Woodsmoke Campground Pet Policy

[Kaz]

We have reservations for a week next February at the Woodsmoke Campground in Fort Myers, FL. We got an e-mail yesterday that reads in relevant part as follows:

Just call us the poo patrol. Starting in the 16/17 season we will be implementing a new program in order to deal with the constant dog waste issue. We will be using the company, Poo Prints. This company provides a service that keeps track of a dog’s DNA so that when dog waste is found they can test it and determine what dog it belongs to. Unfortunately, what we’ve tried in the past hasn’t worked and the dog waste issue has worsened. In order to keep a clean environment that is beneficial to all people we have chosen to try something new.

This Fall/Winter everyone who has a dog will be required to bring the dog to the office upon check in to get their cheek swabbed with a q-tip. There will be a one time $20 per dog registration fee. Depending on the dog’s temperament the owner might need to be the one doing the swabbing. We will then send this q-tip off to Poo Prints where they will store the information. (Poo Prints charges us $40 for each registered dog.)

If waste is found around the park that hasn’t been picked up by the owner then a sample of it will be shipped off to Poo Prints. They will then let us know which dog it matches. Once a match is found then the owner of that dog will be fined $75.00. (Poo prints charges us $75 for each time we submit a sample.)

This is the only solution that pinpoints who the owner is and avoids wrongful accusations. We wish it didn’t have to come to this, but this issue has gotten out of hand. We’d like to correct the situation so that all campers can enjoy the beauty of the park and not have to watch where they step. You can check out the Poo Prints website if you’d like more information too.

Thanks,
Woodsmoke Management

A few questions/comments:

• I've never heard of such a thing before, and it seems unbelievably weird. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this anywhere else?
• I guess I understand what the campground is driving at, but I've never been anywhere in over 40 years of RV'ing where the dog poo problem is so bad that it would call for extreme measures.
• If the Woodsmoke clientèle is so slovenly that the campground has to resort to DNA profiling to solve the problem, I bet dog poo is only one reason I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to stay there.
• It seems like less intrusive options exist. Like maybe signing a form that says, "On my honor, I will pick up after my dog..." If someone is so dishonorable that he'd violate that covenant, I'd worry more about getting my stuff stolen than stepping in dog poo.
• It also seems like if one leaves without having dog poo seized by the Doggie-DNA forces, one ought to get a refund of the DNA profiling fee.

Anyway, unless I get some comfort that this isn't as bizarre as it seems at first blush, I guess I'll cancel the reservation and stay somewhere better. Thoughts?

Skip

[padre1944]

Evidently this is the only way stop inconsiderate people from not abiding by the rules. Most RV parks have rules, but many people ignore them as they are not enforced. This is what its coming to in our society where more and more people think they can do whatever they want without regard to others.

[tropical_ron]

We always ended up with a bag full of poop whenever we walked our dog. More often then not, it came from us cleaning up after other campers mess not cleaned by them. No explanation as to why folks do not pick up after their pets. I like Woodsmoke, and this "policy" would not deter us from staying there.

[JoeH]

Some communities near us are doing the same thing. The HOA requires the dogs to be registered and DNA samples taken. If poop is found, it's tested and the owner is fined. Too bad it's come down to that, but there are some irresponsible dog owners that mess it up for the majority that pick up after their pets.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Kaz wrote:

I've never heard of such a thing before, and it seems unbelievably weird. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this anywhere else?

Why weird? That it is necessary or that it can be done. Companies record DNA on mountain lions, bears and game animals. The US FWS selects elk to be culled during a winter hunt based on their DNA, and moves buffalo from one herd to another based on DNA. Using DNA typing for the dog is a next logical step. I suspect that within five years, there will be a nation wide company so you can have your dog DNA typed at one park, and that will be good to ID the dog at other parks.

Kaz wrote:

I guess I understand what the campground is driving at, but I've never been anywhere in over 40 years of RV'ing where the dog poo problem is so bad that it would call for extreme measures.

I see several parks a year. What is 'so bad' to you? To me - if I see two different dog poops on one of my morning walks - the park is too bad to return to. I make sure the management knows why we will never be back. In my opinion, 15-20% of RV dog owners try to avoid cleaning up after their pets. And it is a growing issue even over the last two or three years.

Kaz wrote:

If the Woodsmoke clientèle is so slovenly that the campground has to resort to DNA profiling to solve the problem, I bet dog poo is only one reason I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to stay there.

Looking at on-line photos and reviews, it look like the park has several park models, and long-time residents. Those people are usually the most likely to feel 'entitled' to the park, and entitled to ignore rules, like those for picking up after pets. Or the other end of the scale might apply. Those semi-permanent residents might be flooding the management with complaints every day about dog poop.

Kaz wrote:

It seems like less intrusive options exist. Like maybe signing a form that says, "On my honor, I will pick up after my dog..." If someone is so dishonorable that he'd violate that covenant, I'd worry more about getting my stuff stolen than stepping in dog poo.

Likely less intrusive options have been tried, and failed.

Kaz wrote:

It also seems like if one leaves without having dog poo seized by the Doggie-DNA forces, one ought to get a refund of the DNA profiling fee.

The campground is already absorbing half of the cost of DNA typing your dog. Why should they refund you the other half?

Also the testing likely isn't done in a day. Probably takes a week to get the results back. Many of the 'offenders' will have moved on.

No, the CG likely won't get the fine money from them unless they charge their card. Even then the charge could be contested.

But it will likely deter the person from ever returning.

No, we don't travel with a pet. We did travel with a cat at one time, but he passed away. We have many great friends who travel with pets. A few of those just pick up the poop if it is easily visible. They don't think leaving poop near trees, in grassy areas, flower beds, etc is a problem.

And the number of RVers we see with that attitude seems to be growing in our opinion.

[BobR]

I own a dog and am all for this policy. It is a shame we have an added expense due to a few owners not picking up after their pooch. The same policy is being introduced in high density areas such as apartment buildings.

[bucky]

Pandora's Box is open. Some stray dog wanders thru and poops. Campground loses $75 for testing as no match is found. Who will be the Poop Manager? There is a whole Ron White comedy show for this one coming to theater near you.
I agree that a lot of pet owners are not responsible, but if you see one speak up.

[georgelesley]

I don;t like the idea either, BUT I like dog poop everywhere even less. In answer to your second point, maybe the reason you have never had a big problem with seeing dog poop is that the CG workers pick up much of it. We have two dogs ourselves and get very annoyed when we try to run our dogs and all they want to do is sniff other dogs poop (and who knows what disease it carries), and we have to watch every step we take.

As the notice says, they regret it has come to this, so do I, but enough people these days have no consideration for others that I don't think having them sign a "pledge" to promise to pick up their dog's poop will have any affect on the problem

[LynnandCarol]

Wow! we have stayed there and it is a nice place. we did stay at a place in the FL-Keys tat fined yo $20 if there was any dog poop noticed on your site whether it was your dogs or not. if you pick up after your pet, what is the worry???