Wheelchair-Friendly Holidays with Dogs

The New Forest is a wonderful area for dog walking, with miles of forest and beach paths to explore. Guests often ask whether we accept dogs. The answer is yes — but with some important conditions to ensure comfort for all guests.

We generally do not accept dogs in two of our cottages, legally we must accommodate assistance dogs. For pet dogs, Garden Bench is our only suitable property, as it has an enclosed private garden. We must be informed of any dog staying with you regardless due to allergies.

Dog Policy

All pet dogs are subject to an additional fee of £100 per week and the following conditions:

• Dogs must not be left unattended in the property.
• Dogs must not climb on furniture.
• Dogs must only toilet outside, and this must be cleaned up immediately.

Service and Assistance Dogs

Service dogs are exempt from the pet fee but are still subject to the above conditions. We must be informed at the time of booking, and we may request evidence of their training/registration. Legally, assistance dogs must be accepted in all our cottages, but pet dogs are welcome in Garden Bench - retired assistance dogs are considered pets.

According to the Equality Act 2010 (EA2012 section 173), an assistance dog is defined as:

• A dog trained to guide a blind person.
• A dog trained to assist a deaf person.
• A dog trained by a prescribed charity to assist a disabled person with epilepsy or a disability affecting mobility, coordination, or dexterity.
• A dog of a prescribed category trained to assist a disabled person with another type of disability.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission states that assistance dogs:

• Are highly trained and under full control of their owner.
• Will not wander freely around premises.
• Will sit or lie quietly on the floor next to their owner.
• Are trained to toilet on command and are unlikely to foul in public places.
• Are identifiable by their harness or jacket.

Assistance dogs undergo up to two years of training before working with their partners, and we ask for evidence of this. Source: Assistance Dogs UK

Booking Form

If you are bringing a dog, please complete our Pet Booking Form. We can recommend plenty of wheelchair-friendly dog walks to help you make the most of your stay. For your convenience, we provide towels for muddy paws and there is a garden hose on the patio if neede.,alternatively there are self service dog washes locally including:

• The Old Dairy Workshops, 44 Milford Rd, Lymington SO41 8DU
• HIghcliffe, Castke Car Park, Highcliffe, Christchurch BH23 4LD - perfect after a beach walk
• Dog Wash - 189 Long Lane, Holbury, Hardley, Southampton SO45 2PA

Holidays with Other Animals

Due to staff allergies, we cannot accept cats, house-trained rabbits, birds, or hamsters. If these animals are found on the premises, guests will forfeit their cleaning retainer and be asked to leave immediately.

Emotional Support Animals

Emotional support animals are assessed on a case-by-case basis. If accepted, they are subject to the same conditions as dogs:

• They must not be left unattended in the property.
• They must not toilet indoors.
• They must not climb on furniture.

Emotional support animals are subject to the same additional £100 non-refundable weekly fee as pet dogs.

Nearest Dog Walks

The nearest spots to walk your dog down the stay are the following places:

• If you head out the drive, turn left - there is a driveway before Pennington Club which heads into Pennington Recreation field - this is a large grass playing field - level, rarely muddy - dogs can be off lead.
• If you head out the drive and turn right - at the end of the road turn right again and there is a tarmac private lane - head down the lane... sometimes on the right you see ponies... towards the end of the lane there is a footpath taking you on a circular walk, a radar key required for gates. Accessibility depends on season and weather – paths can be muddy. View route.
• If you head out the drive and turn right, end of the road turn left and opposit you will find Pennington Common: . Follow the information boards and worn paths to enjoy local history and wildlife. Perfect for an early leg stretch or dog walk, though sadly not suitable for most wheelchairs due to grassy terrain
• We can suggest further walks on our walking page.

Garden Bench is our only property with a secure garden and where we welcome pets

Holiday Availability for All Three Cottages