Absolutely HORRIBLE experience…read more
I had read about the cow safari and thought it would be a great birthday gift for a close friend who loves cows. Before booking, I called to ask some questions and specifically mentioned that I have a service animal. The woman I spoke with assured me it wasn't an issue but suggested I call closer to the date as a reminder so they could accommodate us. This was in June, and I booked the tour for September 20th. We looked forward to it for months.
Last week, I called again, as instructed, and was once more assured it wouldn't be a problem. This person also suggested I call on the day of the tour because it was fully booked and they wanted to ensure we had enough space. I said I appreciated the courtesy and would follow up.
On the day of our tour, I called the number on my ticket confirmation three times. No one answered. On my third attempt, at 12:21 p.m., I left a detailed voicemail explaining that I was following up as instructed, identifying our tour, party size, and my phone number. I never received a response.
We arrived at 2:45 p.m. for our 3:30 p.m. tour. At check-in, two staff members politely advised me come ten minutes early so we could board the wagon first. Everything was great, and we went to get ice cream. Then, while we were waiting in line, a man approached us and informed me that my service animal was not permitted.
I initially thought there had been a misunderstanding, and explained that I had specifically asked about my service animal before purchasing tickets, had followed up the previous week, and had been repeatedly assured it wasn't an issue. His response? I should have followed up closer to the date. I reminded him that I had attempted to do exactly that earlier that afternoon, but no one had answered my calls or returned my voicemail. He had the gall to ask whether I had emailed them as well, as though it were my responsibility to compensate for their failure to answer the phone or respond to messages.
My friend, who has experience in conflict resolution, tried to explain that my frustration stemmed from having spoken with four staff members on three separate occasions, without a single person indicating that the service animal would be an issue until ten minutes before boarding. The man claimed this was a "new" policy because dogs and cows had reacted to one another in the past. Fair enough, but that doesn't excuse the fact that I had gone above and beyond to communicate and had been given assurances every step of the way, all the way up to check in. He then contradicted himself, claiming the policy had been in place for some time. When my friend pointed out that this suggested a significant training failure, he insisted staff were aware and said he would "remind" them. I accompanied him, against his wishes, and witnessed the so-called reminder, which appeared to be a first notice, not a reinforcement of an established policy.
He put his staff in an uncomfortable position and took no responsibility for how the situation had been handled. At no point did he offer a refund, alternative accommodation, or even a sincere apology. The result? Three hours of driving roundtrip, half a tank of gas, wasted time and money, and the embarrassment of having this happen in front of my friend, for whom this trip was supposed to be a birthday gift.
I realize this complaint may not resonate with everyone, since most people won't find themselves in this position, and I am not allowed enough characters to go into all the detail of what took place. However, I've seen other complaints on other platforms also referencing this man's arrogant and combative behavior, and based on my own experience, I would not want to patron a business where customers are treated this way. There are plenty of other farms to visit and wagon rides to take, that are much more deserving of the business. We may not have gone on safari, but we definitely got to see a snake.