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Original poster

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

1000 replies

oceanmountain · 02/02/2026 15:11

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
2026namechange · 09/02/2026 07:16

KitKleverKat · 08/02/2026 23:05

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

There is absolutely nothing in here that your average 15 year old with a key couldn’t handle for a week

www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/ferret/caring-for-your-ferret

eastegg · 09/02/2026 13:54

Jimmyneutronsforehead · 08/02/2026 22:52

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.

Show quote history

Brilliant post. So I’m filling up some of the small amount of space left on this thread by repeating it!

BringBackCatsEyes · 09/02/2026 15:00

eastegg · 09/02/2026 13:54

Brilliant post. So I’m filling up some of the small amount of space left on this thread by repeating it!

Show quote history

Hear hear!

MeSeM · 09/02/2026 19:23

KitKleverKat · 08/02/2026 23:05

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

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your lovely dear ferrets 😥
I'll bet you gave your premierely precious sweet pets the utmost very best possible 🫂
Sending much love & plentiful prayers & healing vibes to You&Yours from
me&Mine 💚

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 09/02/2026 20:50

Jimmyneutronsforehead · 08/02/2026 22:52

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.

Show quote history

Joining another poster in re-posting this.

eastegg · 09/02/2026 22:36

MeSeM · 09/02/2026 19:23

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your lovely dear ferrets 😥
I'll bet you gave your premierely precious sweet pets the utmost very best possible 🫂
Sending much love & plentiful prayers & healing vibes to You&Yours from
me&Mine 💚

Show quote history

Oh give over, enough commiserations already. You’re talking to a poster who thinks OP should break the rules of her let by smuggling a dog in a pram and pretending it’s a baby. If you want to cry over some ferrets go and DM her.

MeSeM · 09/02/2026 23:07

eastegg · 09/02/2026 22:36

Oh give over, enough commiserations already. You’re talking to a poster who thinks OP should break the rules of her let by smuggling a dog in a pram and pretending it’s a baby. If you want to cry over some ferrets go and DM her.

Show quote history

You know if every time someone wished to send some compassionate words, they felt they had to privately message instead... There would just be the more condemning comments present here... Which I don't comprehend why anyone wouldn't wish for some balance, yin-yang differences of views is healthy
And as they say, wouldn't it be a boring world if we all agreed on everything
Take care

ShowMeTheSea · 09/02/2026 23:10

Jimmyneutronsforehead · 08/02/2026 22:52

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.

Show quote history

Well said.

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 11:33

Well you really are a grumpy grape! To be able to answer as to why I mention that I loved our sweet ferrets you'd have to look to why I said that. It was nothing to do with the subject of the post. There are several rather nasty keyboard warriors commenting on this post. I was asked how I could possibly want to own such 'stinky' things as ferrets.

randomchap · 10/02/2026 11:44

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 11:33

Well you really are a grumpy grape! To be able to answer as to why I mention that I loved our sweet ferrets you'd have to look to why I said that. It was nothing to do with the subject of the post. There are several rather nasty keyboard warriors commenting on this post. I was asked how I could possibly want to own such 'stinky' things as ferrets.

Have whatever pets you like.

Just don't take them to pet free places.

It's quite simple really

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 11:48

Well you obviously didn't come even near to reading that article thoroughly!!! Plenty of stuff in there that would be too much for a 15 yr old to have a key thrown at them...... I certainly couldn't have done that....

2026namechange · 10/02/2026 11:49

randomchap · 10/02/2026 11:44

Have whatever pets you like.

Just don't take them to pet free places.

It's quite simple really

Show quote history

And ferrets famously DO smell. There is no valence or nastiness there. It’s just a fact. It’s like having a pet skunk and being offended someone says they smell - they just do!

randomchap · 10/02/2026 11:52

2026namechange · 10/02/2026 11:49

And ferrets famously DO smell. There is no valence or nastiness there. It’s just a fact. It’s like having a pet skunk and being offended someone says they smell - they just do!

Show quote history

You're right, they do smell.

Quite cute in their own way, but smelly

2026namechange · 10/02/2026 11:52

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 11:48

Well you obviously didn't come even near to reading that article thoroughly!!! Plenty of stuff in there that would be too much for a 15 yr old to have a key thrown at them...... I certainly couldn't have done that....

Which bit of change the litter tray, refresh the bedding, top up their food and water, and let them out in a run for some exercise would be hard for a typically developing teenager? Or 10 year old quite frankly.

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 11:58
Spray Spraying GIF

Just the stuff ......

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 12:00

Nope ~ wrong answer again. Not relevant.

2026namechange · 10/02/2026 12:09

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 12:00

Nope ~ wrong answer again. Not relevant.

Enlighten us then - what is so “specialised” about looking after a ferret for a few days that means they must be smuggled into pet free holiday lets?

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 12:13

Not our ferrets. No stink. Castrated and spayed, cage and bedding regularly cleaned, glands regularly expressed, all toilet areas promptly cleaned, bathed as much as is recommended, dander combed and teeth cleaned. Ours just smelt like cute cuddly animals....

ShowMeTheSea · 10/02/2026 12:15

Why is this thread descending into ferret cleaning and if they stink or not?! 😂
Basically - no you can't bloody take your dog, cat or a ferret and hide it into a pram to "look like a baby" 🙄
Which is what you're conveniently glossing over there!

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 12:22

Thankyou ❤️ You're the first kind person on this post. Not even the original poster has thanked for any support given. The rest are behaving like The Hounds Of The Baskervilles. I'll put some pictures of them on here for you. Little Missy and Mr. Pimpy were their names.

Taking the Dog on Holiday Without Telling the Caravan Site… Am I Mad?!
Taking the Dog on Holiday Without Telling the Caravan Site… Am I Mad?!
Taking the Dog on Holiday Without Telling the Caravan Site… Am I Mad?!
Taking the Dog on Holiday Without Telling the Caravan Site… Am I Mad?!
Taking the Dog on Holiday Without Telling the Caravan Site… Am I Mad?!
KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 12:37
fall GIF

Changed now to defending my ferrets. Original poster asking for advice has long gone....

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 10/02/2026 12:40

I can’t see how it is acceptable to take a pet into a pet free caravan, knowing that you might cause allergy issues for the next occupants. I adore my dogs, but if somewhere is dog free, I won’t be taking them there, because I can empathise with people who are allergic - or who don’t like dogs or are afraid of them - and don’t think my dogs come above other people’s well being.

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 12:40

10 yr old now 🙄

Skybluepinky · 10/02/2026 12:41

Of course you should tell them, ridiculous that you have no clue that people are allergic to saliva not fur so unless your dog has none you are being very selfish.

KitKleverKat · 10/02/2026 12:44

You'd have to either have them or know them to understand the answer....

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