Crazy pet people...

[ConcKahuna]

Let me start by saying I have LOTS of pets, and they are like my children.

At Disney the other day I was visiting a resort, and heard a person complaining because the kennels at WDW were full, and she had to board her dogs in Ocala (why all the way up there I have no clue).

She then complained because she couldn't stay in her room because she had to visit her dogs all day every day, and so couldn't do the parks (since Ocala is 2 and a half hours away). She was yelling that she wanted her stay and her DDP free.

When I go on vacation I either

A) Make sure my pets are taken care of and enjoy myself.

or

B) Find a place I can at least bring some of the animals with me.

What would you have done?

 

[NikiM20]

Let me start by saying I have LOTS of pets, and they are like my children.

At Disney the other day I was visiting a resort, and heard a person complaining because the kennels at WDW were full, and she had to board her dogs in Ocala (why all the way up there I have no clue).

She then complained because she couldn't stay in her room because she had to visit her dogs all day every day, and so couldn't do the parks (since Ocala is 2 and a half hours away). She was yelling that she wanted her stay and her DDP free.

When I go on vacation I either

A) Make sure my pets are taken care of and enjoy myself.

or

B) Find a place I can at least bring some of the animals with me.

What would you have done?

I would not have relied on a Disney kennel without reservations Christmas week (I dont know if they take reservations at all, I have never used them) Disney cant give people free DDP because they didnt think ahead

But I personally would not drag my dogs on a 12 hr car ride, to lock them in a kennel 23 hrs a day. I have a pet setter who comes and stays at my house so it all works out for us
.

 

[OK!]

I have a cat, but he stays at my parents' house when I go out of town so he can feel free to roam and play with their cats and dogs (well, the dogs try to play with HIM....he instead tries not to swat and growl at them). If, for some reason, that were not an option for me, I'd try to have a pet-sitter come to check on him daily while he stayed at my house or I'd find a kennel close to home so that the only trauma he had to deal with was being in the kennel, not being in the kennel AND having to endure a lengthy trip to do so.

 

[Charade]

Tru dat...

 

[disneymcgraw]

My brother and sis in law are on a cruise right now and their pets have a sitter from the vet's office. We usually watch their dog and 2 cats when they travel but they are all having some health issues and the vet assistant was a better choice this time.

 

[Katieinwonderland]

Do the Disney kennels not take reservations? If so, I wonder why not? I would have thought that would have saved some people being annoyed if they brought pets along and then couldn't board them...

When I go on vacation, I miss my cats like crazy but we have a sitter and I don't worry about them. Why would this woman bring her dogs along Christmas week and only have ONE option of where to board them....I live in Kissimmee and there are a ton of great kennels around - I would have thought at least one would have been open. Ocala is miles away!!!

Some people just think they should be compensated every time they are put out, but IMO this woman was in the wrong.

 

[Rora]

If the Disney kennels weren't available I would've boarded my pets at the Vet.

I'm sure the Disney kennels could have referred this woman to a nearby vet or other boarding facility.

 

[juligrl]

If I absolutely couldn't leave my pet in other trustworthy hands during my vacation, I'd book a pet-friendly site at Ft. Wilderness Campground and rent an RV for my stay. My dog loves to camp so it would be an adventure for her too.

 

[ConcKahuna]

Do the Disney kennels not take reservations? If so, I wonder why not? I would have thought that would have saved some people being annoyed if they brought pets along and then couldn't board them...

They do take reservations now that they are an outside company. When Disney operated them they were first-come-first-served (iirc).

 

[BamaTigger]

First of all, I would of called for reservations.
WDW Kennel is now the Best Friends Pet Care and they accept ressies. Secondly, She could of found somewhere closer to board her pet Im sure. But we dont know her cirucumstances, so we cant really say.

Alot of people dont have the option of a pet sitter. I know I dont. Thats why we take our 2 poms with us to WDW and we kennel them and visit and walk them 4x a day. We have 2 vet clinics here and they go ONCE a day to walk them on the weekends, and that is just not enough for my 2 poms.
When we take them, they are no trouble, and we enjoy going to the kennels to walk/visit them. Its not a problem for us at all.

Maybe that lady had a valid reason for boarding them all the way in Ocala...I dont know. But I never leave without making ressies for my boys at the TTC kennel.

 

[mfd25wife]

My parents always take the two cockers. We have another friend that comes in several times a day to check on the cats, hamsters and fish. The two newest additions (who will be big-Husky and lab) will stay with friends or the friends and one neighbor come to play and check on them several times a day. We are fortunate that we have plenty of friends with pets and we trade off when traveling. If we are going on trips where the drive is fairly short, the cockers go, but they are older. We live so far from WDW, I wouldn't even want to drive any of mine there.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We're lucky that we can take the two bunnies over to my parent's house. We put their cages in the dining area where my dad sits for a lot of the day eating meals and doing his crossword puzzles. My mom said he talks to the bunnies constantly when they're there and slips them little treats. I like going on vacation knowing my bunnies are being well-taken care of and spoiled. I would never want to take pets on vacation with me. I'd rather they be safely at home while I enjoy myself.

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

Having just recently returned from a 10 night vacation, I can tell you that the 12 nights that we had our three dogs boarded cost us $1225. We used PetsHotel. They did a wonderful job caring for our dogs, as always.

I am eagerly awaiting the completion of the new pet resort at WDW. I can't wait to be able to bring the babies with us and kennel them nearby.

 

[Stacerita]

We have always got a close friend, who is a dog person, to come and stay at the house to watch the pets and keep an eye on the house as well. No way would I drag my dogs across the country only to spend all my time with them at the kennel and not on my vacation. Some people are just crazy.

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

So I don't get it - this woman is sitting at a kennel all day long - do they even allow you to do that? Imagine you work at a kennel, and there is some strange woman there - sitting next to her dogs cage - just chillin - wouldn't that be wierd??? I think it is some ploy to get a free vacation.

 

[golfgal]

So I don't get it - this woman is sitting at a kennel all day long - do they even allow you to do that? Imagine you work at a kennel, and there is some strange woman there - sitting next to her dogs cage - just chillin - wouldn't that be wierd??? I think it is some ploy to get a free vacation.

That is what I was thinking too. I am sure she thought if she complained enough they would give her something for free. There are too many people like that, especially at Disney. We saw a lady try to get a free vacation (reimbursed for the one she was on) when her toddler touched a lightbulb in the flower display at Epcot. Like it was Disney's fault that her kid climbed in the flower bed and burned his finger on the lightbulb.

 

[inaminute]

Our two lovely girls either stay home with my son who moves in for the time we're away or they go to the kennel (we refer to it as the "puppy resort"). They're happy, and that's what matters.

FWIW, I would never blame anyone for my lack of planning. In her defense, though, maybe she didn't know Disney had changed the kennel situation. I wouldn't have known about it if I hadn't read about it on these boards. So, she may have thought it was still first come, first served.

Now, why she'd have the dogs in a kennel, then sit there all day with them is something I can't figure out. She could save a bunch of money by just finding a hotel where the dogs are welcome and spending time with them there.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

It's not Disney's fault that this lady didn't plan ahead. I do think, though, that there old policy of first come first served for the kennels was bizarre.

I can't blame her, though, for wanting to see her pet multiple times a day. (I think that's likely what she meant; not that she wanted to sit beside him all day every day.) I know if I had to put Garfunkel in a kennel, I would feel so bad about it that I'd likely check in on him from time to time.

We just about had to use a kennel here for our upcoming trip and I was so upset. The person who was supposed to take Garfunkel for the month bailed at the last minute. Luckily, we were sent a Christmas angel who offered to take him. Now I can go with piece of mind because I know that he will be on vacation too. He'll be so spoiled!

 

[Talking Hands]

I either board them with the vet if w all go, have a daughter look after them or have a sitter from the vet check in on them daily. Sometimes I board the dog and have the sitter for the cats.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Our dogs go to stay with grandma. the love it there, more treats and a bigger yard.

Mikeeee