fpresto wrote: One of the best pet friendly campgrounds anywhere is Four Paws Kingdom link. They cater to dogs and discourage children. However even they restrict certain breeds due to insurance concerns.
"Insurance regulations prohibit us from accommodating a limited number of breeds. We apologize for this measure. We know that these breeds are often part of your family and can be the kindest and friendliest dogs around, but the insurance industry makes the rules and we have to follow these rules to obtain liability insurance and stay in business (after all, we are a one-of-a-kind niche business).
We apologize to the owners of the following breeds/mixes:
Rottweilers, Bull Terrier and Miniature Bull Terrier, American Pitbull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff) and Pitbull Mixes."
This is from a Campground whose business depends on dogs.
I considered going to the Old Fella rally there a couple years ago. After an email exchange I wasn't sure what they would think Roxie was when I got there. I don't really know and different people think she looks like different breeds.
I've just given up on private campgrounds. There are plenty of State Parks and COE campgrounds around that don't have such rules and offer more that I want anyway.
I've just given up on private campgrounds. There are plenty of State Parks and COE campgrounds around that don't have such rules and offer more that I want anyway.
We've only stayed at three private campgrounds in the five years we have owned a trailer. We much prefer COE & state parks for a number of reasons.
Cat
(Jim just reads the forum once in a while)
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some sort of battle.... Live simply, love wholly, give generously, care deeply, speak kindly.
Just a note from a campground owner: the reason the listing of "restricted" dogs has come about is because of the insurance companies. When reading between the lines of our insurance policy, it reads "no pets of any kind". We, of course, know that that would kill our business because that is the reason most people have RVs. We do not ban any breed, but the quantity of that breed. Any dog can show aggressive behavior - regardless of breed. Our rules state that "aggressive dogs of any breed are not welcome" at our park. If we see that a dog is aggressive after check-in, we will talk to the owner. If the owner choses not to control his pet, he is asked to leave. If he refuses to leave, the police are happy to assist us.
We realize that it may not be the dog that is the problem, but the owner. I know a very sweet German Shepherd and a Rottweiler who would rather lick you to death than bite. But we know of a campground owner who lost his campground because of a dog bite. They did not enforce a leash law and attendance (someone is with a pet when outside the RV) and a child was bitten. Accidents happen, but occurrences with pets are not looked upon as accidents.
We limit the number of Large breed dogs or dogs over a certain weight. Some people cannot handle a large breed dog, do not know its strengths / weaknesses, nor its characteristics. Many people do not realize that a pet at home can be different when taken to a campground or other area they are not familiar with. Some pets are better left at home or boarded.
Please do not blame any campground owner who enforces its dog rules. Nor should you blame them if they have so many. Most of those rules come about because of insurance companies. You might say "we are covering our posterior" because we don't want to lose our livelihood. Some campgrounds just don't want pets. Those are the ones that should state "No Pets Allowed" instead of giving such strict guidelines to follow.
Yes, it is fun to take a pet with you camping. Yes, most pets love it. But you as the owner must take responsibility and follow all rules so that the campground is there for you next time you want to visit.
And you said it very well IMHO. Those that can't understand where you're coming from and why the rules, need to go elsewhere to camp. Many say they go to the state and federal CGs, but also a lot of those are the same ones that don't believe the rules are made for them and break the State and Federal animal control rules also. We worked for the USFS Recreation Division and that was the most common citation issued by LEO, almost daily.
Bob & Betsy - USN Ret'd '78 & FL LEO Ret'd '03 FMCA #F203528 '05 HR Endeavor, 40PRQ w/400 Cummins - With -'05 GMC Sierra SLT, CC Z-71, the pusher '07 Arctic Cat 500A & Wilderness Kayak, riding in the pusher - Our Current Location
I have read most of the entries and do find this somewhat alarming... Dogs are Man's Best Friend and by their nature can be 'Aggressive' particularly if aggrovated by another dog or indeed a person.
I have owned various dogs, Laboradors, German Shepherd and now a Yorkshire Terrier or 2 actually. My little sweet lap sitting Yorkies are more aggressive than any of my other dogs, especially if a stranger goes to touch me or my partner. They are my protectors or Guards.
So, it would seem that the statements made by some CG's is quiet ambiguous. There needs to be more claification from the CG's and definitive causes of 'Aggressive Behaviour' that would infer a turn-a-way or asked to leave.
Icey
Ice-Man wrote: ...
So, it would seem that the statements made by some CG's is quiet ambiguous. .....
Yup. And to think that just a few years ago this was ALL spawned by one single news report of a pit bull attacking a person, forget that it happened in a gang area, in a gang members house and the fact that the new gangs of america have decided to choose the pit bull as their status quo of being a fearless gang member.
In an attempt to stop the 'gangs' from engaging in dog fighting etc. the wonders of legislation just couldn't figure it out and now we as citizens have lost the right to own a dog in certain towns and in some instances the entire state, where we can travel with our dogs, etc. and add to that the rest of the ludicuous laws when they couldn't figure out how to police or decifer who was in violation or not they added blanket laws such as banning pets simply by the color of their markings, their body style, oh what the heck lets just add to that list any dog with part of the same name,and on and on and on.
Yup I guess the government did a real good job of stopping dog fighting by inner city gangs by limiting where RV'ers can camp with their dogs. They must have right?
Where and when was the last time you camped that you saw gang members walking thru the campsite with their pitbull on a chain, or how many campgrounds do you know of that were busted for dog fighting rings?
Yup, banning you from taking your pet into CG's has most defintely stopped what the government set out to do.
31 ft Four Winds
Chevy Tracker 4x4 Blue Ox We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
In case you are lulled into believing "all these restrictions" were the result of a single fatal attack by one pit bull years ago, please read the statistics taken for over 20 years by Animal People into fatal dog attacks in the U.S. and Canada.
chuckster11 wrote: In case you are lulled into believing "all these restrictions" were the result of a single fatal attack by one pit bull years ago, please read the statistics taken for over 20 years by Animal People into fatal dog attacks in the U.S. and Canada.
Not lulled.
Hmmm, if that 'were' the case then why was this sudden flurry of banning not done decades ago?
And dog bites 'have' been going on for decades.......there was certainly not a 300% increase in the past year to warrant these bans.
Mass kill off all the banned breeds and the 'total' dog bites reported won't change one bite.
And I will say it again, THAT website is owned and operated by an attorney. Shock and Awe to gain more business and 'encourage' more people to sue, he DOES specialize in dog bite cases. duh!
And providing his link is nothing more than promoting a shiester attorney more business.
Sorry, but I can remember dog disclaimers at CGs in New England, back in the 70's, only then the disclaimer was either "vicious dogs must be muzzled" or "no vicious dogs allowed". The point is today, that the Insurance industry drives the ban, not the CG owner.
We camp with an English Mastiff, (230 lbs) and have never had a problem with any camp ground denying us entry. Our only problem is all the other campers knocking on the door and asking if they can pet the dog. FWIW
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