Hotels charge dog owners fees with no definition, no standard, and no consistent link to what is delivered. In practice, the guest who pays the most often gets the least. This report draws on 2,000 hotels across 56 countries assessed under the Roch Dog Friendly Standard. The finding is clear: most pet fees are not service charges. They are revenue tools presented as cleaning fees. Lower quality dog friendly experiences are more likely to carry higher fees, with little or nothing provided in return.

Of 2,000 hotels assessed, 87% charge a pet fee. Only 13% allow dogs to stay at no additional charge. Fee amounts range from zero to $600 for a single stay, with almost no consistency in structure, format, or disclosure. A survey of 120 housekeepers found that fewer than 5% described dog stays as a routine source of significant additional cleaning work. The most common justification for pet fees is not supported by the evidence.

This paper draws on the Roch Dog Assessment Dataset covering approximately 2,000 hotels across 56 countries, assessed under the Roch Dog Friendly Standard (RDFS-02). Pet fee data is drawn directly from self declared hotel policy, cross referenced against quality scores. The analysis includes a survey of 120 housekeepers across hotels of varying quality and star rating, and regional fee comparisons across the United States, United Kingdom, and continental Europe.

The dog owner market. Market size, travel behaviour, and the financial stakes of unpredictable pet fees for dog owning travellers.

What the data shows. Fee structures across 2,000 hotels: per night, per stay, per pet. Regional analysis of the American, British, and European markets. The $150 price anchor and the double charge structure.

The cleaning fee myth. Housekeeper survey findings. Damage cost research. Why fees are not cost recovery but revenue extraction.

The quality paradox. Higher quality hotels charge less. Five star properties are more generous. The commercial case hotels are missing by overcharging dog owners.

What good looks like. Hotels that charge and deliver nothing versus hotels that charge and deliver value. Hotels that donate pet fee proceeds. A model worth following.

What the industry needs to fix. Transparency at the point of search. The double charge structure. The absence of a standard for pet fee disclosure.

What dog owners should do. Practical guidance for travellers navigating the current landscape.

RDFS-02 Dog Friendly Standard. The certification standard used as the evaluation framework in this study.

RDFRG-02 Defined Terms. All 29 terms defined in the standard.

RDCAF-02 Assessment Framework. How certification is assessed and maintained.

RDWP-02 Nobody Trusts Pet Friendly. Analysis of how "pet friendly" is applied across the global hotel industry.

RDWP-03 The Economics of Dog Friendly Hospitality. Economic analysis of dog friendly hospitality as a revenue strategy.