Clean Up That DoDo

[FL-JOE]

Arrived at a fairly new CG in the Smokies yesterday.  We found it this spring when we were riding up here with some friends.  It looked so nice all three couple booked this week here to try it out.

We were the first to arrive and all went well.  They had a huge lot for me to drop my trailer and escorted me to our site.  As we were setting up the DW almost stepped into a doggy yard bomb.  Upon closer examination we found at least five more fresh piles next to our patio area!  We called the office and politely told them what we found and asked them to clean it up.  They had a worker there in less than 15 minutes.  We suggested to him that the office look up the folks that just left our site and make a note in their computer to either surcharge their next stay or refuse to allow them to come back.  He said it happens all the time and the office just lets it go.

We only find this once and awhile when arriving at new sites.  I hope it is not getting to be more of a problem.

[Velos]

Unfortunately there will always be pet owners that don't pick up but I don't think its getting worse?  It all depends on the attention given to it in any particular area.  A park we stayed in this summer had a huge dispenser in their off leash dog run that the woodshop made for people to drop off their plastic grocery bags to use in case they didn't bring their own bag.

We have stayed at proactive RV parks that ask at check in if we have pets and when we say yes they give us a little "doggy gift bag" including a map of the areas for dog walking, an off leash dog park if they have one,  a doggy treat and one or two waste bags.  We recently took a car trip and La Quintas Hotels are dog friendly.  A couple of them asked at check in if we have a pet and offered a dog treat and waste bag. In fact one hotel in Florida had scented bags in their dog walking area. WOW.  Handing out  a complementary welcome doggie bag is good customer service and may encourage more people to pick up?

I have used one of these Dog Leash Accessory Bag for years this is the least expensive I have found this product.

I put treats on one side and 2 rolls of poo bags on the other side.  It also has an elastic band to hold a small flash light.

I have found this hands free neck light very helpful for late evening or early morning walks as the days get shorter and its dark out. 

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

And sadly ....... this is why when we are travelling pet free (for the most part) the odd occasion we book into an RV CG, we always insist on not being placed on or close by Pet allocated Sites.    We were recently (Aug) walking along the water front in Nelson, BC.   On quite a long stretch along the river, to right down past the airport from the furthest downtown point, there was a chain link fence.   Besides the doggy dispenser bags, many fresh bags were tied every couple of feet or less on that fence for ease of pet owners to grab and pick up their furry friends deposits.   Alas, we encountered untold amounts of doggy poop along both sides of the pathway as we walked, and the stench at some points more than caught the back of our throats in spots.

Someone had the forethought to locate these bags within reach distance of where one might poop, and yet still the owners neglected to pick up.   Sigh ........

PS:   We absolutely adore and love our dogs, horses and other animals, but part of responsible pet ownership is picking up their deposits, and for the horses ensuring their paddocks are properly maintained for grass growth and their comfort when in corrals.   We visit so many folks who's animals live and play in mountains of their own faeces sadly.

[remoandiris]

I have 2 dogs.  We setup an x-pen whenever we can for the dogs to do their business.  It just makes things easier for us.  When we take the dogs for a longer walk or run, I always have at least 2 bags in my pocket.

When I'm at a cg's fenced-in dog run and they provide bags, yet there are STILL piles on the ground, I get pissed off at the dog owner(s) for giving park operators one more reason to either charge money for pets or prohibit them altogether.

[FL-JOE]

It will probably end up being the industry standard that CGs will charge more for customers that have pets.  Just like everything, a few will ruin it for everyone.

The park we are in currently (Anchor Down) is a really nice clean park.  They have a fenced pet run area that is nicer than anything I have ever seen.  There are stations throughout the park with free doggy dodo bags.  All these extra things have cost the owners tons of money to purchase and maintain.  Then the slugs that had our site before us are too lazy to pick up after their canine extended family and leave the mess for someone else.  So a workcamper has to be dispatched to our site and pick up after them. 

This wouldn't have to happen very often if I owned the park before I would start adding another 25% to anyone coming in with pets.

[remoandiris]

1 hour ago, FL-JOE said:

This wouldn't have to happen very often if I owned the park before I would start adding another 25% to anyone coming in with pets.

So you advocate punishing all pet owners for the failures of a few??  Why not just require pet owners post a $100 refundable deposit?  If their site is clean after they leave, they get the deposit back and if the site has crap, like you claim your site did, they do not get the deposit back.

[mptjelgin]

We were interested to note that Gifford Pinchot State Park in Pennsylvania restricted campers with pets to a relatively small set of campground loops, leaving most of the campground areas pet free.  It was nice to be away from barking dogs, little "gifts" on the ground, etc. 

[orca]

There are slobs in every level of rv users from full timers to weekenders. Whether it is throwing their dish water out their door, playing loud music or walking through your camp. But yes, not picking up after your dog is the most ignorant, and one that i call them out on. I always have a doggy bag in every pant or jacket to give the offending owner!

[2gypsies]

Walking trails we see piles right on the trail. Don't owners have any smarts?  We also see that some pick it up and put it in a bag but then toss the bag in a bush next to the trail.

[FL-JOE]

21 hours ago, remoandiris said:

So you advocate punishing all pet owners for the failures of a few??  Why not just require pet owners post a $100 refundable deposit?  If their site is clean after they leave, they get the deposit back and if the site has crap, like you claim your site did, they do not get the deposit back.

Did you see any part of my post that said "all parks should start charging extra for pet owners"?  I'm not advocating anything.  I am simply saying that if I owned a park and had the issue of lazy pet owners refusing to pick up their waste I would start charging more to handle the extra expense.  Running a private CG is a business like anything else, or that would be how I would view it if I was an owner.  Collecting deposits, inspecting sites prior to campers leaving, and then returning deposits would be a lot of extra work.  I'm pretty sure most CG owners would say that was a stupid idea.  But then I do not own a CG nor have I ever owned a CG so what do I know.

[Kirk W]

Sadly we seem to have self-centered people traveling in RVs today as is true of every group. It is the reason that more and more rules are being propagated in RV parks and campgrounds. With this forum being intended to discuss pets and pet issues it tends to also become a target for pet-related complaints but as one who has been a volunteer campground host, I could make a very long list of similar offenses that people who do not have pets do. As one who just lost our dog/companion of the past 16 years, I have experienced both sides of the issue and dislike those who fail to be responsible pet owners, but I also know that they are far from the only offenders. As a host, I soon learned that those who tend to complain most usually also offend others in some way. If we make rules about everything that may offend someone, we soon will have so many rules that we will lose the freedom that attracts us to RV living. 

I just carry potty bags with me all of the time and try to make up for the ignorant jerks, just as we pick up trash left by others and try to always leave our sites in better condition than we found them. 

[jc2]

42 minutes ago, Kirk Wood said:

Sadly we seem to have self-centered people traveling in RVs today as is true of every group. It is the reason that more and more rules are being propagated in RV parks and campgrounds. With this forum being intended to discuss pets and pet issues it tends to also become a target for pet-related complaints but as one who has been a volunteer campground host, I could make a very long list of similar offenses that people who do not have pets do. As one who just lost our dog/companion of the past 16 years, I have experienced both sides of the issue and dislike those who fail to be responsible pet owners, but I also know that they are far from the only offenders. As a host, I soon learned that those who tend to complain most usually also offend others in some way. If we make rules about everything that may offend someone, we soon will have so many rules that we will lose the freedom that attracts us to RV living. 

I just carry potty bags with me all of the time and try to make up for the ignorant jerks, just as we pick up trash left by others and try to always leave our sites in better condition than we found them. 

Thank u Kirk;  A good example for others to follow.

[remoandiris]

2 hours ago, FL-JOE said:

Did you see any part of my post that said "all parks should start charging extra for pet owners"?  I'm not advocating anything.  I am simply saying that if I owned a park and had the issue of lazy pet owners refusing to pick up their waste I would start charging more to handle the extra expense.  Running a private CG is a business like anything else, or that would be how I would view it if I was an owner.  Collecting deposits, inspecting sites prior to campers leaving, and then returning deposits would be a lot of extra work.  I'm pretty sure most CG owners would say that was a stupid idea.  But then I do not own a CG nor have I ever owned a CG so what do I know.

I saw what your wrote.  I read and understood what you wrote.  You ARE advocating punishing ALL pet owners for the bad behavior of a few.  I guess hotels that require a pet DEPOSIT are stupid, too.  At least in your mind.  But what do you know.

[jc2]

[beemergary]

I can be a negative guy but see more and more people cleaning up after their pets. If you don't you will hear from me. Been camping over 35 yrs. with Golden Retrivers and Newfoundlands.

[MrsSquid]

On 10/6/2018 at 10:17 AM, mptjelgin said:

We were interested to note that Gifford Pinchot State Park in Pennsylvania restricted campers with pets to a relatively small set of campground loops, leaving most of the campground areas pet free.  It was nice to be away from barking dogs, little "gifts" on the ground, etc. 

We've stayed at Pinchot. We too liked the pet-free loops for the same reasons. I would love to see that option offered at more places. Maryland State Parks offer pet-free loops on their reservation system. I don't know if it's in all of the state parks, but it's an option for Point Lookout State Park.

[FL-JOE]

21 hours ago, remoandiris said:

I saw what your wrote.  I read and understood what you wrote.  You ARE advocating punishing ALL pet owners for the bad behavior of a few.  I guess hotels that require a pet DEPOSIT are stupid, too.  At least in your mind.  But what do you know.

Don't you think it is just slightly different for a hotel?  You generally check in at the front desk and then you check out.  At most of the hundreds of campgrounds I have been in you check in and when you leave you simply pack up and leave.  It would be a lot harder for CGs to deal with deposits.  

You don't even want to get me started on motel/hotels that cater to pets, or grocery stores that allow pets in the shopping carts.  I would voice my opinion on what I would do if I owned such a business but then I would be advocating something else to offend you.  

There is a good percentage of RV pet travelers that do not clean up after their little buddies.  Most do clean up but many do not.  It comes up on different forums all the time and of course no one ever admits to not cleaning up after their pet.  So it would seem that everyone who posts on every RV forum always cleans up 100% of the time.  But then once and awhile you will get someone who starts freaking out if someone talks about charging extra for pets or charging a deposit.  Makes you wonder if those folks aren't the ones who don't clean up.

[DavidCD]

Most dog owners manage to follow the camp ground rules regarding pets but it seems there is always one jackass who thinks the rules don't apply to them.    Besides not cleaning up after there animal some people seem to think it's OK to let their dog run loose through the park.   Our dog is always on a leash or a lead anytime she's outside but she's been jumped by loose dogs several times.   It really pisses me off.

[chirakawa]

In my over ten years of fulltiming, the biggest disappointment to me has been the behavior of pet owners.  As a group, they are the biggest violator of rules and most inconsiderate which I have observed.  In fact, I don't think I've ever met or seen a pet owner which played by the rules.

I'm not just talking about picking up dog droppings, I mean the entire list of pet rules.  I can't remember ever staying in an RV park which didn't have rules against leaving the pet unattended, yet every pet owner I've observed has done so.  And, when someone pointed out that their precious little Fifi cried the whole time they were gone, the owner didn't believe it.  News Flash.............your little puppy misses you while you're gone.

I've also noticed that many owners tie up their pet outdoors while they sit inside and watch TV or whatever, also a violation of any RV park I've been to.  Some even build pens outside to house their pet.

I can't remember all the times when a new arrival will open the door and three or four dogs will come running out, even though the RV park has a clear rule of two pet limit.  Of course, they're careful to only walk two at a time.  Don't even get me started on how many times I've walked into a laundry and seen a dog sitting in there next to their owner, even though pets are not allowed to enter any of the buildings.  And, there's nothing nicer than folding my clothes which are full of dog hair because someone washed their dog rug against the rules.

But, hey, it's okay pet owners.  If it's not a fair rule in your eyes, you don't have to obey it.

 

[Pat & Pete]

1 hour ago, chirakawa said:

In my over ten years of fulltiming, the biggest disappointment to me has been the behavior of pet owners.  As a group, they are the biggest violator of rules and most inconsiderate which I have observed.  In fact, I don't think I've ever met or seen a pet owner which played by the rules.

I'm not just talking about picking up dog droppings, I mean the entire list of pet rules.  I can't remember ever staying in an RV park which didn't have rules against leaving the pet unattended, yet every pet owner I've observed has done so.  And, when someone pointed out that their precious little Fifi cried the whole time they were gone, the owner didn't believe it.  News Flash.............your little puppy misses you while you're gone.

I've also noticed that many owners tie up their pet outdoors while they sit inside and watch TV or whatever, also a violation of any RV park I've been to.  Some even build pens outside to house their pet.

I can't remember all the times when a new arrival will open the door and three or four dogs will come running out, even though the RV park has a clear rule of two pet limit.  Of course, they're careful to only walk two at a time.  Don't even get me started on how many times I've walked into a laundry and seen a dog sitting in there next to their owner, even though pets are not allowed to enter any of the buildings.  And, there's nothing nicer than folding my clothes which are full of dog hair because someone washed their dog rug against the rules.

But, hey, it's okay pet owners.  If it's not a fair rule in your eyes, you don't have to obey it.

 

 No doubt one of your pet peeves .  LOL 

Pet owners are the only folks that break any rules . The rest of us are perfect and never need any forgiveness for anything .

 

[chirakawa]

2 hours ago, Pat & Pete said:

 No doubt one of your pet peeves .  LOL 

Pet owners are the only folks that break any rules . The rest of us are perfect and never need any forgiveness for anything .

 

Yeah, what you said.

[remoandiris]

Deleted because some times it is just easier to add a know it all to the ignore list instead of wasting time replying.

[2gypsies]

14 minutes ago, remoandiris said:

 

"Pets" are not allowed in grocery stores in the US.  Certain "support" animals are allowed.  Don't get me started on people who abuse the law when it comes to support animals.

 

We see many dogs sitting in the grocery cart where I may place my food on the next trip.

[remoandiris]

43 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:

We see many dogs sitting in the grocery cart where I may place my food on the next trip.

Next time you do, ask the store manager about their "pet" policy.  I'd be interested in their answer.

I was in a store in Durango years ago (don't think it was a grocery store) and asked an employee about their pet policy.  A guy walking around with a monkey in his cart is what prompted me to ask.  He said they were told to not ask about a pet versus a support animal.   Federal law is specific on what is a legal (not the correct term) support animal and what is not.  Remember the woman who claimed her peacock was a support animal and wanted to get it on an airline flight?  Thankfully, the airline pushed back and refused with no legal repercussions?

[Pat & Pete]

1 hour ago, remoandiris said:

Deleted because some times it is just easier to add a know it all to the ignore list instead of wasting time replying.

Hmm , you just wasted time replying to nothing and telling us that you use the ignore list . 

But , I guess you can waste your time however you like .