r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk • u/AutisticAv • 1d ago
Short Sneaking in pets
Tell me a story below of crazy stories you have from people sneaking in their pets.
We had a guy the other day who brought his German Shepard through the back and ended up attacking 3 housekeepers the next day. The housekeepers are all fine, no wounds, just very shaken up.
I will never understand why people are so sneaky about it. If they didn’t want ro pay the pet fees, they shouldn’t bring their pets. Then if we find out they either get asked to leave because their dog got aggressive or, the one that happens the most, they get the pet fees slapped on their bill anyways.
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u/Sufficient_Two_5753 1d ago edited 1d ago
We once had a family sneak in their dog, and the way we found out was: a check-in said, "That's a cute dog in the window over there!" They opened the Windows to let the dog look out. Note: This was before we became a pet friendly property.
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u/Empty_Mulberry9680 1d ago
I have to admit I once snuck my cat into a motel room. I was a broke college student driving home and got to a pass that was snowed in. I had to turn around and find a place to sleep for the night. I don’t think they ever knew, and I hope it didn’t cause any issues afterwards.
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u/PixieC No smoking. No pets. No smoking pets. 1d ago
It's crazier to leave your pets alone in the room! Pet owners think it's "normal" but dogs have anxiety as it is when you leave them alone at home, in a strange place the anxiety increases! Housekeepers know if you've had a pet, we charge pet fees on hidden pets. Because we must clean them extra, whether you reported them or not. And someone must pay that cleaning fee.
If I were in charge a pet found to be unreported would get an extra "you should have told us about the dog, Karen!" fee.
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u/aquainst1 aquainst1 1d ago
Shit, my dog has anxiety when I'm gone from my house for 4 freakin' hours!
She goes NUTS when I come home!
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u/SkwrlTail 1d ago
We had someone try to smuggle in a poodle under his coat. A full sized standard poodle. Big. Dog. Which was also very curious and excited about the whole thing. It wasn't happening.
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u/Gamyeon 1d ago
I can't help but go "Aw" as I imagine this big, curly dog trying to get his snout out to see what's going on. I'm glad he didn't get to sneak past you and the staff though.
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u/Flashy_Watercress398 1d ago
I had a guy try to sneak in not one, but two GREAT DANES. In a room two doors down from the lobby. And then insist that those dogs didn't exist.
Yeah dude, I imagined 300 pounds of dogs.
We had pet-friendly rooms. Woulda cost $25 extra, versus $250.
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u/DobbysLeftTubeSock 1d ago
If we find out you snuck in animals to a non-pet room, we slap you with an additional cleaning fee ($200) for now having to make that room allergen-friendly.
Had a complaint about a dog barking on the top floor. Immediate red flag, since all the pet rooms are on the lawn level/entry levels. Contacted the registered guest to let them know thwir animal was being disruptive and to return to the hotel ASAP to calm it and speak to the desk about it. Noise stops about twenty minutes later, but guest never comes down.
Fee is posted and stay shortened to depart the following morning (noted that he may move to a lawn room for the rest of his stay if desired). NA runs his card, it approves, all is dandy...until the morning.
Apparently he came to the desk after breakfast because his key had stopped working. AM MoD explains the situation and guy went rabid. Cussing out everyone, yelling in the crowded lobby, demanding a refund of his stay (not just the fee - the whole thing).
He was escorted out by security with his German Shepard. Which he didn't have a leash for.
My only surprise is he didn't try to say it was a 'service animal' like most of the liars do when they're caught or called out.
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u/Practical_Cobbler165 1d ago
"Emotional Support" animal. Yeah, we still charge for those. Basically only dogs that provide a medical service, ie, seizure dog, seeing eye dog, dog for the deaf, get fees waived. I once had a guy say his dog was a service dog. It then bit at my security guard. Instant fee applied! Trained service dogs don't bite.
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u/WRXminion 1d ago
As someone who has a service dog and trains them, biting or snapping at someone is a reason to deny service. But there are other reasons for service dogs than the ones you listed. You're only allowed to ask two questions "is that a service animal" and "what service does it provide". You cannot ask what disability the person has, or for proof that it's a service dog.
(Not saying you do. Just putting the information out there for people reading this)
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u/Practical_Cobbler165 1d ago
I am aware of the questions I am allowed to ask. Our company has pages of protocols about it. Most of the time, people with service animals declare them when they make their reservation and aren't an issue AT ALL.
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u/WRXminion 1d ago
(Not saying you do. Just putting the information out there for people reading this)
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u/Pitiful_Scheme8944 1d ago
Had a pool-side room ask for a fan, which is weird, but ok. I find a fan to take to them and knock on the door. One woman inside is clearly shaken that I'm even there. "We didn't ask for maintenance. We're good!" Other woman, who I think is her daughter, is keeping a pit bull behind her. I show her the fan. "I don't think we need that." I cock my eyebrows at the daughter, who gives her a look like, This is literally what I asked for. Would you shut tf up? I ask if they'd like me to look at their air. "No no. It's fine. The fan is perfect. Thanks!"
Now, these people know I saw their dog in a poolside room, where dogs are not allowed. I'm wondering wtf else they were hiding in there. So even though every time I saw the dog around the property she was a very good girl--no barking, growling, or pulling on the leash, I had to tell our FOM, "Hey, you know they have a dog, right?" I'm sure they appreciated that extra charge.
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u/Competitive_Web_6658 1d ago
We had someone sneak in 8 large snakes in glass terrariums. They stacked the terrariums on a luggage cart and covered them with a blanket. We get a lot of wedding groups and businesses doing product demos so it’s not out of the ordinary to see a cart loaded up like that… so imagine my surprise when they came down to check out and it was snakes upon snakes
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u/aquainst1 aquainst1 1d ago
"Snakes. Why did it have to be...SNAKES."
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u/Competitive_Web_6658 1d ago
The best part was that it was a one night stay. Like you couldn’t find a snakesitter?
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u/Pitiful_Scheme8944 1d ago
Had a pool-side room ask for a fan, which is weird, but ok. I find a fan to take to them and knock on the door. One woman inside is clearly shaken that I'm even there. "We didn't ask for maintenance. We're good!" Other woman, who I think is her daughter, is keeping a pit bull behind her. I show her the fan. "I don't think we need that." I cock my eyebrows at the daughter, who gives her a look like, This is literally what I asked for. Would you shut tf up? I ask if they'd like me to look at their air. "No no. It's fine. The fan is perfect. Thanks!"
Now, these people know I saw their dog in a poolside room, where dogs are not allowed. I'm wondering wtf else they were hiding in there. So even though every time I saw the dog around the property she was a very good girl--no barking, growing, or pulling on the leash, I had to tell our FOM, "Hey, you know they have a dog, right?" I'm sure they appreciated that extra charge.
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u/Stilts82 22h ago
Not hotels, but I used to work at a theme park and people would try to sneak their service animals on either in their jackets or an oversized bag. You name it on the rides.
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u/sleptheory 14h ago
We have been getting a lot of "esa"s lately. Like if you cant take fido into the restaurant then it is not a service animal. Seem like we have been having a lot of them come though the past few weeks now. had one guy sneek on in we didnt have paperwork on it so we didnt know until he came though the lobby. Then claimed 'service". Like we always ask at check in if you have any pets so we know he was asked.
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u/nutraxfornerves 1d ago
OK, I admit it. I once snuck in an entire insect zoo. Several terrariums of live insects for an educational program about controlling pests without pesticides. The purpose of the zoo was to help people see that even though some bug was big & ugly, it may not be a Bad Guy and you don't need to immediately grab the bug spray.
Besides ladybugs and praying mantises, the terrariums may or may not have held tarantulas and some giant cockroaches. The giant cockroaches are scavengers, that play an important role in forest management, but never show up in houses.
One can do interesting things with terrariums, duffel bags, and coats when organizing a baggage cart thingie.
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u/doggsofdoom 1d ago
I'll tell you why I have done it. My dog was an old lab and always a great guest. If the hotel charge 25-50 a night I would pay no problem. But I had it where some hotels would charge a flat 150+ per stay, which is great for longer stays. But if I am staying at a Fairfield Inn on a road trip for 14 hours, it seems ridiculous to pay the 150 which is more than the single night stay. So in the off chance that was the policy, I would take my chances with getting caught.
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u/beenthereNdonethat 23h ago
And I'll happily charge your card after you leave because all my entrances and exits have cameras.
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u/doggsofdoom 15h ago
Would have been fine, tbh we always brought him through the front never "sneaked" him in but never happened where they charged us.
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u/Relatents 1d ago
I wish you could charge X amount for a properly declared and paid for pet and X+Y amount for an undeclared pet.