KOA Campground Breed Restricition Policy

[Marinepits]

For those who don't know what KOA is, please see here: http://koa.com/

Reposted from this thread: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=30400

The Empire State UKC Show is being held in Herkimer, NY, at a KOA campground. Jill/StalkerBlueDog emailed the campground about their breed policies and this is their response:

ok.. so now I'm pretty upset.. This was the pet policy response I got from the KOA

"Hello,

We do allow pets. The dogs must be on a leash of at least 6 feet and you must pick up after them. Also, they can not be left unattended at your site for a long period of time. We just do not allow pets inside our buildings. Such as the kabins. We do not allow Rotweillers, Dobermans, or Pitbulls or any mix of these breeds.

If you have any other questions please feel free to contact us.

Thank you,
Sarah"

[maberi]

Pitbulls or any mix of these breeds

I wonder if they purposely put down pit bulls instead of listing all of the breeds that fall under this category

[StalkerBlueDog]

I e-mailed the show chair of the host club because I found out she's a sheltie person I actually know.. I'm hoping they just didn't know about the policy.. because it's pretty hard to host a UKC show, that includes pitbulls, rotties and dobes in the entries, at a show ground that doesn't allow them there...

It's unfortunate because it's a nice new UKC club that's trying to get off the ground.. hopefully they can move the show if it's not too late.. because if not it'll definatly hurt their entries..

There's so few UKC shows in this area it was great to hear there was another one in Sept.. and at a nice, fun site we could vacation at.. but now with the breed restictions I know I won't go and stay at a place that has a breed policy and give them my money that's for sure....

(from a supporter of pitbulls even though I'm the owner of a few fluffy shelties, a black tri aussie who has no tail and could be mistaken for a rottie mix by an idiot who doesn't know breeds and only sees the color and no tail.. and a senior rottie who lives with my mom and donesn't deserve to be discriminated against either!)

[StalkerBlueDog]

The club e-mailed me this morning:

<<Hi. The KOA never told us about this policy. Darryl is calling UKC tomorrow for permission for us to find another location. We are aware of this and are doing whatever we can to make sure we can find another location. Had we known this, we would NEVER have agreed to a show there.

Please ask your friends who were contemplating a boycott to hold off. Please try to keep the hysteria down at the moment. Unfortunately, this may spell the end of our club if we cannot rectify this situation.

Joanne Hurst
Secretary, ESDC >>

[TheRedQueen]

Have they talked to the KOA about a special exception for now?

[LMM]

We have plenty of other areas around here where they could hold this, yes? What would the requirements be? Maybe we can help them find something.

[StalkerBlueDog]

<<We weren’t paying anything for the KOA site but we have a few ideas on a new location and are going to move for sure. >>

I got this from the trial chair. they're looking into the park that we do the sheltie club agility trial at.

Even if they did a breed exemption I wouldn't have stayed there, and it would have unfortunatly hurt thier entries because alot of people wouldn't..though I would have still supported the club, I would have stayed else where. I'm not financially supporting a campground that has a breed ban. Luckily don't have to worry about it because the UKC approved the site change.

I do plan on sending the KOA a response saying that they lost ALOT of potential revenue in their off season due to their breed ban.

[mnp13]

Have they talked to the KOA about a special exception for now?

For me, I wouldn't have gone even with an exemption. I think a lot of people would have felt the same way.

The host club and the UKC deserve a LOT of credit for acting so fast on this.

[Marinepits]

Jusr received this via PM from our new member, Darryl:

Empire State Dog Club has changed it's show site to Smithfeild Fire Dept Feilds in Peterboro, NY

Confirmation, anyone?

[Marinepits]

http://forums.ukcdogs.com/showthread.ph ... did=289855

Empire State Dog Club has changed our show site for our shows on Sept 19 & 20, 2009. We were informed this past Friday evening that our site, the Herkimer Diamond KOA Campgrounds is turning away reservations of our exhibitors who have certain breeds. After arrangements were made for the show, the campgrounds had a change in management. This management now has a policy that refuses to allow in certain breeds they deem "dangerous", including rottweillers, dobermans, pitt bulls or any other breed that may deemed as potentially agressive and dangerous. Besides having exhibitors turned away, our club feels we cannot promote this sort of policy.

We have another site already arranged and APPROVED BY UKC. Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department, Fireman's Field, 4581 Peterboro Road, Peterboro, NY 13134-0115

Directions to site: From New York State Thruway, Exit 34. At light at exit, turn left onto NY Rte 13 (Peterboro Street). Proceed through town (approx 1.2 miles). At intersection of Routes 13 & 5 go straight at light on to Oxbow Road. Stay on Oxbow Road for approx 8.2 miles and continue to Peterboro and turn left onto Peterboro Road. The Smithfield Fire Dept is on the left. Show site is behind the Fire House.

Please check the Upcoming Events listing on www.ukcdogs.com

ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO CALL OR EMAIL:

Darryl Hurst, President Empire State Dog Club
315-495-2328
hurst899@windstream.net

[pitbullmamaliz]

Thanks Darryl!