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.

Severe allergies are.

Not hotels but
I’m just back from Ireland and the one cafe I went to in Ballymore had a dog at someone’s table
and the pubs around about allow them in without a second thought

In all my years I’ve never known any refused entry but then I don’t go into the bigger cities as a norm

Eurostar allow pets on many of their routes. It’s entirely possible pp wasn’t travelling to or from London.

Assistance dogs can't be excluded

They don’t need to if places allow dogs and some actively want dogs and their dogs there. Some dogs do really love being with their owners and are comfortable with going to dog friendly cafes. Others are decidedly not. I’ve never had a dog that would have enjoyed it, so I haven’t taken one on holiday before as it wouldn’t be fair, though I’d also avoid kennels but now I have a small dog who would enjoy it and will sit quietly beneath the table so why wouldn’t I take him to places that are actively dog friendly when I’m going on holiday? I wouldn’t dream of taking him to places that don’t allow dogs but if they’re actively encouraging dogs, as many places in the Lake District do, then I’m taking him.(I draw the line at the cinema though.)

I agree. I have two holiday lets and both are pet free so people with allergies can stay. You wouldn't believe the abuse I get on my Facebook ads. The best was 'so you'll take my money but not my dog'. Ridiculous.

Well, the law prioritises those disabilities that may require assistance dogs.

yes it was a support dog

they also allow assistance/support cats

But the allergy would require constant medication if the allergen is present? And dog allergies are mostly long term.
My kids have asthma and their dog allergies always trigger the asthma.

And?

Thank you, that’s interesting to know.

Tbh I think the staff morale in my local Asda is at rock bottom right now. I can imagine a manager facing redundancy doesn’t care much.

Someone can say they have an assistance dog for social anxiety.

Do you think the law prioritise that over someone having a severe allergic reaction?

It certainly shouldn’t anyway.

My gran became allergic to some perfumes, and apparently that's more common than you'd think. It did stop her being able to go to a lot of places, and a lot of people didn't believe her about it and would "test" her out to see if she was lying. Just like that episode of Friends where Chandler says he's allergic to dogs, then they say he's lying because the dog had been there all along and he only reacted when he found out it was there. The thing is, my gran wasn't lying-it was an allergy that developed late in life and only some perfumes triggered her! But there are people who really don't believe allergies exist at all. She found some products which helped, I can't remember what they were, but for anyone with any sort of allergy that can't easily be avoided, it might be worth looking into treatments, as some people speak positively about them.

But the only dogs allowed on Eurostar are assistance dogs and it’s a complex process to jump the hoops to be able to take your assistance dog. So if it’s getting worse as you were told then that means more disabled people are travelling with their dog which is a good thing surely?

We have a rescue dog that we got last May. He has separation anxiety and cries and howls non stop if left. We are trying to get him over this but it has to be, obviously a slow process so we rarely leave him alone. We don't want him upset and stressed and it is not fair on the neighbours although they have said that as long as it is not every day they are not bothered.

We tried him in kennels over night but they said he cried all the time. He also seemed stressed when we got him back and was very very clingy.

He also was not happy with a sitter in our house.

So we take him out with us. We like to eat out - breakfast some days, lunch some days and tea some days. We only eat in places that allow dogs and he lays either under the table or next to the table quietly and with no fuss whatsoever. He just want to be with us.

We seem to be running out of places we can go that are dog free. We have a shopping outlet near us that's dog friendly, which is fine as it's outside. However all of the shops have decided they are dog friendly too, I couldn't get out of one the other day as two dogs where blocking the doorway (stood inside the shop) barking and growling at each other whilst the owners stood laughing.
There is a lovely garden centre near me that almost went out of business because they decided to stop being dog friendly after the staff got fed up picking dog poo off the floor of the gift shop (that sold food) and the restaurant and also wiping up dog pee that was left.
I have no issues with dogs at all but they do not need to be in every shop or restaurant.

If it’s a properly trained service dog then yes, it would.

I think it’s the fact there are more assistance and support dogs and cats plus more passengers with allergies. They said they are often having to move passengers with similar issues so as with everything pros and cons

I love Whetherspoon's for this reason! Mumsnet seems to hate them though. Dunno why. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Okay, not sure about Ballymore in particular😁, but as a general rule Ireland is a lot less dog friendly in shops/hotels/cafes than the UK seems to be. Or maybe I should say than GB seems to be as a pp from NI said her area isn’t that dog friendly either.

I really, really hope this doesn’t change!!
Dog and cat allergies in this family make visiting friends and relatives very tricky as it is.

To dogs? Cats possibly.

I was recently on a train (2 hour journey) and there were multiple dogs throughout the carriages. Some were sat on the seats. I was thinking how awful that would be for someone to sit in that seat after the dog got off the train, with an allergy to dogs, not knowing that their clothes were going to get covered in dog dander/hair.

This also goes for restaurants, cafes and pubs. It is so unhygienic. I've picked up my handbag to find it covered in dog fur off the floor in a cafe, found dog hairs in my food in a restaurant and slobber on the table in a pub. It's absolutely revolting and it's becoming harder to avoid dogs anywhere now.

I have allergies to pet dander (despite growing up with cats and dogs and spending summers at a farm). I love animals but am very sick around them.

Allergies become severe when dander is built up. If you put me and a single dog into an always pet-free room for 10 minutes, I won’t be sick. But if I go into an empty room that previously has always allowed pets, I can be sick almost immediately from the accumulation of dander. Only the most intense deep cleaning can fix it.

It’s not simply about staying away from a a space with an animal in it, it’s avoiding spaces where the residue of their dander is allowed to build up over time.

I booked a cottage recently and am very glad I asked about pets. Half that were listed as “no pets allowed” had dogs or cats living there when owner was staying in the home.

there are fewer truly pet-free options than one would assume.

I have always had dogs, love my current girl dearly, but agree with you 100%.

Dogs are everywhere now, and it really is a recent thing. It doesn’t bother me too much but it doesn’t take much to understand some people are scared or allergic. Plus the current trend of owners thinking they’re babies.

I was in a loud bar one night when a young woman came in with a lab, it was busy and noisy and the poor thing looked worried. Everyone was talking to it and it was just staring at it’s owner clearly for reassurance, have also seen a small dog in a nice cocktail bar in Manchester. Stick to country pubs set up for walkers and dogs, I see no reason at all for them to be in a city centre bar