A mixed terrier named Skye has become the first dog to receive an Exceptional Service Award from the Holiday and Residential Parks Association (HARPA), marking an unusual milestone for the organization in its 75-year history.
The recognition was recently announced following nominations submitted by Lake District Estates, the family-owned company that operates Woodclose Park in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria.
Skye lives and works at Woodclose Park with her owner, Ray Smith, who manages the holiday park. Smith had originally been told that he was being nominated for the association’s Exceptional Service Award.
However, Rachel Bell, head of marketing and business development at Lake District Estates, decided to submit a second nomination for another member of the team she believed also deserved recognition.
The additional nominee was Skye, a 14-year-old terrier who has become a familiar presence in the park’s reception area. Smith adopted Skye two years ago from the Wainwright Shelter of Animal Rescue Cumbria.
Since arriving at the park, she has become known among guests for greeting visitors and spending time in the reception area, where she often interacts with park visitors and their pets.
According to Lake District Estates, Skye quickly became a recognizable part of the guest experience at Woodclose Park. Her presence in the reception area and interactions with visitors led Bell to nominate her for the award, which is typically given to staff members in recognition of service within the park sector.
According to Out&AboutLive, the organization confirmed that Skye is the first dog to receive the recognition since HARPA was founded 75 years ago.
Speaking about his dog’s award, Ray said that Woodclose has always been delighted to welcome pets and provides a dedicated dog exercise field, a special welcome pack for self-catering guests, a doggy shower, and the park shop even stocks ice cream for dogs.
Woodclose Park is part of Lake District Estates, which operates several holiday parks across Cumbria. The company describes all of its parks as dog-friendly and includes amenities designed for guests traveling with pets.
Rachel believes that dogs can benefit as much as humans from a change of scenery, and that Skye is a fantastic advocate for the company’s dog-friendly policies.
For park operators across the outdoor hospitality sector, the recognition highlights the role that pet-friendly amenities can play in the guest experience.
Many campground, holiday park, and RV resort operators have expanded pet-focused facilities in recent years, including off-leash exercise areas, pet washing stations, and welcome packages tailored to guests traveling with animals.
These amenities can contribute to guest satisfaction and repeat visitation, particularly as surveys in the camping and RV sectors continue to show high rates of pet ownership among travelers.
In addition to Skye’s recognition, Exceptional Service Awards were also presented by Lake District Estates to managers at two other holiday parks in its portfolio. Tony and Clare Taylor from Clea Hall Holiday Park and Gary Stoupe from Waterfoot Park were also honored for their contributions. Following the award announcement, Skye will now have a permanent place in HARPA’s hall of fame.