Lay My Hat

Guests arrived a few minutes ago. The wife informed me that ahe is registered blind, but ‘I don’t have my dog with me’ I say ‘well, we do not allow pets here’ and then went into an explanation about why, the complaint we had last year etc. Then she says ‘Our daughter is coming to visit for a barbecue on Monday, she is camping on the island and is bringing her dog. Its very small and we won’t let it inside and it doesn’t shed its hair’ I was gobsmacked, my website has ‘no pets allowed’ clearly on the Home page.. I am sure will try to get into the cottage, and if it is raining, well....
So I am absolutely fizzing about it, but what can I do? I am afraid that the dog will get in and that my next guests and the ones after will be allergic and make a complaint.
Any suggestions?

Tell your guests that the entire property, grounds included, is "no pets allowed" and if her daughter arrives with her dog, you will take that as breach of contract by your guests and will ask them to leave, with no responsibility on your part as regards compensation. If they try to insist that the precious pooch does not shed hairs, point out to them that that is not the point. Many people who have allergies are allergic to the dander, not the actual fur. And if it's contrary to your rules, it is contrary to your rules. End of.

PW I did think of doing something like that, but then I met the husband outside and told him that I was very worried that the dog would somehow escape into the house, thus putting me in a spot if my subsequent guests were allergic. I explained in detail what had happened last year with a dog and I told him that I could possibly have to refund money to someone. He was quite nice actually and didn’t protest. I must admit I made a bit of a show about it , and he could see I was really worried. So has said that they would take the barbecue to the campsite, So we shall see what happens! I’m glad I don’t have to get tough! Don’t want any unpleasantness! However, I will put on the website ‘No dogs, cats, rats, rabbits of other pets allowed inside or outside ‘ in big red letters and that might just get through to the numpties who blithely ignore plaiin English.

Hey, Jemima, given your strapline, do you allow sheep (or horses!)

Mols

Only if they leave some manure in the garden!😀😀😀

They could answer back but you have to allow guide dogs, it is against the law to discriminate due to disabilities.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-a ... rimination
Tricky one to answer!

And of course the person with a violent allergic reaction (not just streaming eyes and sneezing) could be considered "disabled" too.
It's the judgement of Solomon all over again, potentially whatever you do is going to "wrong" somebody.

PW is correct, but streaming eyes is not listed as an offical disability for some reason. 😿

Jemina, would it be worth changing tack re:dogs, and instead putting something in your terms and conditions that you cannot guarantee the cottage is dog-free from an allergy perspective? You could put it in the context of "we do not accept dogs except guide dogs. However, as we do accept guide dogs when the occasion arises, we cannot guarantee the cottage is dog free for those with a dog allergy". Then you wouldn't have the stress associated with making sure no one sneaks a dog in via a visitor, and would also have the flexibility to allow dogs on request if you felt comfortable, and for your family to bring their dog when they come to stay.

The dog in question is not actually a guide dog, but I wonder how to respond if someone who needs a dog because of disabilities, were to make an enquiry. I do sometimes get enquiries from people with dogs, they always say ‘my dog is very well behaved etc.’ I have to admit that I am not a dog lover, although there are some individual dogs which I like, but in general I think they are smelly, slavering and unnecessary creatures and I particularly hate being licked by one. That is the main reason I don’t allow them in my cottage. Also, dogs can be unpredictable as we sometimes read in the press e.g ‘dog which has never shown any sign of aggression in the past mauls its owners face off, 2 year old to death, attacks visitor leaving life threatening injuries’_ take your pick of the different scenarios. That could easily be your new Italian cushions or your top of the range goosedown bedding. However, there are plenty of holiday rentals which cater for people with dogs, and I think it unlikely that a disabled person would choose a dog-unfriedly place deliberately to then try to sue the owner if they decline to let their property to them.

africanpenguin wrote:Jemina, would it be worth changing tack re:dogs, and instead putting something in your terms and conditions that you cannot guarantee the cottage is dog-free from an allergy perspective? You could put it in the context of "we do not accept dogs except guide dogs. However, as we do accept guide dogs when the occasion arises, we cannot guarantee the cottage is dog free for those with a dog allergy". Then you wouldn't have the stress associated with making sure no one sneaks a dog in via a visitor, and would also have the flexibility to allow dogs on request if you felt comfortable, and for your family to bring their dog when they come to stay.

That is a good point, however, if everyone put that in their t and c, it would mean that those who suffer from allergies would not have the security of knowing that a place was pet free. The complaint I had last year was because I let on of my first ever guests bring a dog as a special favour. 2 weeks later, after we had cleaned the place twice, a couple arrived. I thought her face looked a bit blotchy and wondered if she had eczema or some other skin disorder. Tbey seemed happy enough, although rather non- committal in conversation. When they left, they gave good review on Airbnb, but the private message was about how disappointed they were because they had expected the cottage to be pet- free.They had cleaned it from top- to bottom on arrival because she had had an immediate reaction, hence the blotchy skin.
It may well have spoiled the holiday for them, I don’t know.So Iam not willing to let that happen again. The dog hairs - a chihuahua btw- were still embedded in blankets and rugs weeks later.

Jemima Copping wrote:......I think it unlikely that a disabled person would choose a dog-unfriedly place deliberately to then try to sue the owner if they decline to let their property to them.

You may want to re-consider that.

Well, I suppose you could say something like, ‘ so sorry that we are unable to take your booking, my husband ( wife, daughter, great granny....take your pick) has just fallen off his/ her perch due to a bad allergic reaction (bite, infectious disease, tripping over and getting accidentally strangled by dog lead...the list is endless) and we are so distraught that we cannot take any more bookings for the forseeable future’.

Just a technicality... the law applies to 'assistance dogs', i.e. hearing dogs for the deaf, dogs trained to sense epileptic fits, etc. as opposed to just guide dogs for the blind. All assistance dogs are accredited and have an id card... thus avoiding the possibility of pet owners chancing it to try and get their pets into places dogs aren't usually permitted.

I'm afraid you can't refuse an assistance dog - it's a criminal offence. However, if you do find yourself in this situation, I wouldn't worry unduly: assistance dogs in the UK number only about 7000, so you'd be very unlikely (and unlucky!) to welcome an assistance dog one week, and then be faced with a severely allergic guest within the following few weeks.

Sorry Jemima, we have to agree also with the advice about accepting dogs. One cannot not say no dogs PERIOD, at least in the UK.
That is why those links were added to our posts earlier in this thread. Obviously you can try and stop this guest/family dog, but if you are open for reviews, on which ever website, it could end up a negative one if you stop this family member (read dog) attending the BBQ.

You can see how it goes...... the owners ruined for all of us just because Fido was not allowed in the garden.
Read about these sort of reviews on this forum far too many times.
So as said before it is a tricky one.


We once had guest turn up with a pet owl! They slept the night in the house. Also once someone found what they perceived to be an abandoned kitten. All a bit of a nightmare.