Pet Friendly [MERGED]

[geist1223]

Even with a true Assitance animal if it misbehaves Management can have it removed. To get Management to grow a spine concerning the fake assistant animals many members/owners need to complain every time.

 

[hkjudy]

I find it disappointing that more and more people are bringing "comfort animals" to Marriott timeshares. This only adds more expense to get the rooms cleaned and we are paying for the extra cleaning. I think they should come up with a solution throughout MVC. If they are going to allow the animals, by turning their head, then allow them in a confined area with extra fees that they pay. My children pay high prices to have their pets in kennels while they are on vacation. Others think only of themselves and bring their dogs along. I saw a large German Shepherd at Timber Lodge, (this summer) where the owner once inside the hallway, took off the leash and let the dog run down the hall.

I am a member, I need to find my other log in, sorry.

You obviously have no idea what comfort animals do and how incredibly important they are to their owners. Yes - you see more people with them now but thats because it has become recognized more recently how helpful they are to those with PTSD. Please do not judge those who have a dog and do not look like they need one - PTSD is a invisible disease.

On the issue of other dogs at Marriott resorts: We are happy to pay an average $50 pet fee when we go to hotels and boutique resorts and would be happy to pay the same when we visit our Marriott resorts. All have reserved only certain rooms that are pet friendly which answers your concern about allergies. Rules that dogs must be on a leash and poop picked up are always obeyed. Having seen the mess that some guests leave their units...I honestly do believe that the hair and footprints that is all that the majority of dogs leave behind is insignificant compared to that.

 

[hkjudy]

This has to be a joke, right?



This has to be one of the signs that 'Dr Rick' throws into the trash can in a Progressive commercial.

Not a joke and sorry...I have no idea who “Dr. Rick“ is...guess I don’t listen to whatever those shows are.

Having seen the mess that some guests leave their units...I honestly do believe that the hair and footprints that is all that the majority of dogs leave behind is insignificant compared to that. And, like other hotels and resorts who are “pet friendly”, only a certain number of rooms are held for pet owners and they pay an extra fee for the privilege - so you wouldn’t get the cost passed on to you.

 

[hkjudy]

Even with a true Assitance animal if it misbehaves Management can have it removed. To get Management to grow a spine concerning the fake assistant animals many members/owners need to complain every time.

you see more people with assistance dogs now because it has become recognized more recently how helpful they are to those with PTSD. Please do not judge those who have a dog and do not look like they need one - PTSD is a invisible disease.

 

[hkjudy]

I did not mention it as THE main argument against pets being allowed in vacation accommodations, but only as one....

IMHO, it's rather the everyday disgusting habits and proclivities of dogs inside a human place of occupation that truly bother me.

those hotels and resorts that currently have pet friendly rooms only reserve a portion of their rooms for pet owners....those who have allergies or your horror at these animals (most of whom are cleaner and more respectful than some people) are in rooms that have never been touched by a (four-legged) animal. If it’s dogs walking on the road near your unit that appalls you....surely there are dogs on your street at home?

 

[hkjudy]

The ADA does not allow hotels to ask for documentation for service animals. The hotel is only allowed to ask if the animal is required because of a disability and what the animal is trained to do. Curiously, they seem rather vague on whether the owner is required to answer the questions.

PTSD is an invisible disease and dogs are helping those with it to function in daily life and even take a vacation. Please don’t assume that those who don’t look like they need a comfort dog don’t need one. But...I agree that there should be some certification required by the resorts.

 

[dioxide45]

PTSD is an invisible disease and dogs are helping those with it to function in daily life and even take a vacation. Please don’t assume that those who don’t look like they need a comfort dog don’t need one. But...I agree that there should be some certification required by the resorts.

A dog that is to support someone with PTSD is legally a service animal and trained as such. It should also behave as such and should also not be left alone in the unit and should not bark incessantly. I had a situation at Grande Vista last year when I walked past the balcony a dog would come running from inside the unit out the open balcony door and bark constantly as I walked by. I suspect there are far more people abusing the policy than those in need of it. Unfortunately it is those abusing the policy that are ruining it for those truly in need. All pets provide comfort and emotional support, and I don't think anyone is disputing that dogs trained to support someone with PTSD aren't service animals.

 

[SueDonJ]

You obviously have no idea what comfort animals do and how incredibly important they are to their owners. Yes - you see more people with them now but thats because it has become recognized more recently how helpful they are to those with PTSD. Please do not judge those who have a dog and do not look like they need one - PTSD is a invisible disease. ...

The problem I see here isn't that people don't recognize clinical PTSD as a legitimate diagnosis. It's that *if it's true* that dogs working in service to people suffering from clinical PTSD aren't already classified as "service dogs," the laws need to be changed to correct that classification and give these people protection to take their legitimate working dogs everywhere.

... On the issue of other dogs at Marriott resorts: We are happy to pay an average $50 pet fee when we go to hotels and boutique resorts and would be happy to pay the same when we visit our Marriott resorts. All have reserved only certain rooms that are pet friendly which answers your concern about allergies. Rules that dogs must be on a leash and poop picked up are always obeyed. Having seen the mess that some guests leave their units...I honestly do believe that the hair and footprints that is all that the majority of dogs leave behind is insignificant compared to that.

We stay at two different pet-friendly hotels (a TownPlace Suites and a Residence Inn) when we drive back-and-forth between MA and SC; one charges $75 and the other $100 as the nightly cleaning fee for pets. These rooms are basically the equivalent of a Studio unit in a timeshare so I would expect the fees to be higher in 1BR-and-larger timeshare units (if I wanted pets to be allowed at my timeshares, which I don't.) Also, "hair and footprints" are the least of what a pet leaves behind. Dander is the leading allergen when it comes to pets; it's practically invisible but it sheds constantly and gets into every soft surface from a building's entrance all the way to the rooms where pets are staying, and it requires a deep clean if a hotel/timeshare wants to correctly protect all of its guests.

 

[ahdah]

You obviously have no idea what comfort animals do and how incredibly important they are to their owners. Yes - you see more people with them now but thats because it has become recognized more recently how helpful they are to those with PTSD. Please do not judge those who have a dog and do not look like they need one - PTSD is a invisible disease.

On the issue of other dogs at Marriott resorts: We are happy to pay an average $50 pet fee when we go to hotels and boutique resorts and would be happy to pay the same when we visit our Marriott resorts. All have reserved only certain rooms that are pet friendly which answers your concern about allergies. Rules that dogs must be on a leash and poop picked up are always obeyed. Having seen the mess that some guests leave their units...I honestly do believe that the hair and footprints that is all that the majority of dogs leave behind is insignificant compared to that.

How rude! Also rude to bring your pet to a timeshare and sneak them in, and probably leave them in the room when you go out to dinner. I don't care how well behaved your dog is. My husband had an allergy to pet dander You said how happy you would be to pay a fee to have the room cleaned Why don't you do it now. You have no idea who will be using the villa next, it could be a person who also has an allergy. You obey the rule and pick up poop but you do not obey the rule that says no pets.
Find a timeshare that allows dogs. Too many guests feel that the rules don't matter, but they do.

 

[dioxide45]

The problem I see here isn't that people don't recognize clinical PTSD as a legitimate diagnosis. It's that *if it's true* that dogs working in service to people suffering from clinical PTSD aren't already classified as "service dogs," the laws need to be changed to correct that classification and give these people protection to take their legitimate working dogs everywhere.

From ADA;

Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

Redirecting…

A dog can't calm someone in the event of an anxiety attack if the dog is back in the room while they are out to dinner or elsewhere.

 

[SueDonJ]

From ADA;

Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

Redirecting…

Thanks! I had a feeling it wasn't correct to call them "comfort" dogs when it makes much more sense that they be classified as "service" dogs, but instead of looking it up I just put "if it's true ..." in my post.

 

[bazzap]

I believe the exchanges here may have been meandering because of a lack of clarity in what is being asked?
I started reading about “Is there anybody else who would like to take their dog to a Marriott resort?”, which just about everyone commented that these are not allowed and that they do not want them at MVC resorts.
It seemed much later to move on to PTSD and genuine Service Animals, which are allowed and most if not all recognise and accept are right to allow.
It is hardly surprising that there are very different responses depending on what question is being asked.

 

[geist1223]

You obviously have no idea what comfort animals do and how incredibly important they are to their owners. Yes - you see more people with them now but thats because it has become recognized more recently how helpful they are to those with PTSD. Please do not judge those who have a dog and do not look like they need one - PTSD is a invisible disease.

On the issue of other dogs at Marriott resorts: We are happy to pay an average $50 pet fee when we go to hotels and boutique resorts and would be happy to pay the same when we visit our Marriott resorts. All have reserved only certain rooms that are pet friendly which answers your concern about allergies. Rules that dogs must be on a leash and poop picked up are always obeyed. Having seen the mess that some guests leave their units...I honestly do believe that the hair and footprints that is all that the majority of dogs leave behind is insignificant compared to that.

The Like was a mistake. I hit the wrong buttom. I wish there was a thumbs down. I do not believe "comfort" animals belong in timeshare resorts, airplanes, hotels, restaurants, etc.

 

[geist1223]

But the dog must be specifically trained by a professional. They are always working. No visiting or petting by non-owner. No interaction with other dogs or people. Should not be left in Room for Hours by themselves.

 

[SueDonJ]

The Like was a mistake. I hit the wrong buttom. I wish there was a thumbs down. I do not believe "comfort" animals belong in timeshare resorts, airplanes, hotels, restaurants, etc.

I experimented with the Like button on one of Dioxide45's posts and yes, if you hit the "Like" button by mistake you can hit it again to "unlike" a post. Also, if you hover over it you'll see a few different emojis that can be clicked on to show like, love, anger, sad, etc...

(Hope all the clicking at least gave you some points for notifications, dioxide!)

 

[Dean]

The only reasonable division is between ADA qualified animals and everything else. Many people like having their pet with them and feel more comfortable. The comfort animal craze for animals that are not ADA qualified is simply ridiculous. As for $50. it'd be more like $50 per day.

 

[jme]

those hotels and resorts that currently have pet friendly rooms only reserve a portion of their rooms for pet owners....those who have allergies or your horror at these animals (most of whom are cleaner and more respectful than some people) are in rooms that have never been touched by a (four-legged) animal. If it’s dogs walking on the road near your unit that appalls you....surely there are dogs on your street at home?

With all due respect, my remarks are only intended for the Marriott timeshare resorts which we own, and the enforcement of their current policies.
Timeshare resort owners who have invested tens of thousands of dollars do not deserve premeditated ILLEGAL visits by other guests
who brought their pets or emotional support animals, both of which are prohibited NOW at Hilton Head Marriott resorts (and others).
I am not referring to service animals.
These people know they are using loopholes in violating the spirit and intent of the policies, and still they do not care.
It's the height of selfishness, period.

So please enjoy going where your pets are welcome, but not where they are legally prohibited.
When speaking of our timeshares, it's true real estate which my family owns, and they operate under certain laws already long established,
including the phraseology in the deeded documents that "pets are prohibited".
Therefore we do not want pets there, simple as that. We leave ours at home, as we are required to.
We don't care how clean you believe they are......do with them what you like........
we simply do not want them there while we and other owners are enjoying hard-earned vacations with their children.

And no, it's not dogs WALKING on the road near me that appalls me, it's what they do WHILE they are walking.
Sorry you missed that point.
They may be cleaner than other people as you suggest (your opinion), but I don't see people defecating on the roads
and paths, do you? And invariably it's seldom cleaned up....only by a few. Unfortunately we're witnesses to that fact.

 

[zentraveler]

Emotional support animals (ESA) are very different than service animals, which are specially trained (including for "emotional" disorders like PTSD, which as has been pointed out is quite real, debilitating and in need of all kinds of treatment including this one).

As someone who is licensed to prescribe ESA, I can say emotional support animal requests, sometimes, but not always, come from people who merely want the connivence/preference of taking their pets with them. Many practitioners will write letters for anyone who asks them (not me), and one can buy them online which has led to the abuses (one website: $98. No expiration! Hurry Before Law Changes!)

The whole issue of emotional support for people in need, and emotional distress for others (ranging from dislike to deathly allergic reactions) is extremely complicated. And the concept got out of hand as the word got out about the lax regulations, and people started bring all manner of pets on planes and in grocery stores and spoiling this option for legitimate reasons.

 

[SueDonJ]

With all due respect, my remarks are only intended for the Marriott timeshare resorts which we own, and the enforcement of their current policies.
Timeshare resort owners who have invested tens of thousands of dollars do not deserve premeditated ILLEGAL visits by other guests
who brought their pets or emotional support animals, both of which are prohibited NOW at Hilton Head Marriott resorts (and others).
I am not referring to service animals.
These people know they are using loopholes in violating the spirit and intent of the policies, and still they do not care.
It's the height of selfishness, period.

So please enjoy going where your pets are welcome, but not where they are legally prohibited.
When speaking of our timeshares, it's true real estate which my family owns, and they operate under certain laws already long established,
including the phraseology in the deeded documents that "pets are prohibited".
Therefore we do not want pets there, simple as that. We leave ours at home, as we are required to.
We don't care how clean you believe they are......do with them what you like........
we simply do not want them there while we and other owners are enjoying hard-earned vacations with their children.

And no, it's not dogs WALKING on the road near me that appalls me, it's what they do WHILE they are walking.
Sorry you missed that point.
They may be cleaner than other people as you suggest (your opinion), but I don't see people defecating on the roads
and paths, do you? And invariably it's seldom cleaned up....only by a few. Unfortunately we're witnesses to that fact.

I agree with you, Marty, and want Marriott to figure out a way to ensure that the ONLY animals onsite at my timeshares are those that are legally allowed to be there by virtue of ADA protections granted to actual, working service dogs.

I'm just not as sure that the t&c's in effect at the time we bought can be relied upon forever to ensure that pets will never be allowed. Consider that thousands of owners bought during a time when it was perfectly within their rights to smoke anywhere on property including inside the units. Some resorts implemented restrictions when public opinion was the only thing working against them, followed by all resorts imposing much stricter rules when local and state laws gave them the teeth to do so. So while I don't want pets onsite any more than you do, it won't surprise me if the day ever comes that owners vote in numbers large enough to change those rules, or, that Marriott unilaterally changes the rules and owners don't revolt in large enough numbers to overcome Marriott's position. It's not like we haven't seen that happen before. I don't expect pets to be allowed anytime soon but the push seems to be gaining ground, and I honestly wonder if the reason we're seeing more pets onsite is because Marriott's simply not fighting the rising tide.

 

[bazzap]

I agree with you, Marty, and want Marriott to figure out a way to ensure that the ONLY animals onsite at my timeshares are those that are legally allowed to be there by virtue of ADA protections granted to actual, working service dogs.

I'm just not as sure that the t&c's in effect at the time we bought can be relied upon forever to ensure that pets will never be allowed. Consider that thousands of owners bought during a time when it was perfectly within their rights to smoke anywhere on property including inside the units. Some resorts implemented restrictions when public opinion was the only thing working against them, followed by all resorts imposing much stricter rules when local and state laws gave them the teeth to do so. So while I don't want pets onsite any more than you do, it won't surprise me if the day ever comes that owners vote in numbers large enough to change those rules, or, that Marriott unilaterally changes the rules and owners don't revolt in large enough numbers to overcome Marriott's position. It's not like we haven't seen that happen before. I don't expect pets to be allowed anytime soon but the push seems to be gaining ground, and I honestly wonder if the reason we're seeing more pets onsite is because Marriott's simply not fighting the rising tide.

This seems to be a very US centric issue.
In all the European and Asian MVC resorts in almost 20 years, I have only ever once seen a pet dog on site.
The MVC resort management advised the owners that the pet dog must be taken off site and they had left by the following day.
The situation was handled quickly, effectively and professionally, as should be expected.

 

[vail]

Things change....there were Marriott's here in Vail--timeshares that are no longer Marriott's
The majority if they ever decide to allow pets at any resort is more than a possibility.
It will eventually happen.

Of course the problem of people not picking up after their pets is a completely different issue--and it is against the law not to.
If people are going to break rules or laws that is an entirely different issue from whether eventually pets will be allowed at timeshares, whether you like it or not.
The trend says yes--it may take a while, but it will happen with certainty.
When Caesar's Palace and Ritz Carlton started allowing pets, among others, that was the writing on the wall of a change in trends.

 

[bazzap]

There is a fairly basic difference with MVC resorts, as we are all Owners of the resorts for which MVC is the Management Company.
Unless government legislation dictated otherwise, any decision to allow pets would require a change to the resort legal documents following approval by the Owner Board / majority of Owners, which is highly unlikely to happen.

 

[Dean]

Things change....there were Marriott's here in Vail--timeshares that are no longer Marriott's
The majority if they ever decide to allow pets at any resort is more than a possibility.
It will eventually happen.

Of course the problem of people not picking up after their pets is a completely different issue--and it is against the law not to.
If people are going to break rules or laws that is an entirely different issue from whether eventually pets will be allowed at timeshares, whether you like it or not.
The trend says yes--it may take a while, but it will happen with certainty.
When Caesar's Palace and Ritz Carlton started allowing pets, among others, that was the writing on the wall of a change in trends.

Things change but IMO it's unlikely to do so with MVC in favor of bringing pets to include comfort animals. I believe to suggest it's inevitable would be unreasonable. What's likely to change is that the resorts get more stringent in what they can do and that eventually Congress takes up the issue to better allow enforcement.

 

[zentraveler]

Things change but IMO it's unlikely to do so with MVC in favor of bringing pets to include comfort animals. I believe to suggest it's inevitable would be unreasonable. What's likely to change is that the resorts get more stringent in what they can do and that eventually Congress takes up the issue to better allow enforcement.

The airlines eventually got fed up with the abuses of emotional support animals (ESA's) and are now forbidding them altogether (except service animals which I pointed out in a different post are not the same as ESA).

 

[dioxide45]

The airlines eventually got fed up with the abuses of emotional support animals (ESA's) and are now forbidding them altogether (except service animals which I pointed out in a different post are not the same as ESA).

It wasn't really that they got fed up, they took advantage of a rule change by the Department of Transportation which stopped considering emotional support animals as service animals. So previously, the airlines didn't have a choice.