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!!!