Pets are now permitted at A Place At the Beach III in Atlantic Beach, NC

Pets have to be registered with the office. A pet cleaning fee in the amount of $125 is due at check-in for the first pet and $25 for a second pet. Dogs and cats only. Only owners can bring pets. No renters, guests or exchangers are allowed to bring pets.

Great News

That's a great change. I hope more timeshares decide to allow pets in the future.

Steve

pets and timeshares

Steve said:

That's a great change. I hope more timeshares decide to allow pets in the future.

Steve

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I for one hope this does not become a trend. I don't want to have to deal with precious Fido barking all night and being afraid to to sit outside because some pet owner is not responsible.

We were at Oak N Spruce in Massachusetts a few years ago and check out days early because the unit next to us had a pit bull. I complained to the desk and was told that unit was owner occupied that week and pets were allowed. I know not all pit bulls are vicious, but why would I want to take that chance?

Just my opinion and I know this is a "hot" button with pet owners.

Joy

joycapecod said:

I for one hope this does not become a trend. I don't want to have to deal with precious Fido barking all night and being afraid to to sit outside because some pet owner is not responsible.

We were at Oak N Spruce in Massachusetts a few years ago and check out days early because the unit next to us had a pit bull. I complained to the desk and was told that unit was owner occupied that week and pets were allowed. I know not all pit bulls are vicious, but why would I want to take that chance?

Just my opinion and I know this is a "hot" button with pet owners.

Joy

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All dogs can be vicious I have been chased and bitten badly by a Chiuaua which is why I am afraid of small dogs to this day. To each their own I suppose but I dont think its a fair statement to talk about chancing it with a Pit Bull. There are many way more vicious breeds. As the owner of a Pit Bull who thinks that he is a lap dog and runs away from the door when someone knocks I know this first hand. Perhaps you should research breeds. Pits were bread to be nanny dogs and are very nurturing. I can assure you the type of owner who is breeding a dog (any dog) to be vicious is not the type who is taking the dog on family vacation.

Yessa!

joycapecod said:

I for one hope this does not become a trend. I don't want to have to deal with precious Fido barking all night and being afraid to to sit outside because some pet owner is not responsible.

Just my opinion and I know this is a "hot" button with pet owners.

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I agree with you 100% --- and I am a pet owner. Pets don't belong in ANY timeshare facility, where units have multiple different owners and occupants. Period, amen.

Allowing owners, but not renters or exchangers, to bring pets is ineffective and just plain silly. Will "owner pets" somehow magically not introduce dander allergens?
Will "owner pets" somehow magically not bark, soil, growl, whine or otherwise offend and disturb other owners or guests who want no part of being involuntarily subjected to (...ahem) "sharing and enjoying" the unsolicited (and to many other owners, completely unwelcome) presence of Fido and / or Fluffy?

This "policy change" will likely be very short-lived in any case. The first owner with allergies who takes occupancy of their unit / week and promptly has allergic reactions to the residual dander of some other owner's four-legged friend will have a very strong case against their HOA. I wish that I could be the one to take on and argue and decisively win that (...likely inevitable) case. Worry not; there will be no "pets allowed trend" spreading much (if any) further in timeshares within the U.S.
People can instead choose to have sole occupancy of their own vacation home anywhere they choose and bring all the inhabitants of Noah's Ark along with them if so inclined, instead of spoiling timeshare properties and ruining the whole timeshare experience for the many other owners there who want no part of any pets at their facility, as is their indisputable right and prerogative as fee-paying deeded owners.

It's also worthy of note that invariably, a NO PETS policy was an established matter long in practice at any given resort when everyone purchased their interval(s), including the now-lonely pet owners. Is a lonesome pet owner minority entitled to just override the vast majority will of all the other owners? No; not for a second.

Btw, I personally have no allergies or any allergy issues. What I do have however is some consideration and respect for the health and rights of two-legged others, who have paid serious money to own, support, use and enjoy their portion of a timeshare facility for a week or two or three --- without having to ever be exposed against their will to other peoples' pets (even well behaved pets) or to the residual allergenic aftermath of any animals' previous inappropriate presence there.

A Place at the Beach III has full time ownership for some units, so that is probably why they decided on allowing pets. We were there several years ago and there were a lot of cats wandering around. Not one of the best resorts in the area IMHO.

tonyg said:

...a lot of cats wandering around.

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Do they have any coyotes in coastal NC?

If so, the coyotes would likely find the little feline fluffies quite tasty with mustard.

If not, we could ship some coyotes south from New England. Got Grey Poupon? :ignore:

This is always a hot topic.

One of my other timeshares on the OBX has this type of policy for owners. Owners can bring their pets, register them and pay an additional pet fee. It is a smaller "timeshare development" (about 20 duplex units) with no amenities except a beautiful beach. No exchangers, guests or renters can bring pets, only owners.

They have had this policy for many, many years. While I am a pet owner and utilized the option one time, I'm not sure that it is a good idea. I know that I don't want to be subjected to the potential of irresponsible pet owners or their uncontrollable pets. Allergies to pet dander is very real and the quick cleaning that has to be done between check-in and check-out leaves me wondering how all that can be taken care of in such a short window. Below is what I received by email after the HOA meeting.

A Place at the Beach Timeshare Pet Policy

Timeshare ownership is unique in that every week a new owner comes in to use each unit. The incoming owners find that the condition of the unit is always affected by the previous owners/guests, particularly for incoming owners who have allergies and/or breathing problems. Many of our timeshare owners at A Place at the Beach consider their pets an essential part of the family, so it's no surprise that owners want their dogs and cats to enjoy all the perks of an APATB vacation, just as they do. However, the next owner
in the unit may not be a pet person and may be allergic to pet dander. Having a pet with you in the unit requires additional cleaning, including carpet cleaning, after you leave. We have also seen damages caused by pets brought onsite by deeded owners which include excessive carpet or bedding stains,
scratching of furniture, walls and doors.

Beginning in January 2015 all timeshare owners bringing a pet to stay in their unit will be charged a $125.00 non-refundable pet fee for the first pet and $25.00 for each additional pet. This pet fee will be collected at the time of check-in. Please make sure that your pets are registered at the front desk and have an APATB pet tag. The Town of Atlantic Beach has a leash law and a “pooper scooper” law that is strictly enforced. Those laws are posted on the aplaceatthebeachhoa.org website. Pet owners must clean
up after their pets on public and private property. Pets are limited to dogs and cats. No reptiles, exotic pets, birds, rodents or livestock are allowed on the property.While you’re here, make sure to keep your dog well-hydrated and have plenty of shade. Our strong summer sun makes for very hot pavement and sand, so providing shade is essential and morning or
evening walks are best. Salt water can be nauseating for dogs, so keep lots of fresh, cool water at hand. Also, be sure to mind the local leash law and "scooper" law.

* Pets are not permitted in the center courtyard.

* The Carteret County Health Department does not allow pets in the swimming pool areas, hot tubs, public restrooms, game rooms or any place serving food or beverages.

* Rental guests, exchange guests, visitors or guests of owners (including day guests) are NOT allowed to have pets on the property.

* Important “Pet” Telephone Numbers:

Petsmart, Inc. (252) 727-0002
5160 Highway 70, Morehead City, NC 28557

PetDocks Veterinary Hospital (252) 240-3885
5307 Highway 70, Morehead City, NC 28557

Bridges Professional Park Animal Hospital (252) 247-5595 or 444-1399
214 Commerce Ave., Morehead City, NC 28557

Biting Dogs

natasha5687 said:

All dogs can be vicious I have been chased and bitten badly by a Chiuaua which is why I am afraid of small dogs to this day. To each their own I suppose but I dont think its a fair statement to talk about chancing it with a Pit Bull. There are many way more vicious breeds. As the owner of a Pit Bull who thinks that he is a lap dog and runs away from the door when someone knocks I know this first hand. Perhaps you should research breeds. Pits were bread to be nanny dogs and are very nurturing. I can assure you the type of owner who is breeding a dog (any dog) to be vicious is not the type who is taking the dog on family vacation.

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http://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-fatalities-2013.php

What is a Chiuaua? Maybe Chihuahua

One spelling fits all --- NO PETS!

pacodemountainside said:

What is a Chiuaua? Maybe Chihuahua

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The individual breed (and / or the correct spelling thereof) is completely irrelevant; ALL pets have NO place at ANY timeshare facility.

theo said:

The individual breed (and / or the correct spelling thereof) is completely irrelevant; ALL pets have NO place at timeshare facilities.

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Poster had digressed from pets at resorts to phobia about unknown breed of small dog.

I am a pet lover, but do agree this is very controversial. If owner is willing to pay for professional Ionization and steam cleaning a case could be made

I choose to leave my pets at home with a sitter.

It's to bad it's owners only. I enjoy bringing our pets on vacation with us but an owners only resort does me no good.

It's a shame this appears to be digressing into one of those pets/no-pets threads. It serves little purpose as resorts will do what resorts will do. If you don't like pet friendly resorts, just make a list and avoid them. That's what we do. We make a list and we go to them with our pets.

I do think it would be important that exchangers know a resorts pet policy. Especially if they have a owners only policy for bringing pets. I'd hate to exchange into a resort and find out it allows pets for owners but lists itself as not allowing exchangers to bring pets, allowing exchangers to assume it's a pet free resort.

dougp26364 said:

It's to bad it's owners only. I enjoy bringing our pets on vacation with us but an owners only resort does me no good.

It's a shame this appears to be digressing into one of those pets/no-pets threads. It serves little purpose as resorts will do what resorts will do. If you don't like pet friendly resorts, just make a list and avoid them. That's what we do. We make a list and we go to them with our pets.

I do think it would be important that exchangers know a resorts pet policy. Especially if they have a owners only policy for bringing pets. I'd hate to exchange into a resort and find out it allows pets for owners but lists itself as not allowing exchangers to bring pets, allowing exchangers to assume it's a pet free resort.

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Yes, exactly. That was the biggest issue at Oak N Spruce. We had been there a few years prior and it was no pets at all. Had it been acknowledged prior to finding out the "hard way" that pets were allowed we would have exchanged to another resort.

Yes, resorts will do what resort want to do, but it should be noted on that the resort is pet friendly when making the exchange. I have no issue with dogs/cat/ igunans/ ferrets etc., but I believe that it should be transparent at time of confirmation that pets are allowed.

Like I said before, this is just my opinion.

Joy

research

natasha5687 said:

All dogs can be vicious I have been chased and bitten badly by a Chiuaua which is why I am afraid of small dogs to this day. To each their own I suppose but I dont think its a fair statement to talk about chancing it with a Pit Bull. There are many way more vicious breeds. As the owner of a Pit Bull who thinks that he is a lap dog and runs away from the door when someone knocks I know this first hand. Perhaps you should research breeds. Pits were bread to be nanny dogs and are very nurturing. I can assure you the type of owner who is breeding a dog (any dog) to be vicious is not the type who is taking the dog on family vacation.

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Natasha, I am happy for you that you think your pit bull is a lap dog, but you didn't need to suggest that I research breeds. I don't want to be in the company of a pit bull; I also don't want to be in the company of any pet when on vacation. Other people like to vacation with their pets; I have friends who do, and for them that is fine.

You can defend your pit all you want, but as you have a fear of small dogs, others have a reasonable fear of large dogs. I would rather take my chances with a 10 pound dog than one that weights as much as I.

As written earlier, this is just my opinion.

Joy

The only real issue I see is if a resort allows pets, even if it's just for their owners, they need to make it known to everyone. Allergies, phobia's of just wanting peace and quite are all legitimate reasons someone might not want to exchange into a pet friendly resort. It's not so much a resort allows pets but that they allow someone to make a reservation without the knowledge they'll be sharing their vacation with dogs and/or cats.

Think of it this way. You book a trip and it's only after you arrive at the resort you find out it's clothing optional. If you're not comfortable being around naked strangers, it could really have an impact on the enjoyment of your vacation.

IMHO it has very little to do with the pets themselves and everything to do with an exchanger not knowing the resort allows pets until after they've arrived and it's to late. That's a disservice to everyone IMHO.

joycapecod said:

Natasha, I am happy for you that you think your pit bull is a lap dog, but you didn't need to suggest that I research breeds. I don't want to be in the company of a pit bull; I also don't want to be in the company of any pet when on vacation. Other people like to vacation with their pets; I have friends who do, and for them that is fine.

You can defend your pit all you want, but as you have a fear of small dogs, others have a reasonable fear of large dogs. I would rather take my chances with a 10 pound dog than one that weights as much as I.

As written earlier, this is just my opinion.

Joy

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I dont have to defend my dog. I feel the way that I do and I know my dogs personality...I raised him from a puppy. You made a specific mention of Pit Bulls in general and not that you did not care to be in the company of any pet. You are 100% entitled to your own personal opinion. I am fully aware of why this breed gets a bad rap and the fatality statistics highly reflect Pit Bulls that have been aquired with the intention of making them viscious in most instances. Just imagine if people were treated the same based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender, oh wait that happens in America every single day because of pure ignorance. http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/quizzes-5-myths-debunked.htm

theo said:

The individual breed (and / or the correct spelling thereof) is completely irrelevant; ALL pets have NO place at ANY timeshare facility.

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in your opinion. Obviously, some timeshare developments have a different opinion.

Silverleaf used to be dog friendly throughout the chain, including Oak N Spruce in Lee, MA.

dougp26364 said:

The only real issue I see is if a resort allows pets, even if it's just for their owners, they need to make it known to everyone. Allergies, phobia's of just wanting peace and quite are all legitimate reasons someone might not want to exchange into a pet friendly resort. It's not so much a resort allows pets but that they allow someone to make a reservation without the knowledge they'll be sharing their vacation with dogs and/or cats.

Think of it this way. You book a trip and it's only after you arrive at the resort you find out it's clothing optional. If you're not comfortable being around naked strangers, it could really have an impact on the enjoyment of your vacation.

IMHO it has very little to do with the pets themselves and everything to do with an exchanger not knowing the resort allows pets until after they've arrived and it's to late. That's a disservice to everyone IMHO.

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I agree completely that any timeshares which allow pets, including those that allow it as an owners-only perk - should make that known in advance to any guests who are thinking about exchanging in or booking a cash stay.

We're very lucky in that my brother happily takes over as our dawg's owner whenever we need him; he and the dawg are thrilled with the arrangement. But it's not as easy for many pet-owners to leave their pets which means there's definitely a market for pet-friendly timeshares. I wouldn't choose to visit them (which is why I'd want to know before thinking about booking them) but it's very easy to understand why some want them.

But like anything else that's a personal preference, you can't choose what you want/don't want unless you know it exists.

I do wish more timeshares had at least a few specific designated units for pets - but don't think all units should be so designated. And I can't help but chime in about this:

Most pit bull and other dog bites occur by dogs who their owners swear are friendly and "would never hurt a soul."

Anyone who believes that temperament in specific dog breeds isn't generally influenced by generations of previous breeding isn't aware of how dog genetics work. Same for anyone who doesn't believe that aggressiveness is often an innate temperament. That doesn't mean there aren't individual exceptions, but the nurture and training of a specific animal rarely trumps innate inherited personality characteristics.

There are people who think it's nifty to breed and own wolf-hybrids - I've even known a few. I admire wolves. But IMO anyone who would own one and trust one as a pet is delusional.

If you disagree and think you have the science to back up your opinions, show it to me. My experience is with sled dogs, who are bred for a specific purpose. Many characteristics of their temperaments are absolutely inherited, and cannot reliably be trumped by training. That's why breeding for working dogs is done so carefully and intentionally.

Additionally, with any popularized breed such as pit bulls, breeding is done haphazardly and without intention.

Dog breeds were originally created by humans, for specific purposes. There is no analogy to be made with human genetics here, or with discrimination against groups of humans.

Anyone invested in changing the reputation of pit bulls as aggressive could accomplish something tangible by engaging in selective breeding - selecting for gentleness and selecting out aggressiveness. Do that over many generations, and you will begin to have your desired results. This is unlikely to ever happen, because the people who defend pit bulls as gentle are rarely breeders.

Until/unless the breed's temperament and attack history statistically changes, I would personally not choose to be in the company of a pit bull and would especially never risk endangering a child's life.

Steve said:

That's a great change. I hope more timeshares decide to allow pets in the future.

Steve

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I think it is an absolutely horrible change. It is beyond me why a timeshare which does not allow smoking (BTW, I am not a smoker) would allow pets. Some people are extremely allergic to animals, especially cats, so it is a health issue as well as a maintenance cost issue.

If one is not affected by allergies to something, they have no idea the effects.

BocaBoy said:

I think it is an absolutely horrible change. It is beyond me why a timeshare which does not allow smoking (BTW, I am not a smoker) would allow pets. Some people are extremely allergic to animals, especially cats, so it is a health issue as well as a maintenance cost issue.

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I have a co-worker (for 25 years) that is extremely allergic to scents from perfume, body sprays, lotions. We work in a mail processing facility with lots of folks wearing these products. No one really gets it because they don't "walk in her shoes." She does what she can to protect herself because our employer can't ban these items. She does what she can to protect herself.

I am unsure how units can be properly cleaned of all pet residue in the short time frame between check-out and check-in. I don't think it can be done.

I am a pet owner (for 30+ years), a rental property owner (mid rise urban building), and a timeshare owner.

A few years ago, we rented our condo to a nice couple with a small dog. The dog came with references from the prior rental so against our better judgement, we rented to this couple. Huge mistake. 1) The dog didn't bark, it whined all day. The next door neighbors rightfully complained. 2)The owners may have thought that the dog was housebroken, but it wasn't. In addition to peeing on the carpet, it peed on the balcony and then dribbled down the drain to the patio below. The downstairs neighbors complained. Of course, the HOA got involved, as did our property manager. We had to let the couple out of their lease early after a few months just to get them out of there. The carpet had to be replaced. The unit was empty for nearly a month between the cleaning and fix up time plus the normal time to get it re-leased. We didn't return the pet deposit, but it came no where close to covering our put of pocket costs. And the kicker was the owners arguing every step of the way that it wasn't their dog that was the issue, even when confronted with proof!

As a timeshare owner, I worry that the cost to the association will go up. I get why pet owners want to bring their pets along, but I think that people would be surprised at the cost to repair damage caused by pets.

...And that's a comparatively SMALL cost...

klpca said:

<snip> As a timeshare owner, I worry that the cost to the association will go up. I get why pet owners want to bring their pets along, but I think that people would be surprised at the cost to repair damage caused by pets.

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Not to even mention the legal and / or settlement costs to the timeshare HOA when some innocent timeshare (...but not pet) owner inevitably has severe allergic reactions requiring medical attention --- because of the prior week-long presence of some little Feline Fluffy while occupying their own unit / week.

A dog bite sustained by another owner (...or guest, renter, employee, or vendor) while legitimately on property? I can hear the "Ka-Chings" as the cash register sings.

Can you say "treble damages"? Winning such cases and associated settlements is child's play, so why knowingly create any such HOA risk and exposure in the first place?

BocaBoy said:

I think it is an absolutely horrible change. It is beyond me why a timeshare which does not allow smoking (BTW, I am not a smoker) would allow pets. Some people are extremely allergic to animals, especially cats, so it is a health issue as well as a maintenance cost issue.

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People are allergic to more than pets. Be careful going down that road. The next thing you know a lot more than pets could be banned.

As to cleaing and maintenance, I agree, and pet owners often pay a substantail feel to bring their pets. I've had it range from $70 to $170. At $170 that's approx 20% of the annual MF paid at many resorts (assuming average MF's of $850). $70 was at a hotel and amounted to a 25% increase in the cost of the room. Most have been in the neighborhood of an extra $125.

While I like to bring our pets, I do get your point. However I think the market is big enough for pet friendly options to be offered. But like I said, I think it's very important that guests know in advance that the resort allows pets. After all, I'd hate to book a vacation at a resort I thought was for adults only, then found out there was a policy change and the resort was now over run with screaming children delighting in the summer vacation.

theo said:

Not to even mention the legal and / or settlement costs to the timeshare HOA when some innocent timeshare (...but not pet) owner inevitably has severe allergic reactions requiring medical attention --- because of the prior week-long presence of some little Feline Fluffy while occupying their own unit / week.

A dog bite sustained by another owner (...or guest, renter, employee, or vendor) while legitimately on property? I can hear the "Ka-Chings" as the cash register sings.

Can you say "treble damages"? Winning such cases and associated settlements is child's play, so why knowingly create any such HOA risk and exposure in the first place?

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I see this arguement put forward in theory all the time but have never actually seen a legitimate case. While possible it's also unlikely.

So, are you also suggesting all resorts remove swimming pools due to the Cha-Ching! liability potential? Most resorts don't even have life guards.