Dog at resort. Did I do the right thing?

[rebbeca]

This has been bothering me. What do you think?

We (myself, DS and father) had adjoining rooms at PC. The first morning I stepped outside to smoke a cigarette and use the cell phone. Out of the room next door came a family of five with an old, fat Blue Heeler . They just rushed by me. At the end of the walkway were three maintenance guys. They just nodded and smiled as the family went by .

I called the front desk to tell them. I was asked for the room number and if I was positive that was the room the dog came out of. Of course, I was told that dogs are not supposed to be in the rooms and they would send someone up to inform the family. I did not see the dog or family again.

DS thinks I'm mean for doing this. My dad said he and his wife do it all the time with their cats . Maybe I should have minded my own business

 

[SB in KY]

I turned in a barking dog in the room next door to us once at OKW....drove us nuts yapping all evening....my DD thought it was cruel of me...I assured her they wouldn't haul the dog to the pound a la Lady and the Tramp....but the thing was going nuts over there alone in the room and barked non-stop for almost 5 hours before I called.....they came right over, heard it and called for a manager type person, who called the kennel people from Ft Wilderness and they hauled it off before the people returned!! The housekeeper told me several people had called actually and when they entered the room the dog had destroyed a couple of sofa pillows and a bedspread and trashed the place (including potty accidents on the rug) so no telling how long the poor thing had been there alone.

 

[webray]

You did the right thing. I would love to take our dogs with to disney, they don't even have to be in the room with us..just a nice kennel area. This is really a downfall for disney..they could make some great money if they would open pet spas. So many people travel with their pets because they don't have someone proper to take care of them at home. We have tried dozens of kennels/pet spas and I am sorry to say, 95% of them we never return to.

Nobody cares for you pet like you do.

 

[jel0511]

Yes, you did. I'm severly allergic to dogs and my DS has asthma, so if we had gotten a room that had been previously occupied by a dog, it would have made for a miserable trip. So for that I thank you.

 

[Julylady]

Thank you for turning the dog owners in. I am extremely allergic to both dog and cat dander. If I am in a room where one has recently been, I will be sneezing within an hour and it will last 2-3 days. Not a fun way to spend a vacation. If the rules say, "no pets"...they should enforce them.

 

[Drizzo67]

You did the right thing. My son has asthma and if we had gotten that room next (because no matter how good mousekeeping is they don't clean like you can) my son would have spent the next five days on his nebulizer or in a local hospital instead of enjoying his trip. We purposely stay at places that don't allow pets just for that reason. I have no problem with people wanting to travel with their pets.....just not next to me. Maybe Disney can make a resort themed on animals (not safari type, but pet type) that includes accomodations for pets. That would be cute.

 

[Tabetha]

I love my dog, and I love the fact that some hotels are open to having pets stay in the rooms with their owners. But. Unless the hotel has a policy of accepting pets, there's no way a pet should be in the room.
At least if a hotel has a "pet policy", a guest can either choose not to stay there, or ask for a "non-pet" room.

You did the right thing.

Disney has kennels for a reason.

 

[PolyGuy]

Definately..rules are rules. Funny thing is when you posted this, I thought about earlier this month, we were at the Poly. I could swear there was a dog in the room next to us. We heard barking, but then I thought it might just be their kids. I couldn't see how they could get a dog in the room, and leave it in all day, so I had to be mistaken. But now that you posted this, maybe the family did have a dog? I couldn't see how with the housekeeping and such.

 

[Allison]

The people who did something wrong were the people who brought a dog somewhere where they are not allowed. You didn't do anything wrong. I would have done the same thing.

 

[beebles]

That is so crazy! What is wrong with people! How was the dog even going to go outside to potty??? How would they hide it then? And the barking! PLUS, not to mention, the housekeeper in and out! Did they not think she/he would notice!!!!

 

[Servants of Evan]

Our little guy is also severely allergic to dogs and cats and undergoes a pretty dramatic asthmatic reaction. My DM purchased a toy poodle with the understanding that our DS could come to visit and the supposedly "hypoallergenic" pooch wouldn't cause a problem. Wrong-o. Two days at Childrens hospital coupled with a few weeks of a steroidal syrup, nebulized pulmicort and albuterol was our "parting gift." I'm normally not too freaked out about what my DS can do (he plays sports, swims, etc) but I'm always affraid when we go to a hotel. Those people who would never consider putting their pet in a kennel have no idea what havoc their actions can cause after they leave.

Servants of Evan

 

[dizneykid]

I am a dog lover myself, but I don't think you did anything wrong. I know what it is to live with allergies, and it would be terrible for some little one to get sick because someone did not follow policy. Also what if the dog bit the housekeeper or worse yet ran out and got hurt.

But, I know that during hurricane Wilma they evacuated Ft. Wilderness and put them up in empty rooms, I wonder if it was one of the families they evacuated. aw:

 

[rebbeca]

I do have to say that I never heard the dog. What I didn't understand was why the maintenance people did not say anything. I was thinking maybe they checked in late and the kennels were closed, so kept him in the room just until the next morning.

We were on the fourth floor of the 50s building. I would think they would have been very concerned with leading the dog from the parking lot, up four flights of stairs, around the corners and into the room. aw: aw: aw: I can't believe that didn't get some attention.

Maybe they didn't know the policy. After all they did leave the room between 9-10 a.m. in broad daylight with three kids.

And that's another thing, two adults, three children and a good sized dog in a room at a value resort.

 

[rebbeca]

But, I know that during hurricane Wilma they evacuated Ft. Wilderness and put them up in empty rooms, I wonder if it was one of the families they evacuated. aw:

Our trip was 8-28 to 9-3.

 

[Ergens2]

I travel everywhere with my German Shephard aw:. Even overseas. With that said I would not take my pet to a hotel that was not "pet friendly". My mother has allergies and I understand fully what an attack could mean for her and others. You did the right thing. We have used the Disney kennels often and our Shadow LOVES them!! He whines when we leave!! They are very clean and I know he is watched all day. We usually stay at CR or Poly so we are close and my DH carries his cell so they can reach us. I can go by and see him anytime (and usually do about 6-7 times a day!) If I know we are going on a "commando style" trip I will not bring him. It is not fair when he can stay at home with my brother and sleep in his own bed and have his hugh yard to run amuck in. And lets face it. If you were a dog would you really want to be stuck in 1 room for a week or so with your family? Not me!!

 

[spiceycat]

Dogs and cats belong in the kennels.

I love Spicey and at times I want him in the room with me. At those times I stay offsite where it is legal to do this.

Spicey generally stays at FW kennel.

I make it a point to find places that accept pets.

I don't know what I would do to come back and find my Spicey gone.....

You did right thing.

tell your DS that WDW kennels are fine. Some people don't think before they take their pets with them.

Spicey is fine and SAFE at WDW kennels. I don't have to worry about him.

my SIL won't consider putting their dog in a kennel - so she doesn't stay at WDW until she can do this.

Pet Spas - WDW is thinking of doing one. I have a survey (long, long survey) asking me what I wanted and how much I was willing to pay for it.

this would not be at the current kennels - so I don't know how much business they would get. but a new kennel near the All Star and AK area.

The survey mentioned massages, music, special food, baths, etc.... a real Spa for pets.

ug:

 

[wshupnastar]

Okay....please, people...don't flame me for this...but I am going to give a different opinion!

While I myself would never break a rule like that, I also wouldn't turn someone else in...not if the dog or kids (seems like they squeezed one more of those in there as well) were not bothering me. Now, if I was up at night due to barking or stepped outside of my room to a "gift" left by the dog, then all bets would be off and I would say something. But for the most part I am a "live and let live" type. I would just feel really bad if the people would have to leave the resort and would have to give up their trip because I turned them in. Now, again, they shouldn't have broken the rules, but I wouldn't want the kids to miss out on a vacation at Disney World because their parents made a really bad decision. Also, I couldn't begin to understand their situation unless I knew for real what was going on...I can't imagine why they would have a dog there, but I guess there could be a valid reason they needed to do it.

Just my 2 cents....

 

[Sammie]

You did the right thing, and I am disappointed that the maintenance guys did not take on the responsiblity for you.

 

[Sammie]

Okay....please, people...don't flame me for this...but I am going to give a different opinion!

While I myself would never break a rule like that, I also wouldn't turn someone else in...not if the dog or kids (seems like they squeezed one more of those in there as well) were not bothering me. Now, if I was up at night due to barking or stepped outside of my room to a "gift" left by the dog, then all bets would be off and I would say something. But for the most part I am a "live and let live" type. I would just feel really bad if the people would have to leave the resort and would have to give up their trip because I turned them in. Now, again, they shouldn't have broken the rules, but I wouldn't want the kids to miss out on a vacation at Disney World because their parents made a really bad decision. Also, I couldn't begin to understand their situation unless I knew for real what was going on...I can't imagine why they would have a dog there, but I guess there could be a valid reason they needed to do it.

Just my 2 cents....

There are rules for a reason. If there truly had been a good reason (service dog) for the dog to be in the room, letting Disney know about it would not have changed anything.

Let me ask this of you. If the OP had let the dog remain, knowing it was against policy and the dog bit some child or a maid that went in the room to clean. How would you feel then. Disney has kennels, very nice ones, there is no reason, unless this is a service dog, that it needs to be in the room.

The family did the wrong, not the OP.

 

[DisneyMim]

You absolutely did the right thing. There are way too many "special" people around who think the rules don't apply to them. Imagine someone who is highly allergic to animals going into that room after the "special" family left. It could mean a trip to the hospital and a ruined vacation. Now I am not talking about service dogs. Of course they should be welcomed. The difference is that the resort knows about them and should do a good cleaning after the people check-out. Sneaking in animals is wrong. If you want to bring your animals on vacation go to a pet friendly resort. I know that at least one loop at FW is pet friendly.