My wife,myself and four children(under the age of ten)and one dog(bull terrier) have just come back from the Gower In West Wales
where we were unable to stay at Llanmadoc camp site because of our breed of dog! We phoned to check that dogs were allowed and we were told yes with no mention of the fact that certain dogs were not allowed(it also said on their website dogs are ok as long as you clean up after them).When we got there after a sixty mile journey the receptionist asked us what breed of dog we had we told her and she said they were not allowed to which i replied that it was not a pit bull but an english bull terrier and she then checked with the owner who said via the phone that bull terriers,staffs,german shepherds,rottweilers and all big dogs were not accepted,needless to say the children were all upset and we were unable to get in any other site.Has anybody else encountered such ignorance as this?

That's terrible!
If it's not clear on their booking info I think you should invoice them for your wasted time, fuel etc. and you should be compensated for the inconvenience as well. Grrrrr.

A lot of campsites are like this now I'm afraid but I would write to them and tell them they did not mention breed bans.
My parents have a motor caravan and they used to take some of my labs with them but although my rotti would have loved to go they would have been extremely limited to where they could stay. Even though she was probably better behaved than the labs. And this was over 5 years ago.

Maybe call the trading standards about this one as their lying blatently about the fact they take ANY dog!
And also the fact that Staffords and Bull Terriers arent large breeds makes me think the stupid bloke who did this has no idea of breeds or sizes and is just acting by what the media has said and its condeming any media criticised dog!!

Stupid ignorant fool, I would report him hun or at least ask for my expensive british fuel to be paid back!

quite agree, what an idiot. the poor op and family, what a disappointment. i hate this kind of predjudice

We have motor home and a Rough Collie!  We tried to book into a camp site in West Wales (Windmills Caravan site in Tenby!) and were told that "Only Small Dogs are allowed on the site" so they wouldn't let us book.  To be fair, they did tell us at once!  I resisted the temptation to say that our breed is not a 'large' breed as such and to ask whether small dogs in general are better behaved than 'big' dogs  regardless of their temperament, training etc. I just thought to myself "If you don't want our little Darling, you can stick your Caravan site, we wouldn't want to be there now anyway"  :)  The Caravan Club are great, they always take dogs, on leads, but you are asked to clear up after them which most of us would do without being told to anyway!

I would complain. Obviously the owners of campsites can put restrictions if they want, like no dogs or none of a certain breed etc etc (however unreasonable it would seem to discriminate against certain breeds). But since you rang and booked and asked in advance about the dog, they should have told you at the time if they were a size\breed they wouldn't accept, not let you book your holiday and drive all the way there only to find out!!! What a mess of your holiday. :-( I dont know if you will get anywhere with it - but on principle I would anyway, as they should have made it clear over the phone.  I have had a similar problem re being told over the phone that dogs were allowed in a particular pub, then when i got there being immediately kicked out as it was 'only guide dogs' (well everywhere has to admit guide dogs....) - but it wasn't on quite the same scale as your holiday trip, just marginally annoying. (And that is a little bugbear of mine - my book of Pet Friendly Places to Stay - was looking at it today - see a place - has the symbol at the top for accepts dogs, and then says at the bottom 'no dogs except guide dogs'. A lot of them say only small dogs as well - I suppose from the point of view of cleaning - but I don't see how that would be too much of a problem on a camp site!!)

Just read the reviews of Llanmadoc Camp site on the website www.ukcampsites.co.uk..................doesn't sound like you missed much Leon!  :)  From what I read, I wouldn't go there!!!

thats horribal! hope you still had a nice time whatever you did. we were going go to that same campsite earlyer this year but did read quite a few bad reviews on it so we decided to find a different place to go. we go camping quite alot and have never experienced any bad vibes on us taking the dogs with us (gsd and chihuahua) ive never heard of them only letting certian breeds in.
its good the ukcampsites website ive found a few great site from there :-)

This is bad. They should have mentioned their rules on breeds of dogs allowed when the OP asked about dogs.
We go camping every year and also use Ukcampsites.co.uk to find sites. When I book up with a site, I ask if they take dogs even if they state they do on their website.  I've never been asked what breed or size I have though.  I do tend to go for the campsites that say 'Dogs very welcome' rather than 'Dogs Allowed' as it sounds more dog friendly to me. 

That is awful!
From what I've read about the site it clearly states pet allowed
It does not specify any restrictions on certain breeds

If I were you I would send them a letter of complaint and ask to be compensated

Good idea with trading standards!I will give them a ring on Monday.

And me!

Sorry to hear about your bad experience.... I would recommend you book your holidays in North Devon in the future as we're all doggy friendly down here! Defiantly kick up a stink about this place as that is so wrong not to clearly state if a certain type of dog is banned... I work at a holiday park and we have every sort of breed and even budgies have come to stay even one customer had 4 dogs in his chalet!! When I get chatting to the customers and say hello to their dog [ I can't help myself!] I always ask if their dog is enjoying the beach !! :)

"Sorry to hear about your bad experience.... I would recommend you book your holidays in North Devon in the future as we're all doggy friendly down here!"

I am sure that the experience the OP had on this particular site on the Gower is not typical of all sites in Wales!  :) 

Sorry didn't want to offend people from Wales! lol,
Only I own a bull terrier too so I will be telling other bully owners to come to sunny Devon.... well I 'll be honest not so sunny Devon today :)... and if I had driven 60 mile with 4 kids and OH and dog and got refused my accommodation, I would of been well cheesed off to say the least!

> she then checked with the owner who said via the phone that bull terriers,staffs,german shepherds,rottweilers and all big dogs were not accepted,needless to say the children were all upset and we were unable to get in any other site

OMG, how horrible :(
I can't imagine that, how awfull for you...a car full of kids, all turned away because of the breed/size of your dog :( :(

Complain, definateley. How dissapointing for you all :( :(

Report them to the local regional tourist board, they will be registered with them (I don't mean the local tourist information office, but the regional board, though the former wouldn't harm either).  If they have a policy not to accept certain breeds of dogs they should have informed you of this when you took the trouble to check dogs were allowed.  As someone else has mentioned, contact Trading Standards.

It's pathetic, why shouldn't big dogs be allowed if you keep it on lead/under control ... my medium sized dog got attacked by a 'little' dog this morning.  The only time I've been bitten by a dog was by a little dog and that left a lovely scar from 5 stiches on my face - nothing against little dogs before anyone gets upset, though not particularly partial to the breed that bit me :-)

Going on the Devon thing, Devon and Cornwall are brilliant for allowing dogs on holidays, we always go to Newquay Cornwall at leat 3 times a year and we always have a wide range of choices of places that allow them and we have 2 staffords, one B&B had a dalmation which the owners had and Mitz had a good ole play with her in the garden nearly every day and they looked after her while we nipped into town for things at her request as she loved our lil girl :)

The people are so friendly there too, our favourite place to holiday for about 6 years now lol :)

We tour alot with our two goldens and have never been asked what sort of dogs we have,it does say on alot of booking forms certain dogs not allowed.i think some caravan parks charge way to much for dogs anyway so we avoid them if possible.we would be very cross if we travelled all that to be turned away.

That is terrible discriminating certain breeds,

"I think some caravan parks charge way to much for dogs anyway "

Goldie, The Caravan Club do not charge for dogs on their sites and usually provide dog walks with bins, scoops etc. for them!.....and No, I am not connected to the Caravan Club other than being a member!  :)

Yes we to are in the caravan club and use them quite regular,but when we use commercial sites some are very expensive for two dogs,i agree the caravan club is best option.

Do you think that maybe the commercial sites are pricey because they don't really want our dogs there at all? 

I don't think I have ever been charged for a dog on a campsite. And almost all the B&Bs I stay in haven't charged - though some of them do - which is fair enough as there may well be extra hoovering of dog hair (as long as they don't charge too much!). But no extra cleaning involved on a campsite - they don't have to sweep up hair!!!

Peppermint Park in Dawlish Warren charge £6 per night per dog at peak time!  That, I think, is extortionate..............and there is not even a 'dog walk' there!

I agree that it is terrible that they did not make it clear when you booked the holiday - that is unforgiveable.  Unfortunately, there are a few bad owners who own dogs like staffies, bull terriers and rotties for all the wrong reasons or who can't handle them properly.  I live in the South East (North Kent) and they are seen as a status symbol around these parts, pulling away on the lead of their neanderthal owners or with weak owners who have absolutely control over them whatsoever - I have daily experiences of both of these types of people!  It is these type of people who create bad press and I suppose people who run caravan sites and holiday parks are scared of the legal implications if anything were to happen - this is not to say that I agree with them though.

I phoned the office of Fair trading yesterday and they agree that the campsite behaved irresponsibly,I have written a letter to them today asking for the petrol money to be credited back to me and they have within ten days to send me back the money before they get into serious trouble with trading standards!

IMO, it isn't  just your petrol money, it is the disappointment and hassle of turning up at a place having got your children and dog organised only to be turned away..............terrible behaviour on the part of the owners.  Anyone who can disappoint children like that is the 'pits' IMO!!  I hope that you enjoyed your holiday elsewhere! :)

I'd print off any website advertisements etc before they get the letter.
That way you have proof at no stage of booking etc did they say certain breeds not allowed etc...
Gives more weight to your claim ;)

Good luck Leon - I'm glad you've taken the matter further. I agree with Goldilocks and think you should ask to be compensated as well as reimbursed for your costs. They treated you very unfairly!

I was advised by the office of fair trading just to ask for compensation for fuel although i obviously told them how disgusted and let down my family were by the situation.I will let you all know how it goes.

Any news yet Leon?

what makes me mad is when you look for a hoilday cottage and the write up says "pets welcome"
However when you look closer the ad says "one small well behaved dog"