Do you think there will ever come a time when business need to take account of the needs of those of us allergic to dogs?

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OK, so I don't want this to turn into one of the many threads where huge rows erupt about the number of dogs around. I accept that this seems to be the way of the world - for now anyway - but some recent experiences have made me question the implications.

I'm in the process of booking a UK touring holiday and have spent the last few weeks trying to book some medium range hotels in various places. Mainly countryside locations which might be part of the issue.

I am allergic to dogs and prone to fairly serious reactions, including asthma attacks if exposed for a prolonged period.

The problem is that I'm coming across so many places I like only to read that they are pet friendly. This is often accompanied by photos showing dogs running around the hotel interior, sitting on the beds and couches in rooms etc. If I were to stay in this room after a dog had been there it's highly likely I'd be quite poorly. When I've rung these hotels to ask if they have any designated pet free rooms, they have replied that no, they are 'pet friendly', as if this somehow makes them morally superior and those of us who have allergies are some sort of animal hater!

Given the legislation on dietary labelling that came in following some tragic incidents, I do wonder if we're going to end up in a situation where someone is likely to come to harm through inadvertent exposure. This is probably more likely to be a child as grown adults will be able to spot early warning signs.

I'm just interested in views on this as it's increasingly feeling like I'm being denied access to a service in a way that would not be acceptable in other situations.

I do and they all do much nicer food too.

To not allow dogs in the garden is ridiculous. My dog would lay quietly under the table. Meanwhile children would be running around screeching and getting in the staffs' way

The upstairs/downstairs one could work but a dog at the other end of a room wouldn’t necessarily prevent allergic reactions (though better than having them in your face).

It means that you can be sure the sofa you are sitting on hasn’t had dogs on it earlier.
It means that you are unlikely to have a dog actually come up to you and rub up against you or explore under your table.
It means you have the option of sitting a good distance away knowing someone won’t sit down with one at the next table.

But unfortunately we’d still react to the dogs if they were in the same shared space. Maybe not quite as quickly?

Dog allergies can be really debilitating. I think people don’t realise this sometimes. We have two sets of close relatives we can’t visit now in winter because of their pets. (We sometimes go in summer when we can sit outside.) Last time we visited inside one of my DC needed several days off school afterwards due to the severity of the reaction. He had been taking his anti-histamine allergy meds, steroid nasals sprays, inhalers etc. but there is a limit to how well they can work.
Dogs being at the other end of a room could help a little bit, but they’ll still probably make people ill, especially if dogs are there in the space everyday ifywim.

Whenever I try booking a hotel and use the pet-friendly filter on google, it knocks out about three quarters of the hotels - so I don't understand the problem you're talking about (at least in city-based hotels, don't know about country-type places). My tiny dog sleeps in its crate, doesn't bother anyone, and I'm stuck paying an extra £50 per night for her. All fine, I'm not complaining, but I just don't recognise the picture this thread is painting.

Don't mean to be a sh-t stirrer, but frankly I'm a bit skeptical of the apparently enormous number of people who claim to be 'very' allergic to dogs. My dog is tiny, no shedding, and of a hypoallergenic variety. I often carry her in her soft-sided kennel and people do not even know she is there - this is outdoors or on transport where dogs are allowed, not in restaurants or other no-dog areas. She travels a lot with me on airplanes, stowed under the seat in her kennel, where she sleeps quietly for trans-Atlantic flights.

Often at the end of a 12 hour flight, the person next to me will suddenly catch site of her. And all of a sudden it's a huge drama, they are 'allergic' to dogs and claim to have immediate reactions if they come near etc etc. They were right as rain next to the dog for 12 hours! But as soon as they lay eyes on her they are suddenly woozy and the world is spinning???!!

The last few weekends at our local shopping centre it’s been so busy and so many dogs (it’s dog friendly🤦) saw at least 10 dogs each time. They looked stressed were either barking or on extendable leads getting in peoples way

I don’t disbelieve you in the least about the severity of your allergy, but many people (including on this thread) have symptoms that go from mild to severe depending on how close the dogs are and how many have been in the area.
Realistically you’re not going to get all dogs banned from everywhere but many venues could easily be made more accessible for people at the milder end of the spectrum without losing the custom of all the dog owners, which many won’t feel they can afford to do.

And this is a good example of the type of entitled dog owner that gives the rest of them a bad name.

Why should pub gardens have to accept dogs? After all, as people who have allergies or phobias keep being told, it’s their business who they accept (and Wetherspoons don’t seem to be doing badly).

As posts on here have noted it’s accepted that there are a variety of places to chose from and if Weatherspoons is a guaranteed go to for severe allergy sufferers or those who don’t want dogs around then it’s good they have that.

There are plenty of other pubs around that serve great food and allow dogs
Something for everyone

@Notthehill Agreed. Pet allergies affect only 10-20% of the population, and in most of those, it is a mild reaction. Severe allergies to pet dander are very rare.

My cat allergy, at its height, was moderate. I needed prescription anti-histamines, steroid inhalers, and nasal sprays. If I sat close to someone who owned a cat, I would need to take medication. My asthma specialist often commented on how my cat allergy was one of the worst he'd ever managed, and how uncommon it was to be so allergic to pets.

My risk of dying from it was minimal, yet every other MNetter is apparently at risk of anaphylaxis/death if they exist in the same hemisphere as a dog

Hypoallergenic dog breeds are a myth unfortunately. The size of the dog probably matters, but people are typically allergic to dander (from skin cells, saliva, urine) not to fur. The allergic response can vary, ie a person may be more or less allergic to an individual dog, but the next person can react completely differently to the same dog.

They were right as rain next to the dog for 12 hours! But as soon as they lay eyes on her they are suddenly woozy and the world is spinning???!!
How do you know they felt right as rain? You can’t possibly know that.

I don’t think many have mentioned anyphylaxis/death?
Utter misery perhaps.
Maybe that doesn’t matter to people?

People are sometimes prescribed epipens for pet allergies so that is an indication of how serious they can sometimes be, but most will not be prescribed them.

DS hasn’t an epipen but, as I said upthread, he was still off school for several days following a few hours in a house with a dog. He wasn’t at risk of death thankfully, but it was very debilitating. He’s on all the meds you mention btw. It’s really awkward, but fortunately we’re in Ireland so dogs in cafes etc are much less usual.

I say right as rain because we chat and chuckle amiably for 12 hours, with no sign of any discomfort or reaction of any kind. As we are about to land, I normally reach into my dog's kennel and tell her we're about to land and she will have a nice, long walk. At which point my seat neighbour suddenly realises there's a dog next to them and is either thrilled, and wants to see the dog and hear all about her, or is horrified and starts saying they have allergies and being near a dog will immediately set them off!

Not saying people don't have actual allergies to dogs, of course some people do. But I do think the number is exaggerated and may possibly be part of why businesses and dog owners are not more solicitous of their 'needs' (which was OP's original question).

Agree, not allergic but I won't stay in hotels that allow pets

Some of these comments are ludicrous. What about people who have anaphylactic reactions to nuts etc. Should they be able to demand that cafes and restaurants don’t use any food which contains something they are allergic too - just in case they want to go in there?

Your dog can fit in the tiny 20cm gap under the seat for 12 hours? Is that even safe?

Schools and flights ban them in those situations

Many airlines do not ban nuts

Your post to me was deleted. (I didn't report it, someone else must have found it very rude as well). Making another post to talk about me is utterly pathetic.

just because we have different 'normal' & 'acceptable', doesn't make me wrong.& you right.

If there’s a passenger on that flight with a nut allergy they do. Or have done. They made an announcement pre flight saying they won’t be serving nuts and why.

Well, there’s zero chance of a peanut or cashew running up to you, winding itself about your legs, sniffing your feet and licking you 😅

I’ve never heard it announced but I’m aware people moved to the rear on an Emirates flight as I moved for them. I was told they had nut allergies
Nuts were still served to seats further up the plane

Heres a few airlines and where they stand

Emirates
Nuts are served on all flights as a meal ingredient or snack. They explicitly state they cannot guarantee a nut-free flight and encourage passengers to bring their own food.

British Airways
While they do not serve peanuts, they do serve other nut products (e.g., almonds, cashews) and cannot guarantee a completely nut-free environment.

Ryanair
Cannot guarantee a peanut-free flight.

Turkish airlines
Meals may contain peanuts or hazelnuts; while special meals can be requested 48 hours in advance, they do not have a total ban.

Qantas
While they have minimized peanut use, they still serve other nuts.

Passenger bought nuts
Even if an airline limits what they serve, they often cannot stop other passengers from bringing their own nut products on board.

Some airlines like Jet blue and United may provide a "buffer zone" (not serving nuts in the immediate rows) upon request, but they do not enforce a full cabin ban.

For airlines that do not ban nuts they recommend bring your own food, and carry necessary medication.

A friend with a son with a nut allergy informed the airline ( forgot which one ) and they still served nuts. She assumed as they had given plenty of warning it would be a nut free flight but were told they can’t enforce that

Surely with an allergy this serious you would ask if it was pet friendly in advance?

Exactly!! Going by previous posts, not banning nuts in all cafes/restaurants/hotels actually discriminating against those with nut allergies