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?

Ferrets are Very Sensitive, you know.

(turns away to hide giggles)

Actually, I have a friend who keeps ferrets, and they really do get attached to individuals and then get sulky and nasty if they don't see them for too long, then greet them like long-lost siblings when they come round again, so maybe the little creatures really are more sensitive than we give them credit for.

They do make a rather silly noise, though.

I did this many years ago OP. My dog sitter let me down the day of travelling to the site. We were all packed and ready to go. I took my dog, also non shedding. I got away with it but boy was I stressed. I was paranoid I'd be found out.
I did a massive clean before we left.
I know I'll be shot down for this but I think if anyone is staying in any type of accommodation that has a quick turn around of occupants, you don't know what's been in there, you don't know how good the cleaners are. It's a game of chance for anyone that has any allergies etc.

If you'd had a fortnight's notice instead of less than a day's, would you have behaved differently, WeAreNotOk?

@WeAreNotOk - but it shouldn’t be a game of chance, if someone has booked dog-free accomodation - as long as people respect that, and don’t think their want for a holiday trumps other people’s health - and I say that as a dog owner.

It’s the selfish people like you who make it into a game of chance

Dogs bark and need to go out to pee and poo - I simply don't see how you could hide a dog for a week.

Most little dog owners I know do not train their dogs to the same level as big dogs. Most think they are babies and let them up on chairs and beds.
All dogs smell.....you just cant smell your familiar smells.
All dogs should be held to the same standards and none should be inflicted on those who choose dog free environments (assistance dogs exceted)

So @oceanmountainwhat did you decide to do?

What is it with a lot of you people on this thread. The language and personal insults are awful. I only joined Mumsnet today and I can honestly say ~ so much for 'Talk Guidelines ,Terms of use and being respectful.........
And no I couldn't just dump our ferrets onto a teenager for £50. They warrant specialised care. We probably wouldn't have any ferrets at all when we got back!

What makes you think it's alright to call me an entitled arse?! It's not alright. I only joined Mumsnet today and the language and abuse on here is both disappointing and surprising.

What makes you think it's alright to call me an entitled arse?! It's not alright. I only joined Mumsnet today and the language and abuse on here is both disappointing and surprising.

Just put the dog in kennels FFS. You’d rather risk being chucked out and ruining your kids holiday, seriously?? Anyway, don’t know the point of this thread, you’ve clearly made your mind up, what’s the point in asking.

If you bothered to actually digest my comment you will see I've already mentioned,,, I've stated in other comments that our selected holiday site welcomes pets... End of, try to keep an open mind, it's common sense & really not that difficult to spot a typo when 99 % mentioned the welcomeness!!!

Because anyone who takes saliva spreading and dander shedding animals, whether they are in a cage or not, into No Pet accommodation is an entitled arse person.

I wasn't judging your son at all
I think it's lovely that he bought a dog
I can't remember the details but it's most surely not for me or anyone else to judge your son
I'm only sorry & sad to hear there were allergies as I'm always saddened to hear if pets & their owners can't remain together... It's not anyone's fault to any degree, just feel sad for everyone involved

Op, you’re not mad. You’re selfish.

If I book a pet free caravan, it’s because I want to stay somewhere that hasn’t had dogs staying in it.

Why do your needs trump mine?

There are reasons there are pet free caravans, presumably because of allergies and preferences. What makes you think that it’s ok to break the rules? Your dog is a dog whether it’s small and doesn’t bark.

Because we loved our unique little ferrets. They were part of the family. They have both passed now and we miss them very much ❤️❤️

Most pet owners love their pets but don’t impose their dander and saliva on other people who may have allergies.

26 pages later still defending your choice. Why did you even post when you brook no disagreement. Rage baiting, or just trolling?

I think you'd find that if you brought your pets into our non-pet caravan you'd be caught out very fast.

A lot of our caravan neighbours are owners, and many of them let through a caravan letting business who always have an on site presence and let us know if they see anything wrong with our caravan. It's a whole community and we all have each other's backs. We would find out one way or another.

We let our caravan out periodically through the year to offset some of the costs, but it is primarily a family caravan.

We got it when my grandad was alive but in the late stages of COPD, as it's a home away from home he could visit, enjoy the sea, and be comfortable. He passed away, and then our family got bigger and we had children who have severe dander allergies. Not just dander allergies, either. I don't know if you know about allergens but if you have multiple allergic reactions to different things you can go into anaphylactic shock.

We now have another elderly relative who is end of life with COPD, with few pleasures left in life, but being able to breathe fresh sea air or sit in a comfortable caravan on the coast is one of the only things left that they can do.

You have no idea the circumstances of the people you're letting from. They're doing you a kindness by letting their caravans out to you and you're breaching that kindness and putting people's health at risk.

It also costs a considerable amount more for a deeper clean after pets have been in a caravan, and you can't guarantee after the cleaners have been that there are no remaining allergens or irritants either.

We already pay over 6k a year in ground rent, plus commercial gas and electricity prices, plus maintenance fees. Many other people are still paying off the cost of their caravan, which could be anywhere from 40k-200k. If you'd just bought a house and you had a rule that said no pets, and somebody blatantly disregarded that how do you think you'd feel?

If we can't guarantee that a cleaner can make it allergens free, you and your febreeze sure as shit can't.

Don't come on here talking about how people are breaching talk and community guidelines when you're willfully and so brazenly talking about breaking the terms of your let of someone's property without their knowledge.

Yes it' s
much harder to find siterFerrets are tricky to care for and require knowledge.

Yes it' s
much harder to find siterFerrets are tricky to care for and require knowledge.

We have someone with allergies to dog hair in my family. We always stay in dog free places and can tell if a dog has been there. Family member gets wheezy and has a miserable time. People don’t take it seriously but you should. I can understand that it’s difficult for you but it’s not fair on other guests .

Not enough to forgo a holiday far better to risk others health.

So then you book holiday accommodation which allows pets. It’s really not complicated.