Charging for dogs

[Rollin Ollen]

We are full timers and have been for the last 8 years. We are now seeing more and more that some parks are adding a fee for us having a dog. Our pet is a 15 pound Miniature Poodle. I know many parks have restrictions for specific breeds and I know that allowing such breeds creates liability problems for the park. I know most parks will limit the number of dogs per unit. We know there are a few pet owners that seem to think that poop patrol is beneath them but they are a minority. Punishing responsible owners is not fair. I have questioned the cost and will to every park we visit. We have seen fees from $2.00 per night to $10.00 per night. If the fee can be justifies, I have no problem paying.

As follows is the dialog from one park.

to wildrose

Greetings;
We have been past customers at your park for many years. We were about to reserve for another stay when we came upon the fact that you are charging an extra $4.00 per day for our 15 pound Miniature Poodle.

Before we choose to return to your park, I just need to know what this extra charge is used to cover? You do have a dog walk that is using land that is too close to the highway to comfortably convert to RV sites. I don't remember you having a fenced dog play area. If you can't justify the extra cost, we, and a growing number of pet owning campers, will be boycotting your park. I don't have a problem paying justified, competing RV park fees but padding for the sake of padding will no longer fly.

from wildrose

Hi we have been charging for dogs now for 2 years due tom the fact that more and more people do not clean up after there dogs and we have to pay our maintenance guy to clean the dog poop in the park before he cuts the lawns.

Regards

John


to wildrose

I understand that there are those owners that are not responsible but you are punishing the rest, who are the vast majority, for the few that don't. Further, you have more than 60 sites. Probably half of us campers have dogs. 30 nights at $4.00 night = $120.00/night. I doubt you cut your grass daily but even if even if you did, if you paid the person that cuts the grass $50.00 / hour, that allows for over two hours a day of poop patrol.

Would you like another chance to justify to charge?

End of dialog

So far, no reply. These parks could easily hide the fee by just jumping the regular fee by what ever they want but they would no longer be competitive. We have stayed at parks that charge as low as $14.00 night to as much as $150.00. But the fee must equal the value. If a park has fenced play areas, rules that are enforced as in if you don't pick up or if your pup in not leached where appropriate then you get tossed I don't have a problem paying!

I think we need to start boycotting this behavior of padding for the sake of padding.

 

[Boat Bum]

That's absurd, most RVers have a dog, it's the continuation of nickel and dime you. Including in the cost would only serve to punish those w/o pets, much like punishing the good pet owners. I would avoid if at all possible on principle.

 

[John&Andrea]

I have not seen this yet, crazy. Maybe because these days I check, no pets. Our passed away.
I would try to avoid, on the other hand they can do what they want.
Like a charge to lock the site, I thought that was a reservation.

 

[Rosy]

I think one of the parks we go to charges $5 per dog. I've never questioned it. However, my wife and kids would never let me suggest staying somewhere else so I'll probably just keep my mouth shut about it.

 

[Rollin Ollen]

I think one of the parks we go to charges $5 per dog. I've never questioned it. However, my wife and kids would never let me suggest staying somewhere else so I'll probably just keep my mouth shut about it.

I used to just ignore it. The extra cost won't break the piggy bank but now it's getting out of hand. It's just that now a lot of our "go to" parks are adding it. Just so you know though, there are some parks we use that would easily justify an added charge. Desert Gold in Brenda Arizona have an amazing dog park that gets cleaned and "WASHED DOWN" daily. We've been to a couple that have included agility parks. I am glad to pay extra for those because why should a non pet owner pony up? Grrrrr!!!

 

[Jim]

A full-time RVer with a dog isn't just one reservation. They're often:

• Repeat customers
• Long-term customers
• Word-of-mouth advertisers
• People who post reviews and forum comments

So the campground collects an extra $4/night and loses a customer who might have spent thousands of dollars over the next several years? Doesn't seem like a sound business decision to me.

 

[Trav_lr]

We just went through the process to research and book sites for 8 couples at West Glacier MT and found the same thing. Several of the RV parks we considered have a daily dog fee. Guess which park we booked? The one with no dog fee! At $149/night, you'd think it would be pretty easy for the person on the other end of the phone to figure out we're spending more than 8 grand for 56 nights!

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

I can’t recall which park, but we were booking a campground and saw they charged $10 a day per dog. We have 2 dogs.
We immediately stopped the reservation.
Ridiculous how bad this is getting. It is no longer “nickle and diming” but now requiring an extra Jackson a day!

 

[TR25]

If the fee can be justifies, I have no problem paying.

Before we choose to return to your park, I just need to know what this extra charge is used to cover? ....
If you can't justify the extra cost, we, and a growing number of pet owning campers, will be boycotting your park. I don't have a problem paying justified, competing RV park fees but padding for the sake of padding will no longer fly.

Further....30 nights at $4.00 night = $120.00/night. I doubt you cut your grass daily but even if even if you did, if you paid the person that cuts the grass $50.00 / hour, that allows for over two hours a day of poop patrol.

Would you like another chance to justify to charge?

End of dialog
But the fee must equal the value.

I think we need to start boycotting this behavior of padding for the sake of padding.

I--and very many others, the "we" people like to use--would love it if pet owners would boycott parks. Yeah, lots of people don't pick up the feces of their dogs. Lots also don't keep their dog on a leash or tie out
Talk to them about it and of course it's like getting between a mother and her kid--they get all mad at you and whatever happened, didn't happen or if it did, it's your/your dog's fault.

2 weeks ago I was at a campground and there was a gomer on a golf cart with his dog walking around it. I was walking my dog, on leash and his dog saw mine and took off after us. The clueless golf carted dolt kept on yelling for his dog to "come here come here" and of course the dog didn't listen to him. I've had more than a few experiences with people who didn't have their dogs on a leash/tie out and of course, didn't pay their owners any mind as it took off at us.

Charging for bringing animals to a human campground would be a great way to screen out the inconsiderate, bums, whiners, freeloaders and all around bad and irresponsible pet owners.

I do find it amusing when people get all angry and demand a business "justify" their pricing. Like they are telling others how much they may charge. Have you ever owned or worked in a 'public place' where dogs are walked/played with? I don't think so as you'd know that open space will have to be walked by someone to pick up the dog feces before they mow. and that's just part of it. Charging will exclude the irresponsible owners--hopefully.

So please, boycott every rv park that charges for dogs. Tell all of the other people you alluded to who would do the same thing. Start a movement and you can lead it.

 

[TR25]

That's absurd. I would avoid if at all possible on principle.

Please do and pass it on to others.
I'm always amazed at how most dog owners think of their dogs as their kid/s and demand others also view and interact with them in that manner.

If there are 55 and older RV parks, don't see why there couldn't be dog free parks. If an rv park charges you for bringing your dogs to live/camp with you at on their property, don't go there or just be OK with it. It's THEIR property, THEIR business.

If ya ask me, rv parks should also have a policy where if a dog is not on a leash or tie out, then that person will immediately have to vacate, leave the site and not get any refund of course. That would be just part of responsible ownership of a dog and if they cannot do it, then others should not have to put up with living by irresponsible people.

 

[Boat Bum]

First, I don't own a dog. Second, you just advocated for what I was saying. That's how you affect change.

 

[TR25]

I have not seen this yet, crazy. Maybe because these days I check, no pets. Our passed away.
I would try to avoid, on the other hand they can do what they want.
Like a charge to lock the site, I thought that was a reservation.

why should this be any different than renting an apartment? Some places allow pets, some don't, some there's a pet deposit, some if you don't pick up after fifi, then it could be grounds for eviction, etc.

How about hotels/motels? Same.
Some people become angry that they can't bring their dog into a grocery store, restaurant, etc. too. Some even go as far as to lie about it and state they are a 'service dog'....so they are a liar in addition to being a general scumbag.

I have a service dog so I've had to deal with all sorts of people who should not have a dog as they are irresponsible. Wife had one too. But of course they do have them and also feel the world owes everything to them and their dog/kid.

Dogs/cats/snakes/spiders/etc. are not people's children, so others should not have to abide by the desires of the owners.
If I don't want you to bring your pet into my house, please abide by my wishes. Neither you nor your pet whatever have dominion over other people's lives.

Nor do any pet owners have dominion over another person's business. If they don't want pets there, then that's it. Don't like it? Don't go there. But attributing greed and all sorts of other negative characteristics to them is quite immature.....and also, IMHO, shows how irresponsible and irrational they would be if I had to deal with them....about their pet.

I've had to do that a lot, so yeah, the rule "never get between a mother and her child". Same applies to an owner and their pet. It's a no win situation where all sorts of absurdities and emotions come out.

State the policy in the rules.
If someone doesn't like it, then they should shop/camp/live elsewhere.

 

[TR25]

Second, you just advocated for what I was saying. That's how you affect change.

Your "change" is to prevent individuals/businesses from doing business the way they want to do it, for whatever reason. So the change you want is to remove the right of someone else, forcing them to abide by your demands.

In this case, I'm all for that as from my experiences, the less people with dogs the better any place is. That's why I'm all for people who whine or make up things about the owners in this case, to just NOT go there.
Don't buy their product.
Don't rent an apartment from them.
Don't shop in their store.
etc.

Ignoring the nuisance/aggravation/dangers that could come with multiple people with multiple dogs, I bet that if the RV park has a no dog policy, their insurance premiums would also go down. If I had a campground, I'd do it.

 

[Russellvh]

Please do and pass it on to others.
I'm always amazed at how most dog owners think of their dogs as their kid/s and demand others also view and interact with them in that manner.

If there are 55 and older RV parks, don't see why there couldn't be dog free parks. If an rv park charges you for bringing your dogs to live/camp with you at on their property, don't go there or just be OK with it. It's THEIR property, THEIR business.

If ya ask me, rv parks should also have a policy where if a dog is not on a leash or tie out, then that person will immediately have to vacate, leave the site and not get any refund of course. That would be just part of responsible ownership of a dog and if they cannot do it, then others should not have to put up with living by irresponsible people.

I think I may start looking for those Parks. I really don’t mind dogs but, it’s mostly, the owners. Those that think making a lap dog registered as a service animal just because they can fill out a form on line. Yappers on a walk or yapping when you walk by and the owners thinking is so cute.


Maybe I can talk Thousand Trails into starting a pet fee.

 

[Boat Bum]

Your "change" is to prevent individuals/businesses from doing business the way they want to do it, for whatever reason. So the change you want is to remove the right of someone else, forcing them to abide by your demands.

That's absurd, how do you interpret that from what I said?

"I would avoid if at all possible on principle."

That simply means if I have the choice I will vote with my wallet and go elsewhere, the campground can do whatever they want.

I also don't go around rallying for this, I simply said what I would in the OP's place. You clearly have a disdain for dogs.

cheers