by Chris Jefferies
Dog-friendly and dog-free caravan sites are both highly popular across the UK, with many camp sites hoping to attract dog lovers, and many others specifically catering for those who value a weekend without barking.
Following on from our latest readers’ survey, Caravan Times has spoken to two camp sites in Devon and Wales to put your comments to the owners and find out where they stand on this divisive issue.
The case against dogs
Anwen Roberts, owner of Barcdy Caravan and Camping Park in Gwynedd, North Wales, is a former dog owner and used to accept dog lovers, but took the tough decision to make her site a dog-free zone after a particularly troublesome Bank Holiday weekend 20 years ago.
“I remember, it was a Spring Bank Holiday and there were nearly as many dogs as people here; some even brought two or three dogs each,” she explained.
“These dogs started howling at each other, and the owners fell out and expected us to settle their arguments. Also, stones had been taken from our walls and used to cover up the dog dirt. That’s when we decided that it just wasn’t worth the trouble.”
Mrs Roberts is not alone in her opinion, as 15 per cent of our readers said that they prefer dog-free caravan sites.
The dog-friendly view
For many others, however, taking the dogs is an integral part of the holiday, and Edward Corwood, Owner of Moor View Touring Park in Devon, tells us that many of his visitors got into caravanning in the first place as a convenient way of taking the dogs with them on holiday.
“We have always been a dog-friendly site. Every dog owner gets a note when they arrive, reminding them of the dos and don’ts. I’d be lying if I said everyone always abides by the rules, but a polite request to clean up after their dog is usually enough,” he said.
Contrary to Mr Corwood’s lenient approach, our survey showed that 79 per cent of caravan owners would be in favour of fining those who fail to clean up after their dogs.
Furthermore, half of Caravan Times readers claimed that dog fees at caravan sites are excessive, while 36 per cent said that most sites do not provide adequate facilities. This is clearly not the case at Moor View, as Mr Corwood explained.
“We charge £1 per night, per dog, up to a maximum of three, and that money is used for the upkeep of our dog walk area. This is a designated space where dogs are allowed off their leads. Everywhere else, they have to be kept on a lead.”
With 91 per cent of Caravan Times readers saying that dogs should always be kept on a lead when on site, it seems that there is at least one thing that almost everyone can agree on.
