chances for serious damages by adapting your space to welcome furry friends.

So why should you consider allowing pets into your Airbnb?

The NZ Herald reported that Kiwis are among the world leaders in pet ownership with 44% of households having at least one cat and 34% of households having at least one dog. Studies have shown that of these households, more than 50% are likely to travel with their pets. Therefore, it is a no-brainer that allowing pets to stay in your listing is a sure-fire way to increase your bookings.

Further to this, the competition for other pet-friendly rentals is extremely low. This blog did a quick experiment and found that the number of rentals for a variety of different locations across the world shrunk by around 90% when selecting the pet-friendly search filter. Therefore, setting your space up for pets will not only help you attract more travelers, but you will also be more likely to gain repeat guests if they visit the area again.

How to easily set up your Airbnb for pets:

Include clear expectations for pet-owners in the house manual: Before guests travelling with pets stay at your property, make sure that they are aware of all expectations to avoid issues or confusion later on. You can include rules in your house manual such as:

Pets are not to be left alone inside the Airbnb

Guests need to pick up after their pets and dispose of responsibly

Guests need to report any damage to the property immediately

Pet friendly space: Creating a pet-friendly space is all about choosing furniture and flooring that is the most resistant to damage as possible. The most resistant flooring would be hardwood, stone or laminate flooring but another easy option is to buy a large in-expensive rug that will protect the flooring but can be easily cleaned or replaced.

Setting boundaries: A fully fenced off property is an important feature in a pet-friendly property so make sure your property is escape-proof by checking for gaps around the perimeter. Fencing off features such as pools or other facilities is important for safety also.

Stock pet supplies: Go the extra mile in making pets feel welcome by providing food and water bowls, a pet bed as well as a jar of treats in the cupboard. If pets could give ratings this would definitely make it a 5-star each time.

Pet safety: To keep pets safe in your property you need to reduce the amount of things that they can reach. This means keeping food and cleaning supplies up high and also hiding any electrical cables.

Consider a pet fee: It’s not uncommon for hosts to charge an extra pet fee if guests are bringing along a pet as this can go towards stocking up pet supplies but also offset any potential damages that are likely to occur over time. You can decide whether to charge extra in the cleaning fee or security deposit for this or you can add it as an extra cost within your description.

Using the tips above, you should be able to easily set up your space to accommodate pets while also keeping the likelihood for costly damages low. With this you will be able to attract a far greater variety of guests which will boost your earnings significantly!