"RV Parks and Pets???"

Discussion in 'Trip Planning and Travel Concerns' started by BankShot, Jul 31, 2015.

  1. docj

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    The dog owners I personally find the most obnoxious are those that get service jackets for their fur babies and get them listed as "therapy dogs" in those jurisdictions where that is allowable. A couple of years ago we were helping to run a federal national historic site and we had to permit such people to bring their dogs in our museum even though no one else could. You just knew that for >90% of them the service dog thing was a pretense so they didn't have to leave the baby in the car. And let's not forget the one I had to kick out of a memorial fountain because it was a hot day.
     
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  2. Organic1

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    You are absolutely right about people getting service jackets! My brother is blind and had a seeing eye dog for many years. She was impeccably trained, and he had to go to classes before he was allowed to have her. When I see people put those ebay service jackets on their dogs I get so angry. Selfish liars who cheat to have what they want. It will end up ruining things for truly handicapped people who deserve their service dogs.
     
  3. 2dogsandacatfulltime

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    We most time ( 11 months on road 1 month at s&b home). We travel with 2 dogs and one cat.
    Truthfully, most people who camp often with their pets do supervise them.
    Yes you have the 5 percent that feel that their furry children are above the rules. Of course these are usually the same people who allow their human children to terrorize the campground.
    We camp with beagles. They are not vocal. Most people who are parked next to us don't even realize we have dogs until they are them. They are left unsupervised inside the trailer sometimes for 5 hours at a stretch. They sleep...
    My biggest issue is not really the barking or the poop. It is the people who bring unsocialized and untrained dogs and let them loose in the dog runs with the other dogs.
    Many times I've asked people to restrain their dogs so I could get mine out. " Oh he- She just wants to play.
    No the body language of your dog doesn't indicate it wants to play. Please leash your dog.
    I've made very few friends at the dog runs at rv parks.
    We also have a very large American bobtail cat 20 lbs who we walk on a harness and lead. We always wait until most are not around to walk him. Never when it's crowded. He enjoys these walks. But PLEASE ask permission to pet or approach the dogs or cat.
    Truthfully I really think the free range children are more of an issue than the pets. I've never had to remove a dog from my 5th wheel ladder or run one out of my truck bed.
     
  4. dbnck

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    You did not have to permit those people to bring their dogs into the museum.

    Therapy dogs are not the same as service dogs, and do not have an exemption from the laws/rules that disallow animals.

    Service dogs can go anywhere a person can go, but even then, if it is disruptive it can be made to leave. Of course, real service dogs are so well trained that the odds of that happening are about zero.

    Therapy dogs enjoy none of these special privileges. A business may not ask for documentation, but may ask (1) if the animal is required because of a disability and (2) what work or task the dog has been trained to perform.

    I wish more people knew this because the only way this is going to stop is if people with therapy or emotional support animals are challenged. They are relying on people's ignorance, and getting away with it.

    Businesses are unlikely to enforce this on their own because they don't want to be the object of a bad Yelp review or Facebook rant, but if another customer complains about the dog, then they will probably have to do something, and for all I know would welcome an "excuse" to confront the dog owner. "I'm sorry to ask this, but another customer has complained..."
     
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  5. docj

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    Thank you for this information; we followed the direction of the NPS park rangers we worked for. They had been told that they had to permit these animals to enter the museum. Now that I've researched it I realize that was incorrect, but I had no reason to challenge what I had been told.
     
  6. dbnck

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    I posted about the distinction between service dogs and emotional support animals upthread (#86), along with a link to an article where the author abused the system (emotional support snake, for example, and taking an emotional support alpaca into a CVS in New York City) and completely got away with it because people just don't know the law.
     
  7. BankShot

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    Were someone to bring an "Emotional Support" snake or Llama into my house or RV I'd be having snake fritters and Llama meatballs for dinner that evening. Nothing like a good meal at supper time............... :D

    Happy eats to all.............BankShot............(aka Terry)
     
  8. dbnck

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    With regard to that, the health codes that prohibit live animals in restaurants generally make an exception for live animals intended for consumption.

    I'd like to see a woman with a purse dog go into a restaurant and the owner say, "Yes, you may bring in your dog but..."
     
    #128 dbnck, Jul 14, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2016
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  9. Luvtheroad

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    Businesses seem to be afraid of challenging these people. In May, I was in a big-box store when a woman came through the door pushing a cart in which were three Chihuahuas wearing sparkly little dresses with matching top hats on their heads. She yelled "SERVICE ANIMALS" and proceeded down an aisle. NOBODY challenged her...not one person. If those were service dogs, I'm a monkey's uncle. She's obviously used to getting away with it.
     
  10. dbnck

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    Businesses definitely are afraid of challenging people, but it's possible the store you were in allowed pets. If a business doesn't serve food then there aren't any general laws prohibiting any animals from going in there--it's up to store policy whether to allow animals in or not. The restaurants can't let them in because of the health code, but other stores can do what they want.

    So she probably didn't have to yell "service animals" at all.
     
  11. flyfisher1

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    Parks are free to do what they want, but sorry, We will not be spending our approx. $ 10,000 per year on parks where pets are not welcome. What's wrong with a park owner asking people with trouble pets to fix it or leave... I own a hotel, and it is a simple fix.
     
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  12. mdcamping

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    absolutely nothing wrong, IMO when campgrounds don't enforce policies for "obvious" pet problems because of whatever reason is the issue here.

    That said not sure owning a hotel vs a campground is a fair comparison

    Mike
     
    #132 mdcamping, Jul 17, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2016
  13. BankShot

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    I think it's been established in this lengthy thread, that a lot of the pet problems we've been discussing are in fact allowed to continue in certain parks by owners or managers that refuse to enforce the rules that they themselves set down. If the rules would be enforced, these types of problems could and would be stopped in due time and all of us who own pets along with those who don't would be able to enjoy our stays without having to go thru all this. Like I think I mentioned prior, when someone lets their dog run wild, they should be given a warning. Second time, a much stronger warning, and if it continues then no third warning and instead notice given to get their sorry, ignorant butts out. I can tell you one thing, if I owned or managed a park, the rules would be enforced and all those that were there would be enjoying the good times they came there for. And those that don't believe in rules wouldn't be there to mess things up for those that do....................

    BankShot.............(aka Terry)
     
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  14. drfife

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    Easy to say.

    But park owners face backlash and bad reviews if they enforce the rules.
    Those bad reviews hurt business.
    If it hurts business, they suffer economically.
     
  15. TranQuilguy

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    Thank You,I get called a hard nose and challenged often on the rules.pet and otherwise,I have found less stress to let folks know we enforce and folks that read the bad reviews from being whatever, like that they are enforced.
     
  16. BankShot

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    This is almost a which comes first "the chicken or the egg" thing. I think we all agree, owners and campers alike, that this unruly dog/pet thing is caused by a very small minority of pet owners. I doubt seriously any parks reputation would be undermined by a small percentage of those unruly pet owners who might take the time to post a bad review. And even if they did most who read it could and hopefully would read between the lines and see that it was being written by someone who obviously didn't believe in rules , etc. At least that's how I see it panning out. If you have a park with 100 sites and it is 80% full and out of those 80 campers, four are non followers of the parks rules and get told to pack up and leave, then there are 76 other happy campers who are going to obviously be back again and who will be telling their friends what a great park they just stayed at, etc. And of the four that actually do write up a "crappy" review on that park, most who read that review will be the majority who will be happy to read that the park actually does enforce their rules regarding pets running wild and who will be happy to hear that. Yes we all know that bad word travels faster than good word does but that doesn't necessarily mean that I and others are going to believe in that negative review. It's like when you read 20 reviews on a park and 18 of them tell of how great the park is overall. And then two of them tear it apart and say all sorts of negatives about it in total reverse of what the other 18 have said. Who are you going to believe. Read some reviews the other day wheremost everyone was saying what a great park it was in all regards. Then along comes a review by some guy who was evidently part of that 1-2% crowd.. He did nothing but rip the park apart saying things that were 180 degrees out from what all the others had said about it. Bottom line, let that small percentage say what they want, it's the majority who rules and in the long run the park also ends up winning as long as they play by their own rules and enforce them with everyone.
     
  17. westernrvparkowner

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    A bad review generated by enforcing the dog policy isn't going to say anything about that. It is going to say the park owners have a bad attitude. It will say the facilities were filthy. It will say there are better parks for less money in the area. This year we have gotten exactly 2 reviews posted on this review site, yet we have already had over 1000 unique campers staying more than 5000 camper nights. That 1% crowd can easily overrun the .2% of campers that actually are posting reviews.
    And what can the park owner/management actually do? Just a week ago I had a guy who I saw allowing his dog to pee on a neighbor's picnic table. It was a big dog and the pee actually was splashing onto the table seat. I called it to his attention and he responded by telling he "he wouldn't ever return to this (expletive deleted) park. I asked him what he would think if someone peed on his belongings and he challenged me to "try it and find out". Unfortunately, my reservoir was emptied moments earlier, so I couldn't oblige him. He was leaving that morning, so I was pretty much stuck with cleaning a picnic table and stewing in my own juices.
    Unfortunately, annoying dog issues like annoying children issues and annoying adult issues are pretty much going to be a fact of life if you are around other people. We try diligently to keep a lid on them, but they can't be eliminated.
     
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  18. westernrvparkowner

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    Not challenging that individual costs the business a few raised eyebrows from all the other customers. Challenge that individual and be right, you will likely have a mini shouting fit resulting in a few raised eyebrows from all the other customers. Challenge that individual and be wrong, open the checkbook, the going rate to settle is into 5 figures. Until the law changes, if you claim your dog is a service dog, no business in their right mind will ever challenge you. Just the way the cookie crumbles.
     
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  19. BankShot

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    westernrvparkowner - I realize that many times you are put into a "damned if it do, damned if I don't" situation with folks such as you described in your post. But that still doesn't prevent you from telling the moron you also described, to pack up and get out of your park and, and telling him flat out no to return. Sure he might go make a bad post about your park but if as you say you have over 1,000 campers at your park so far this year and only two reviews turned in then to me you must be doing something really right to have a good occupancy rate like that. Sure they may not be writing reviews but they must be telling their friends along with probably even returning themselves to enjoy your park. Do you really need a camper who treats your park as this guy did? I think not, I know I wouldn't stand for it and would have told him to pack up and get out. To me allowing your dog to piss on a neighbor's table would be the straw that broke my old camel's back. That is just plain gross, not to mention being as unsanitary as it gets. I had my own business for many years and ran into my fair share of those types and in each case I told them their business was no longer wanted or needed and to hit the road and don't come back. My own wife thought I was driving away business when I did that and I simply told her that no I wasn't, I was simply emptying the trash from the business. And you know what, my business grew and grew and I never had any problems caused by a bad review. In a couple of cases where I did have regular customers ask me why a bad review had been given, I gave them my side of the story and what really happened and from there on it was clear sailing. So I am not trying to be the old proverbial armchair quarterback here, I speak with some experience in dealing with the public and customers of my own business. Bite the bullet with these troublemakers, I doubt your business will be hurt in any manner. I live in No. Calif. and your user name says you have an RV park out west here somewhere. Shoot me a personal message and let me know where your park is and you can rest assured if we are in your area we'll make a point of stopping by and tossing out the anchor. Who knows we may have already stayed with you and just don't know it...............:rolleyes:

    Best regards and have a great summer season................

    BankShot...................(aka Terry)
     
  20. westernrvparkowner

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    I think you missed the point, which is there is nothing I could have done that would have changed what happened and what will happen in any possible way other than create a greater disturbance. Yes, I could have gotten into a shouting match. Could have punched him in the face. Could have shot him or his dog. He was on his way out, so I couldn't kick him out. And all the other choices just lead to more problems.
    This happens all the time with dog and other issues. Common scenario:
    Dog barking. Alert and warn guest when they return that this is not acceptable. Guest promises it won't happen again. Next day dog left barking. Customer will not return phone calls and returns to park in evening . Park has two choices, create a bigger problem and insist the customer leave immediately which will inevitably lead to a scene (or worse) or just bite their lip, swallow their tongue and ride it out, because the dogs aren't barking when the customers are there and the customer is leaving the next morning. While kicking them out might sound like the best choice, we all want to show people who is the boss and make the point that violating rules has consequences, it really isn't the way to run a business. Instead, you take your lumps, make a note to never take them as guests again and get on with the business of the day.
     
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