InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has issued an apology to a Texas family whose dogs were barred from entering a Holiday Inn Express and Suites hotel during Hurricane Harvey.
According to People, Gillian Parker, her husband Phillip, teenage daughter Allison and 81-year-old mother-in-law Sylvia fled their home in New Territory, Texas along with their three dogs late Sunday night after receiving a mandatory evacuation order.
The family eventually settled at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Katy, Texas, where hotel management informed them that their three dogs-a shepherd lab mix, a chocolate lab-hound mix and a yellow lab-wouldn't be allowed to come inside because of its strict no-pet policy.
"It's ridiculous and outrageous," Gillian Parker told People. "This is an 800-year flood. Three exits down the highway, the national guard is pulling people out of their houses. And our dogs can't come into safety?"
Parker said the family begged hotel management to make an exception with no luck. Because the hotel was a franchise location, corporate also told the family there was nothing they could do.
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"Our hotel is not a pet-friendly hotel," the hotel's General Manager Jim Hernandez told People. "We do offer our guests areas where they can take their pets to be kenneled. There are locations here down the street that are able to take their pets if they like."
The Parkers were forced to leave all three dogs inside their car in the hotel parking lot. They told People they each took turns sitting with the dogs and taking them for walks.
The family said they honored the hotel policy out of fear of being kicked out of one of the only available facilities in the area. Fortunately, their story has since picked up momentum, prompting a response from IHG.
"We are working to understand what occurred in this instance, and are communicating to our franchisees in the impacted areas to do all they can to accommodate pets," IHG said in a statement to People.
"As the region continues to feel impacts from the storm, we are highly sensitive to the needs of those affected during this extremely difficult time and are working diligently to best accommodate guests and their needs, and comfort those seeking relief at IHG hotels."
[READMORE]READ MORE: How You Can Support Post-Harvey Texas[/READMORE]
A representative for the hotel company also said that it will waive the Parkers' fees and issue them rewards club points for use during a future stay.
The Parkers have since taken shelter in a private residence and told People they would rather IHG make a donation to Harvey relief efforts and a local animal shelter where they adopted two of their dogs.
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