RosieandBailey Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 I'm not sure what to do with this but it's made me cross. Perhaps anyone here might be able to suggest best/next course of action? I was looking for somewhere pet-friendly to stay for fireworks night and came across THIS website. All looks very nice until you click on a properties details and see in all the listings: Puppies: Yes/no Fighting Dogs: Yes/no Wondering what they meant by 'fighting dogs' I emailed and asked saying that as an owner of a staffy x lab I sincerely hoped they weren't classifying staffies as fighting dogs. Just had a reply saying: "We have introduced this at our advertisers request, full definitions can be found in our T & C's , if in doubt it would be best to contact the property owner direct. I am sure that as your dog is a mix labrador it would not be a problem." Can't find anything in their T&C's about definitions for starters and I'm not sure who their advertiser is, but isn't it irresponsible to be labelling perfectly legal breeds in this country as fighting dogs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachelpirate Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 So do they mean certain breeds, or do they just mean any dog that fights? Seems a bit wierd to me... and if they won't tell you the definition, how are you supposed to know whether you have a fighting dog or not? I have emailed too, maybe if they get enough queries on it they'll be a bit more clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhound pal Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 I've just emailed them asking them to clarify what is a fighting breed of dog... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusewalker Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 we might not like it, but if you ask most people what is meant by 'fighting dogs', most people can explain it. staffies, bullbreed, mastiffs, rotties, usual tabloid stuff. that short-hand clause comes up quite often in ads for 'dog friendly' businesses. personally, id be more interested in objecting to the whole concept as opposed to the wording, as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 Have just looked at the site and read 'No Fighting Breeds' for most of the cottages. We stayed in one of them a couple of years ago in the Lake District and there was no mention of it then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantan Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 I have just read the following on the supposedly pet friendly site. It's aimed at the owners of holiday cottages. Increase your rental revenue. People with pets have less choice of property and will therefore expect to pay a bit more for the privilege of being able to keep their beloved pet. Many pets end up in rescue centres each year because owners can not find somewhere to live with their pet. The buy to let market is expected to double between 2007 and 2010 which will make it a more competitive market. If you accept pets you are broadening your market which will mean your property will be let quicker than other rental properties. Properties that allow pets will increase the average length a tenant will stay. Tenants with a pet will stay longer because pet owners have less choice than non-pet owners. Pet owners will be less fussy about the finish of the property or the location (e.g. Near a noisy railway line or factory) Remember, most dogs cause less damage than children or teenagers. They don’t draw on the walls, they don’t throw parties while their parents are away and they won’t paint their bedroom black because they are going through a ‘Goth phase’! Many owners like to go on holidays with their pet, especially in areas such as Devon and Cornwall. Self catering cottages, caravans and caravan parks, campsites, bed and breakfast, Inns and Hotels where dogs are welcome are very popular throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. So if you have a holiday home where pets are welcome, don’t delay, advertise today. I find most of the above incredibly offensive They'll not be getting any business from me anyway. Marion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanishPastry Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 whats wrong with that??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantan Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 whats wrong with that??? Is that question for me Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusewalker Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 to add, i wrote the above. just logged danish out now. 2 points are eactly what anne and i felt when we picked and renewed our rental accomodation. working in rescue i can vouch for dogs being given up due to housing. the rest seems reasonable. anything thats encouraging landlords to accept pets is good by me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantan Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 to add, i wrote the above. just logged danish out now.2 points are eactly what anne and i felt when we picked and renewed our rental accomodation. working in rescue i can vouch for dogs being given up due to housing. the rest seems reasonable. anything thats encouraging landlords to accept pets is good by me. Fair enough if that's what you think Martin. I still don't agree with a lot of it - I am very discerning in what I want from a rental cottage and would certainly not be prepared to accept anything below the minimum set by the tourist industry re: quality of property and furnishings just because I wish to holiday with my dogs. However that said as I re-read it now the piece I quoted in italics seems to refer mainly to long term rentals and not holiday cottages as I first thought. I still am unhappy about the general tone of it as it comes across as saying that because someone owns a dog then a property owner can lower standards, not in as many words granted but it's how it reads to me. Having rented holiday cottages for many years it does dismay me to find the "dog friendly" accomodation is often just the opposite and to find a site that openly encourages holiday home owners to take dogs just to increase the rental potential is something that saddens me. On arrival at many holiday places you may find a very restrictive list of do's and dont's that belie the dog friendly tag Marion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusewalker Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 I get where you come from now. Fair point. cheers for that Anne and I have lowered our location crieria due to finding a brill pet friendly landlord and it did encourage us to continue our tenancy longer than we otherwise would have done. Sorry if i came across sharp - just speed typing caus eim glued to Britains Got Talents. Funny enough, after i posted, i thought your quote from the website sounded familiar. Yep, i checked - it is the site started and owned by my former FOAL Farm colleagues! (not that's why i wrote what i wrote, honest!!!) They started the site up as they couldnt find rented accomadation for 2 years due to the dog I had rehomed to them. You are correct, the bit you quoted is mainly to do with renting as opposed to holidays. PS - dunno why landlords worry about dogs and damage! Our cats are more of a liability! LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantan Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 No worries Martin I can understand things being different for long term renting and to be fair I fired up and posted without making myself clear so can understand you wondering what I found disagreeable. Marion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melp Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 I wonder if it means they accept registered dogs? Be interested to hear the answer [and if it does I hope they clarify the point] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosieandBailey Posted May 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 My reply to him at the bottom, followed by his reply to me this morning. Doesn't really clarify anything does it "We had hoped that by the holiday advertiser stating no fighting breeds it would make things clear from the beginning, and save pet owners booking a property only to find that they do not actually take a particular breed." On the contrary I don't think they could make it any less unclear as to precisely what breeds any one property would accept or wouldn't accept. I wouldn't have classed GSD's as fighting dogs.... --------------------- Hello Rosie Sorry! your right it does appear to be missing, The term fighting breeds was originally used for homes to rent, but because the holiday adverts use the same template it is being used there also. We have over 100 advertisers on our site, many we contacted had more than 1 property, if the property was on a complex we quite often found that only 50% of the properties allowed pets, and of these 50% they did not want breeds such as German shepherds, Dobermans, pit bulls etc..(fighting breeds) We had hoped that by the holiday advertiser stating no fighting breeds it would make things clear from the beginning, and save pet owners booking a property only to find that they do not actually take a particular breed. You must understand we do not make the rules, we are only a source for people to advertise. We do agree that the term 'fighting breeds' is not pleasant term, we ourselves know of many breeds that are loving family pets and would not cause harm to anyone. A statement The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is the most prominent of the various laws that cover dog ownership in the UK. The act bans the breeding and sale or exchange of four kinds of dog - pit bull terriers, Japanese Tosas, the Dogo Argentinos, and the Fila Brasileiros. Cross-breeds of those dogs are covered by the law. Any other dogs "appearing... to be bred for fighting or to have the characteristics of a type bred for that purpose" are also banned. The Dangerous Dogs Act has proved to be controversial, after having been quickly introduced following a series of attacks by dogs. The act states that anyone who owns a "type of dog known as a pit bull terrier" must have it neutered, and keep it muzzled and on a lead in public............. Who do you currently book your holidays through? and have you ever had any issues with breed types before? We are always looking for ways to make our site as user friendly as possible for both pet owners and advertisers. Regards Darren ----- Original Message ----- From: Rosie To: darren lock Hi Darren I’m unable to find a full definition in your T&C’s as to what you class as a fighting breed. Would be grateful if you could send me the relevant information. I appreciate that you’ve introduced this at your advertisers request – so perhaps if you could give me the contact details of your advertiser I can direct my comments toward them instead. I think in light of the media frenzy over dangerous dogs, it is wholly irresponsible to refer to any breed legal in this country as a ‘fighting dog’. It is also pretty offensive to people who own bull breeds (who I’m assuming are classed as such) not to mention hugely short-sighted for a company who are potentially alienating much of their client base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusewalker Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 i know darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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