[MR] The Semi-Annual Dogs Discussion

[Kim Moore]

First, I want to address the original poster's question.  I think absolutely event flyers should specify whether pets are permitted on the site or not.  There should not be a gray area because it has a real impact on people, particularly in the event that pets are not permitted and they came to the event unaware of that.  
 
Now I want to address where the discussion has gotten off to. Its time for the semi-annual pet discussion again. 

Speaking as an occasional autocrat, and the last Sapphire autocrat to allow dogs on site 24 hours a day, I can tell you that Sapphire in 2006, where we had right about 80 dogs on site, ruined my tolerance for autocratting events where animals are permitted.  

That was the Sapphire where someone left their dog's excrement under our troll table.  That was the Sapphire where several dogs were left unattended either in tents, cars, or tied to trees, despite very specific rules that dogs were never to be left unattended.  

I had one dog bite a child (very minor, no broken skin, owner left voluntarily, parent was very understanding).  Of course the dog had never shown hostility before.  I had two dogs fight and break skin (one owner left voluntarily, one I had to ask to take the dog home). Neither of those dogs had shown hostility before either.  

Many dogs barked all night, all three nights, despite requests to owners to quiet them.  Standard response - "Well, he/she is out of his/her element and a bit upset, I will do the best I can."  That didn't fix the problem.

By comparison, I had one single complaint/problem about a child.  I had a four adults I had real problems with (not pet related).  I had one bardic I had to ask to quiet down.  In each case, action was taken and the situation resolved, with no further incidents.  Not so with the animals.   

The hassle to me as an autocrat and to my staff who were constantly either cleaning up after animals (despite a supply of trash bags being kept at troll for everyone's use) or handling complaints about barking, the bite, the fight, or unattended animals, was extreme.  To those who say "Well, just kick the problem children off site" I say, there are few more difficult jobs as an autocrat than looking at someone who has driven 6 hours with their pooch and telling them they or their pet's behaviour is unacceptable and it is time for them to leave the site.  I've done it.  It is miserable.  If I had to do it 10-15 times at an event (like something the size of Sapphire that draws 50+ dogs), I just wouldn't autocrat again; I do this because it is fun and ruining someone's days because they are ruining someone else's day ruins my day.

In the end, as an autocrat, I have to choose whose happiness matters most, I will chose the 90 percent of the people who came to that event without pets over the 10 percent who did.  

Does not permitting pets make it impossible for some people to be able to attend?  Of course it does, but like those pet owners, there have been events I have been unable to attend because the environment is not right for my toddler and I cannot leave her with family.  We all have choices we have to make.

Is it unfair to punish the minority (dog owners) for the sins of a minority within that minority (those bad dog owners).  Absolutely.  100% unfair.  How about the fairness of subjecting an event staff and a lot of petless event attendees to the barking and messes associated with that minority within a minority?  Autocrats must take into account the greater good and their own tolerance for potential problems with each decision they make regarding the event they are running.  

The great thing about being an autocrat is getting to make choices on how the event you are running plays out.  When I am an autocrat, I chose to disallow pets, regardless of the site's policy.  That is my personal philosophy, which differs from that of MANY others.  

For the folks that want to see more events where pets allowed, I highly encourage you to take up the mantle of an autocrat and do as you see fit.  I also encourage those people to consult with pet owners and see what could be done to enhance the experience of pet owners and petless event attendees alike.  

The only way to achieve the change you want to see is to help create that change.  I hope that you will. 

Warm regards,
Melisent la Ruse

PS: I recognize this thread was in no way directed at Caer Mear, but Sapphire is the largest annual event in the kingdom that regularly disallows pets now, so you have a whole group who is a little sensitive to this issue in general and does get a bit tired every year of being yelled at for the choice we make regarding animals and Sapphire.