Taking the Dog on Holiday Without Telling the Caravan Site… Am I Mad?!

[oceanmountain]

So I’m going away in a couple of weeks and had a dog sitter all sorted… and now they’ve just cancelled because of a family emergency.

I’ve tried everywhere and can’t find anyone else to take the dog on such short notice, and I really don’t want to cancel the trip and upset the kids. So I was thinking of just taking the dog with me and not telling the caravan site.

Has anyone ever done this? My dog’s tiny and doesn’t shed, so I honestly don’t know how they’d even notice.

My friend said I shouldn't do it but I cant see any other option?

The reason there are pet free caravans is because of allergies.
That would not a good thing to do.
Allergies can be life-threatening, please, remember that.

You should read the other thread up right now about the issues this causes for people with allergies (and it's not about the hair, and no it can't be adequately cleaned with regular cleaning). People can end up in hospital with dog allergies, you really shouldn't do this. They may also fine you, I have heard of that happening in similar situations.

Put it in a kennel …. dogs are so pampered and indulged these days, it’s madness. And I say that as a dog lover who grew up with dogs.

My DD is very allergic to dogs and I’d be pissed off if she reacted in “dog free” accommodation.

Dogs are fucking everywhere now … even quite smart restaurants, madness.

There's quite a few threads from entitled dog owners asking if they are being unreasonable. When people say they are, they disagree 😂some dog owners, honestly 🙄

Hope someone dobs you in.

@oceanmountain I'm sure we'll hear from you again when the caravan park terminates your stay without a refund because you've breached the terms of your stay 🙄

We take our dog with us on uk breaks in caravans but its a dog friendly haven site and we pay extra for a dog friendly caravan
You need to tell them you are now bringing the dog as if you dont and the dog is found then youll likely be asked to leave
Plus its a very good point about people with allergies.dont be that person that ruins someone elses holiday!

Op your caravan will
probably be in a zone with other non pet friendly caravans so will be glaringly obvious. The caravans don’t all belong to the caravan park, they have owners and are rented out via the caravan park. They will have their own reasons for no dogs. I have 2 chihuahuas one short haired and one long haired - both shed as much as the other only difference is short haired is more course. Plus dogs smell, we can all say they don’t but they do, they are animals!

Sorry not read full thread, i had the same situation few years ago. Rang the site and they agreed I could bring my dog.

I really hope this happens. I’d also add a fine along with the no refund. Honestly fed up with the sheer entitlement of some people. Selfish fuckers!!

It is likely that designated dog-friendly caravans have a different cleaning regime to the standard caravans. There is a risk that you don't clean it to the right standard for someone with allergies to dogs.

She can't find a place!

Of course it’s an option, every dog that’s ever been in kennels at some point went for the first time, this would be the first time your dog went.

Your choices are:

• find a kennels with availability and book your dog in - this will cost money and the dog might not like it but millions of dogs have been in kennels and survived it just fine so likelihood of any major harm is low
• cancel your holiday and lose the money
• Go with the dog and hope that no one notices - risk if they do notice is that you’ll be kicked out this could be distressing for the kids

This whole "hypoallergenic" thing is just bollocks.

Good point also.

The only dogs I’ve seen when we have been in caravans in the last few years were very much clearly owner occupied vans.

So they must be else where on site. Lumped together.

Thinking of the last place by the pub. The saver and bronze caravans. Again clear as day. Lots of dogs around there.

Before I get jumped on I know you can also book higher grade pet friendly vans as well but they don’t keep as many “silver” and upwards pet friendly ones.

That's not how allergies work. Don't be a dick

Quite.

Totally! We always take our dog on holiday she loves it but its on ever dog friendly caravan on a dog friendly site
Id never dream of sneaking her in somewhere she wasnt meant to be .people are so bloody selfish , as long as they get their holiday who cares whos holiday their actions wreck

Yes, @oceanmountain you would be mad to do it. It is not something any decent person would do. Could you enjoy your holiday with the risk hanging over your head of being discovered, made to leave and charged an allergen-free level expensive deep cleaning fee? Could you enjoy your holiday knowing that, even with your type of dog, you cleaning before leaving and the cleaners cleaning after you leave, you could still be putting the health and lives of later guests with serious allergies at risk? I could not enjoy the holiday in your shoes or knowingly risk the health of other people. Our dog is a part of the family and comes on holiday with us, but never, ever sneaked in or in designated pet-free accommodation. I completely understand the disappointment you would all feel not being able to go and also the blow of losing the money, so I do sympathise. You must remember though that two ordinary cleans would in no way remove all traces of your dog to an allergen-free level.

Why don't you look for dog sitters near the caravan site and on your route to it, rather than just near home? If you'd like to post the approximate areas where you live and would be staying, we might be able to help you.

Incredibly selfish - you do realise you could kill someone, who might stay there after you?

There is another thread going on and you will be hauled over the coals if they see this. To be serious though, we sometimes take our dog with us and pay extra for her which we are happy to do. We would never take her to a pet free accommodation. Can you not see if they have any pet friendly caravans you could change to?

I hate it when dog owners are slated, but also cannot stand it when people do things which give us responsible owners a bad name. I would say for the sake of responsible dog ownership if nothing else please do not do this.

She hasn’t said that anywhere. She said the dog had never stayed in kennels before so it’s not an option. Ridiculous imo.

@oceanmountain

No you are not mad. You are way worse.

Some suitable adjectives: selfish, rude, entitled, arrogant, inconsiderate, egotistical, spiteful…I could go on.

But you don’t care do you? As long are your plans are not compromised you don’t give a flying fuck.

You won’t clean the caravan because the fact you’ll take the dog anyway already demonstrates your overwhelming self serving attitude - but even if you tried, it’s not possible because you will not remove all traces of dog dander and saliva.

Clean to you is probably a quick flick round with a cloth and maybe a quick hoover. Not the much needed deep clean of soft (and hard) furnishings and the caravan being properly aired for days.

It’s thanks to dog owners like you that I’ve been poorly to the point of being hospitalised in the past.

😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

How selfish. Some people have allergies. You've made your mind up though so crack on.

OP, years ago I got in a friend's car and within a few minutes my eyes were streaming. He'd taken his wife's dog out in it two days previously, and had had the car valeted since, and it still set me off. If it'd been a caravan I had to sleep in I'd've ended up in hospital (or had to go home early). A family member has a dog allergy so severe she's being sent for immunotherapy as it's affecting her life badly now that so many places are dog-friendly.

Given I'm allergic to dogs this is why I feel it would be extremely unfair to those who request a dog free caravan for this reason. If my DH is a passenger in a dog owners car, when he returns home I'm left with red swollen itchy eyes. Thankfully it doesn't happen very often but purely because I avoid situations where I could be in directed contact with the dander.

I agree with the poster who mentioned asking the manager if you could pay for a deep clean. Hopefully they will agree & you can enjoy your holiday.

Update: I've just read posts from people with even more severe allergic reactions to dogs than me and they have suffered greatly. On this account I'm more inclined to say it would probably be too much of a risk for a manager to say cleaning would be enough as allergies will be one of the main reasons they provide dog free caravans. Hopefully they will have cancellations in dog friendly vans or better still a kennel.