TAMPA, Fla — A local Airbnb host is facing a criminal charge after asking a woman and her service dog to leave.
According to court documents, this all happened back on February 13th.
At the time, Elizabeth Hartranft, her service dog Red, and her husband checked into a Tampa-area Airbnb for a two-night stay.
According to Hartranft, around 11 p.m. on their first night they got a message from the host asking about the dog.
She told ABC Action News that she informed the host that Red was a service dog—used to help catch the onset of seizures
But the host told her he was allergic to dog hair and Red couldn't stay.
After contacting Airbnb support staff, the host offered to allow them to stay one night—but added that they would have to leave the next day with a full refund.
However, the couple decided to leave that night.
After leaving, they called the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) and filed a formal complaint.
It was later determined that the host violated company policy and had his listing temporarily suspended.
According to the state, he also violated Florida law and has been charged with "denial of rights of the disabled."
That Airbnb host was arraigned in a Tampa court Wednesday morning. He has pleaded "not guilty" in this case.
In the end, Hartranft said she's less focused on the host's punishment and more concerned with the need for the community to better educate themselves on disability rights.
"I don't want people in trouble, I don't want people in jail. I want them educated so they can make a better decision because the stress for me causes me to have seizures," she said.
This case is set to go to trial in late July.
ABC Action News has contacted Airbnb, HCSO, and the host's attorney for comment and we're waiting to hear back.
In the meantime, we're digging deeper into the issue of service dog denials in our area.
A South Tampa man turned to Susan Solves It after he said ADT told him he had to keep paying for a security system at his Hurricane Helene-damaged home, even though the system was so new that he never had a day of service.
