Short version... stick to your policy.
Long version... Think about how you will react if they post this publicly on TA. Even if they are 100% wrong. If you have no qualms about this and posting a Management response, then follow the short version, above. If you get a chargeback, fight it tooth and nail and back it up with printed copies of your policy pages from your website. Often the CC company will disallow the chargeback and simply do a goodwill gesture on the other side to make it up to them, without it costing you a dime.
And frankly, it's illegal in many provinces/states to leave a dog in a car overnight. What kind of responsible owner treats their dog that way?
We have a no pet policy for a very good reason, I'm allergic to cats and dogs. Many people rely on the fact that I have a no pet policy and limit allergens in the house, laundry is never hung outside (pollen) and we have no feathers in the house..
"Long version... Think about how you will react if they post this publicly on TA. Even if they are 100% wrong. If you have no qualms about this and posting a Management response, then follow the short version, above."
I've thought about the TA aspect. Seems to me that if they did a review, they would have to expose the fact that they had 2 dogs in their car, which is why they didn't stay. This doesn't seem to me to be a horrible thing. The management response would be that our policies are clear, we stand behind them and we don't allow pets on our property to protect ourselves and all our guests. And, that's a good message for others to take note of when making a reservation with us.
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Breakfast Diva said:
"Long version... Think about how you will react if they post this publicly on TA. Even if they are 100% wrong. If you have no qualms about this and posting a Management response, then follow the short version, above."
I've thought about the TA aspect. Seems to me that if they did a review, they would have to expose the fact that they had 2 dogs in their car, which is why they didn't stay. This doesn't seem to me to be a horrible thing. The management response would be that our policies are clear, we stand behind them and we don't allow pets on our property to protect ourselves and all our guests. And, that's a good message for others to take note of when making a reservation with us.
Ah a woman after my own heart...publish and be damned. Yes. If they do it certainly puts your policies right out there and lets you say, 'Yes, these are our policies.'
It's always a matter of guests never putting themselves in a bad light so they leave out BIG details- like the late arrival, the dogs, the fact that you offered to split the cost of the kennel to help them out, that you offered to let them stay if they could park their car out of the way.
They will play it that after a long, grueling drive in a strange place over back roads they were met by an innkeeper in a scruffy bathrobe who told them to park their car in the woods, far away from where they were staying and they feared having to walk from the woods to their cabin. And, when we refused to park in the woods and we asked for our money back, because really, there she was in that bathrobe with her crazy dog bouncing off the door, she refused and we had no choice but to leave and drive all the way back to town and try to find a place to stay. Then we found out she charged us for all three nights. Unbelievable! We are fighting this with our credit card company. Etc, etc...
(I should write these for a living...)
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