pets

[Gadabout]

Do I own a pet? No...we are not allowed to have pets in the condo I am sitting in now....HOA says no...Condo rules say so.....so....how many pets are here? Several....

So has anyone else at your condo gotten around any other rules they don't like (like no visible clotheslines, or no working on cars in your driveway) by pointing out that the pet rule is not enforced?

 

[KenK]

Theres worse than that....like the last condo pres having spent all reserves on redos to the main lobbys & rec centers, while the inspectors told her the buildings rebar reinforcement was in trouble.....

So, the cats (that I know about) are on a back burner...while the patios (lanias) and buildings reinforcement is being completed....(BTW...has been happening for 2 years now...they keep finding something else...like the third floor pool being replaced, the many giant windows blown apart by Wilma, now waiting for replacement with Dade Code glass.....and all the apts distroyed by a 19th floor owners windows blown out, (no shutters) and the rain water distroying every apartment below....dumb old balck mold...I want to write that into the condo docs...no mold allowed. (There is new wall board that works,,,,it is also in short supply.)

So....the cats will probably die of old age before that is addressed....(unless they are like Spicy.....)

Anyone thinking of buying an older condo (more than 15 years...) save for a lot of assessments....and new code changes in the lower counties of Fl)

 

[spiceycat]

Theres worse than that....like the last condo pres having spent all reserves on redos to the main lobbys & rec centers, while the inspectors told her the buildings rebar reinforcement was in trouble.....

So, the cats (that I know about) are on a back burner...while the patios (lanias) and buildings reinforcement is being completed....(BTW...has been happening for 2 years now...they keep finding something else...like the third floor pool being replaced, the many giant windows blown apart by Wilma, now waiting for replacement with Dade Code glass.....and all the apts distroyed by a 19th floor owners windows blown out, (no shutters) and the rain water distroying every apartment below....dumb old balck mold...I want to write that into the condo docs...no mold allowed. (There is new wall board that works,,,,it is also in short supply.)

So....the cats will probably die of old age before that is addressed....(unless they are like Spicy.....)

Anyone thinking of buying an older condo (more than 15 years...) save for a lot of assessments....and new code changes in the lower counties of Fl)

boy I am so sorry - do you get to enjoy your ownership before Wilma....

where do you own?

Spicey never goes in places that don't allow pets....I would go crazy to come back to the room and find him gone. because we didn't obey the rules....

I was so silly that I use to make him come to the parks with us....but someone convinced me that leaving him for those hours in a space where he was comfortable (asleep) was probably the better ideal..... Instead of making him get use to a different kennel every day.

 

[melschey]

Quote:

Some people can not be any-where near dogs, cats or chickens. For some people (perhaps Melschey) it could mean ....LIFE OR DEATH. AND NO $100.00 or $200.00 cleaning fee is going to remove this life threatning situation.

Smooth Actions

I agree the tone of my original post was inappropriate and have apologized for it. I should have explained where I was coming from.

I have suffered from allergies all my life. I just didn’t know what the problem was until I was in my 20s.

I was raised with dogs in the house and they went everywhere with us and. I seemed to always have respiratory troubles. Finally a doctor checked me for allergies and the first thing he said the dogs had to go outside. While I wouldn’t say my problem is life threatening, my quality of life has greatly improved since we do not have housedogs. I wouldn’t die if had to stay in a room that had dog in it the night before, but my allergies would make me very miserable and it would to a large extent spoil my vacation. There are people with allergies more severe than mine where it is a life and death situation.

My concern with staying in a pet friendly resort is I do not trust the resorts to do a thorough job of removing pet allergens. I think they often just pocket the extra cleaning fee without doing the extra work.

For a quality vacation, I need to stay away from rooms that have had animals in them.

If I have offended anyone I apologize.

 

[Steve]

If I have offended anyone I apologize.

Apology accepted, and thank you.

I don't think anyone wants anyone else to be miserable on their vacation. People with allergies shouldn't have to stay in the same units as pets.

I think Ken's suggestion that large resorts have a pet friendly building is an excellent idea. At smaller resorts, perhaps the first floor could be pet friendly...or some other arrangement. I don't think it has to be an "either or" proposition. There are so many timeshares...including many very large ones with hundreds of units...it just seems that there ought to be a way to accommodate both pet travelers and those who have allergies and/or hate to be around other peoples' pets.

Obviously, not all resorts will do this. It would be nice if a few more did, in my opinion, and I think there would be a market for this. But regardless of that, certainly we can all try to be tolerant of others, and this apology is an excellent start. Thank you,

Steve

 

[Gadabout]

My concern with staying in a pet friendly resort is I do not trust the resorts to do a thorough job of removing pet allergens. I think they often just pocket the extra cleaning fee without doing the extra work.

Exactly. Does anyone *really* think the hotel/resort is flea-treating the room (including steam cleaning the carpets and upholstery, and changing out ALL the bedding, including comforters, as well as changing the window drapes) after every guest with a pet stays there? Plain vacuuming just won't work to get out the animal dander. I highly doubt they do anything special, unless it is in response to a complaint, and by then it's too late for the allergic guest.

 

[Keitht]

I think Ken's suggestion that large resorts have a pet friendly building is an excellent idea. At smaller resorts, perhaps the first floor could be pet friendly...or some other arrangement.

This would be practical for a new resort as they could include the information about which units do and do not allow pets from day one. It would be much more difficult to implement in an existing resort that initially did not permit pets. They would have to get the agreement of all owners of a unit before pets could be permitted into any single unit. Even if pets were only allowed in 10 units that is a minimum of 500 owners to contact, assuming all agree which seems unlikely. If the resort works on floating weeks it is again less of a problem, but where people have purchased a fixed week in a specific unit it would be virtually impossible to implement.

It is far easier for a hotel or motel to implement a pet friendly system. They own all the rooms and designate them smoking/non-smoking, accessible for disabled, or pets permitted as they wish.

 

[Dave M]

Another impediment to making a change at some exisiting resorts is where no-pet provisions are included in the CC&Rs. Getting the majority of owners to vote for a change in the documents to allow pets, even on a limited basis, might be very difficult.

 

[Gadabout]

This would be practical for a new resort as they could include the information about which units do and do not allow pets from day one. It would be much more difficult to implement in an existing resort that initially did not permit pets. They would have to get the agreement of all owners of a unit before pets could be permitted into any single unit. Even if pets were only allowed in 10 units that is a minimum of 500 owners to contact, assuming all agree which seems unlikely. If the resort works on floating weeks it is again less of a problem, but where people have purchased a fixed week in a specific unit it would be virtually impossible to implement.

It is far easier for a hotel or motel to implement a pet friendly system. They own all the rooms and designate them smoking/non-smoking, accessible for disabled, or pets permitted as they wish.

Also, you might have issues with which group is being shortchanged. Lots of places keep the 1st floor for handicap access, so if you want to keep the pet-friendly rooms the easiest to access for cleaning purposes so you think of putting them on the first floor too, well, you see the problem here.

And floating weeks wouldn't necessarily be any easier to accomodate, either. Are you going to keep some units of every type (view, poolside, etc.) for owners with pets, or use only the least-desirable units ("Le Dumpstair view") or??? Another thing that may or may not matter, depending on your point of view, is what it will do to your actual or potential rental market, should a resort go from "no pets" to "pet friendly".

Now, one thing that might work if you wanted to convert an older resort to pet friendly is to offer to buy out all current owners who don't want pets at what they paid for their unit or market price, whichever is higher, and then you'd get your majority voting bloc. Then resell the units to people with pets.

But it all comes down to customer preference, and while I realize that there are TS owners who want to travel with pets, I don't see anything that says it is a significant market share yet. That may change in future. I see a lot more people eschewing hotels/motels in favor of RV parks because they can take their animals.

 

[spiceycat]

the CWR seems to handle it - pets are only allowed in certain building.

secondly the pet rooms have alot less carpeting - than their normal rooms.

no carpet in anything except the bedroom.

so yes they can clean up pretty well. I was very surprised at how well they do clean up.... I ran a wet paper towel across the floor ( ) and it came up clean....

Now Spicey is still a little upset (he can smell the other animals) for a day or two - but then he settles down.

however they did something I found strange - they put a person with pet allergies into the pet allowed rooms????

either she forgot to tell them (which I think was the case) or they place was completely filled and they had no choice.

If somebody is stupid enough to travel with a pet that has fleas...

well I don't want to be around them period....

I am allergic to fleas - so is Spicey - his fur drops off (he is a semi-long hair cat) and I break out in a rash and itch like crazy.... oh I don't even want to think about that....

Now I am allergic to dogs...but hey allergy medicine has come a L O N G way....if I remember to wash my hands before putting near my face I am okay...

if I still react - I ALWAYS kept some allergy medicine close... here at work, home, car - and when I vacation on me. You never know when you will need to stop an reaction.

I would have a BIG problem going to a public school these days....there no medicine clause would have me in the hospital on a regular basis....

 

[Don]

all resorts have to let in service dogs... that is a federal law.

so yes, your no pets don't apply to service animals. they aren't pets...

I agree with everything in this statement, but dog dander is dog dander. It doesn't matter whether it comes from my 9 pound Terrier mix or an eighty pound German Shepard seeing eye dog. And the next person to stay there could have a reaction if allergic.

 

[california-bighorn]

I agree with Don's statement. We had a friend come over to our house and he just walked in with a dog. When I asked him about it, he said "it's OK he's being trained to be a seeing-eye dog". I told him that was nice but I don't care if the dog can talk, our kids are allergic to dogs and even seeing-eye dogs in-training would create a problem. That may sound insensitive, but I feel we have a right to be comfortable in our own house and I guess you could say that carrys over to our timeshare week. I think those who are sight handicapped should be able to have their dogs and that is a great thing, but other than that those who bring their pets are not being courtious to others and they are not doing their pets any favors by brings then along.
Marty

 

[KenK]

Was parking car in the Rustic Inn for lunch. Watched a family in a large van put on a red coat on a little dog...

Thought it was a bit warm for the coat.....until I saw the printing on both sides of it....SERVICE DOG...Looked like ma was in charge of carrying the little dog in... THe outside dining on the pier is not ready (distroyed by the storm), so they sat indoors.

Don't know what service it provided....everyone seemed fine in the parking lot.... This big family of travelers may have found a solution......is anyone surprised?

(BTW Spicey....condo is full year ownership....not a T/S...mom left it...we never sold it....

 

[Gadabout]

Was parking car in the Rustic Inn for lunch. Watched a family in a large van put on a red coat on a little dog...

Thought it was a bit warm for the coat.....until I saw the printing on both sides of it....SERVICE DOG...Looked like ma was in charge of carrying the little dog in... THe outside dining on the pier is not ready (distroyed by the storm), so they sat indoors.

Don't know what service it provided....everyone seemed fine in the parking lot.... This big family of travelers may have found a solution......is anyone surprised?

(BTW Spicey....condo is full year ownership....not a T/S...mom left it...we never sold it....

Oh gee, I hope it really was a service dog....but I wouldn't be surprised if it weren't. There's even fraud with disabled parking passes. I know in lots of places there are volunteers (allowed by the local government) who ask to see your driver's license to make sure that you are the one using the pass and not someone else.

 

[Bootleg]

all resorts have to let in service dogs... that is a federal law.

so yes, your no pets don't apply to service animals. they aren't pets...

Sorry to advise you, but not all resorts are required to permit animals.

Remember, a resort unit is deeded private property; The privilege of being able to exchange between resorts is offered privately and conditionally by the exchange company.

If a resort chooses to enforce a no animals rule, federal law (which was enacted to allow the disabled equal access to public facilities and conveniences) does not apply. However, in the most part, resorts normally do make allowance for service animals.

The Galleon in Key West, for example, requires anyone wishing to bring a service animal to apply at least 1 week prior to arrival and provide specific documentation of the service requirement.

In regards to pet-friendliness, European resorts seem to be far more tolerant of pets. On the other hand, many Mexican resorts specifically do not permit any animals, even service dogs.

 

[spiceycat]

sorry but I live in a privacy owned condo - we had to pay to put in stuff for the handicapped - so one law applies and the other doesn't....

this is a very small condo - less than 50 units....

 

[Gadabout]

sorry but I live in a privacy owned condo - we had to pay to put in stuff for the handicapped - so one law applies and the other doesn't....

this is a very small condo - less than 50 units....

I wonder if age of the building applies as far as making something handicap accessible. There is a huge difference between a restroom/bathroom large enough to turn around a wheelchair in and just putting up a grab bar.

It also might apply in terms of number of units as well. I mean, new homes are not all constructed to be handicap accessible, or there would be a lot fewer 2-story homes for sale, for one thing.

 

[gomom]

This site has a nice list of pet friendly hotels and resorts in all states. It is not a timeshare list, but includes many great properties, including many Westins, Marriotts and Hiltons. Of particular note are the Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel and Spa and the Four Seasons Aviara Resort Carlsbad.

http://www.1clickpethotels.com/

Thanks for the list bootleg. I'm going to keep it in case I want to try taking my little dog. The problem is that she gets really car sick, (poor thing), so it might not be too much fun!
Clarice

 

[Dave M]

Sorry to advise you, but not all resorts are required to permit animals.

Remember, a resort unit is deeded private property; The privilege of being able to exchange between resorts is offered privately and conditionally by the exchange company.

If a resort chooses to enforce a no animals rule, federal law (which was enacted to allow the disabled equal access to public facilities and conveniences) does not apply.

I'm not sure that's true.

The Fair Housing Amendments Act (1988) prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of housing based on a handicap. Thus, if I choose to buy a timeshare and tell the salesperson that I need a certified guide dog to assist me because I'm blind, the developer can't refuse to sell to me and the resort cannot deny me access with my guide dog (assuming I can prove my need for the guide dog), although the resort might be permitted to charge me certain amounts not charged to others.

Further, once a resort or an exchange company or an individual owner decides to rent weeks at the resort, the resort becomes subject to the rental rules of the Act, making it a requirement to allow assisted access to that blind (or similarly affected) renter.

It violates the Act to deny permission for guide dog access, because without the guide dog, the blind person would not have equal opportunity to access, use and enjoy the timeshare.

I have gotten deeply involved in this issue twice because of no-pet or limited-size pet policies at separate condo developments (also "deeded private property") with the eventual result comparable to what I have indicated. In each instance, we got expert legal help, received written legal opinions and did our own research to validate the conclusion. Although in each case we wanted to comply, we wanted to be on firm legal grounds to be prepared for the objections from the anti-pet sentiment in the communities.

 

[Bootleg]

I simply speak from direct experience.

I have had members call and request availability in certain resorts, then inform me that they are handicapped and that the resort has to accommodate them. Many resorts state clearly in their information page that they are not handicap equipped. Others state that they do not permit animals of any kind.

If someone wishes to take issue with the resort(s) directly, knock yourself out. The exchange companies are not an enforcement division of the government or the ADA, so they cannot compel resorts to change their operating procedures to suit the opinions of individuals.

This issue will only be settled when someone challenges a resort and it becomes a matter of law.

 

[spiceycat]

and that is when your resort is taken to court - and believe me the resort will lost the case.

it goes to federal not state court.

 

[Hoc]

The kind of bigotry normally exhibited by some against pets is just narrow-mindedness and usually the result of intransigence. Don't bother asking why some people are like that, nor trying to convince them otherwise. It's not going to happen. Accept it for what it is, roll your eyes (even if only internally), and don't lose a minute's sleep over it.

 

[Gadabout]

and that is when your resort is taken to court - and believe me the resort will lost the case.

it goes to federal not state court.

I think it would still depend on when the place in question was built (they are not likely to make some historic place handicap accessible if it will really ruin the historic look).

And some older places cannot be modified without extensive and expensive renovations--if to modify you'd essentially have to tear the place down, that is not likely to be enforced, either. They're grandfathered in.

As to the pet issue--the bona fide service animal is one thing, but every other pet is a different issue, and like smokers, are not a protected class.

 

[tigerdog]

Not Street Talk, but The Timeshare Beat. See Pet Friendly Timeshare Resorts at http://www.thetimesharebeat.com/petfriendly.htm

 

[spiceycat]

I think it would still depend on when the place in question was built (they are not likely to make some historic place handicap accessible if it will really ruin the historic look).

And some older places cannot be modified without extensive and expensive renovations--if to modify you'd essentially have to tear the place down, that is not likely to be enforced, either. They're grandfathered in.

As to the pet issue--the bona fide service animal is one thing, but every other pet is a different issue, and like smokers, are not a protected class.

I am sorry - but our condo lost the case and had to fix it...

you are in a federal court -not state - they will up hold the federal laws.