Where can we visit that is definitely dog free?

[loubielou31]

Sorry this is a bit of a thread about a thread. My mum has quite a bad dog phobia, and it is becoming more difficult to think of places to visit with her because more and more places are dog friendly. I don't need to discuss the merits of this just suggestions of places that will definitely be dog free please. Visit to the beach in summer is spoilt for her (and consequently us) because even when there are no dogs allowed on the main beach, owners don't stick to the dog friendly areas.
We live in Bristol if people have specific places they know but general suggestions would also be great.
The zoo is one place we often visit.
Thanks

Actually WWT centres seem to be quite good at only allowing assistance dogs on site, don’t know how close one of those is to you?

Wwt wetland centre

Longleat, Noah’s Arc, The Wild Place Project. If you want strictly no dogs, you need to think of attractions where there are animals in residence.

I feel your pain. DS2 is severely allergic to dogs. We must avoid completely but that's so much easier said than done these days. It's isolating so I hope to pinch some ideas from your thread for ourselves!

One place we can mostly relax is the local RSPB nature reserve. Dogs are allowed on lead only in a small part; not allowed at all in most of it. So far not seen anyone breaking the rules ourselves though someone did leave a bagged dog poo hanging from a tree. Bad enough to do that anywhere but worse still it was in the dog free section of the nature reserve so clearly someone was breaking the rules at some point. Check the website for your nearest and what their rules on dogs are as it's different at each site.

Theatres?cinemas.?

Formal afternoon tea type places?

Yes! I would subscribe to that, 100%.

Someone on one of our local Facebook groups started a 'dog friendly' list and I wanted to suggest a dog free list as well, but was a bit afraid that I would get lynched. Feels like it would be much easier to list all the places where dogs can't go than the ones they can, though.

Dyrham park is dog free apart from assistance dogs https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/bath-bristol/dyrham-park/visiting-dyrham-park-with-your-dog

can't remember seeing any at Tyntesfield either (although would chek) if you are national trust members . Both lovely and easy from brisfol . Also sympathise as have a child who is petrified of them

I would pike to know to. Not scared of dogs just fed up of them being EVERYWHERE. The beach situation is getting on my last nerves. Massive signs saying no dogs and what do you see dogs.

I went to a deer park and National Trust castle says no dogs and there was many people with dogs!!! They have to force them everywhere it is sick. Obey the rules and go away.

It has gotten so bad that we won't be holidaying in the UK any more. Beach holidays are always ruined. Next summer we will be going to Turkey or Morocco.

We go to a local bird sanctuary/wetlands area walking as no dogs are allowed.

A cattery?

Bird sanctuarys

And bird of prey centres

botanicgarden.wales

This place is lovely. About 2h from Bristol so day trippable. Dogs are allowed on Mondays, Fridays and 1st weekend of the month but not otherwise and this is enforced

I believe dogs aren't allowed on Clevedon beach at any time. I've never been (because I have a dog) so I don't know if it is adhered to but could be worth a look.

There's a NT place in my area that doesn't allow dogs

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/shropshire-staffordshire/biddulph-grange-garden

It's a long way from you but suggests there are NT places that would be OK. Might be worth getting in touch with them and seeing if they could let you have a list. Like a PP I know some have also have very restricted dog area so you'd know you'd be ok in the house etc

No dogs in Wetherspoons but it means you need to be in Wetherspoons. You won't find dogs in Indian restaurants generally as they tend to be Muslim owned so don't generally have dogs. Never seen dogs in any proper restaurant in Bristol and it's not exactly overrun with them in the city centre

I would give her some hypnotherapy sessions for Xmas.

There's an arboretum just north of Bristol you can hire exclusively for half a day for less than the cost of a family visit to Westonbirt. That way you'd have the place to yourself and voila, no dogs! It's next to tortworth court hotel near Wotton

Otherwise, inside places? Ss great Britain, m shed, aquarium?

I think there’s demand for a website or app listing dog free spaces. I’ve tried googling before but you tend to get lists of dog friendly places instead.
I encountered a dog and the V&A museum a couple of weeks ago. Reported to security who were also clearly irritated and found that the person had obtained a special exemption (dog had no assistance dog marking, not a guide dog). I wrote to complain and was fobbed off.

I really don’t understand the need for dogs to be allowed everywhere. It ruins things for so many people. Assistance dogs excepted, obviously.

Here it is

https://tortwortharboretum.org/

They're community led. Maybe email them and see if a dog free day is something they'd consider?

Clevedon beach such as it is is really small & rocky. The seafront - gardens, walk, pubs, play areas are awash with dogs so l’d avoid OP

We used this for my daughter it was great!

Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) gardens don’t allow dogs.

If you have one near you the membership can be very reasonable, if you go a few times a year.

I sympathise greatly OP and I am a lifelong dog owner - currently have three dogs! The problem is partly that many owners haven’t trained their dogs to stay at home for substantive periods of time. We can leave ours for eight hours (not often but if needed) - and regularly leave them at home for 4-6 hours. Some people think this is cruel which is part of the big push to view dogs as human-like, which isn’t good for anyone in my book.

There is a botanical garden in/near Bristol, it's on my list to visit next time I am there, I hope they don't allow dogs as hate them myself, I just freeze when one is nearby.

OMG, once a saw the XL one in the royal park, that was a right scare for me.