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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be angry when a staff. bull dog wanders into my garden with my DS playing

62 replies

daisycat01 · 03/04/2007 16:57

I am quite angry, but also shocked at how unconcerned the owner was. We live about 2 fields away from a farm. My boys were playing in our garden, at the end of the garden is a hedge and behind are fields. I had just finished hanging out the washing and was inside when I noticed a white staffordshire dog wandering in the garden. I got my 1.5yr old and 4 yr old inside and shut the back door as the dog started running up to us. I had no idea where it came from or what it would do if I tried to touch it. I am not a doggy person, I dont mind them but dont know how to deal with them. I went to get my neighbour and when we came back it wandered into the field. I went onto the field to see a lady calling it (the dog just ignored her) I went up to her and asked her if it was her dog, yes she said, I said that it was in my garden and she just said "oh she is always wandering off!" I was really annoyed by that, especially given the breed. I said "can you make sure it doesnt again as it was in my garden with my 2 ds who are very small" she said "oh she wont do any harm, she loves children", How am I suppossed to know that. If I see it again I am reporting it to the police!!! Is that unreasonable??

OP posts:
MellowMa · 03/04/2007 17:22

Message withdrawn

Original poster
daisycat01 · 03/04/2007 17:22

Well that shows how much I know about dogs!! It may not have been a staff. I am not sure, it just looked like a "fighting dog", bit like the Bullseye from Oliver! It certainly wasnt a cuddly looking dog!

OP posts:
wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe · 03/04/2007 17:20

hmmm not sure that stafs actually are covered under the dangerous dogs act are they?

ok so the dog actually got out of its own house/garden, but at least the woman was looking for it? it may just have bolted out of the door/gate? my dog got out recently, I was standing at my front door chatting, he saw a cat and bolted after it. It only took me about five minutes to get him back, but I would be mortified if someone reported me to the police - these things do happen, and the dog is under control all of the time, I am only human, and he's only a dog.

as for the security of your garden - I disagree. Generally you wouldn't expect a dog to come wandering in it's true, but what happens if a fox wanders in? they are far more agressive and carry more diseases than any dog, and if one came in your children could be playing in its excrement. It's not just dogs you need to keep out, but wildlife as well IMO.

SparklyGothKat · 03/04/2007 17:15

emmm..... staffys are not on the DDA, pit bulls are but not staffys

misdee · 03/04/2007 17:14

dog owner unreasonable. if a dog wont come when called then it shouldnt be off the lead.

maxandmonty · 03/04/2007 17:14

i woulod report it anyway - as i said it is up to the owners to be responsible - our dog was attacked by a staff last year - i was P with DS2 at the time and nearly went into labour - when i spoke to the police the owner was well known! He hasn't been back to our field since...

KathyMCMLXXII · 03/04/2007 17:14

I think the dog owner is being unreasonable.

ImmiesMum · 03/04/2007 17:13

Good for you.
Report the idiot.

Original poster
daisycat01 · 03/04/2007 17:11

no, the lady wasnt walking her dog in the field, she had let it wander out of the farm and into my garden. The dog had been in my garden wandering a sniffing for a while and the lady was from the farm, she wasnt walking it and wasnt appologetic.
My garden is secure enough to keep my boys in, they cant escape. It isnt secure to keep dogs out, but I think that is the responsibity of the owner. I also wouldnt have been bothered if it wasnt a dog that was on the dangerous dogs act. The dog owner has, in my opinion, a responsibility to keep the dog under control. What would have happened if my DS2, who is 1.5, ran up to it and tried to hug it and it bit him.
With regard to the police, I will report a dangerous dog that is not under control or being supervised.

OP posts:
maxandmonty · 03/04/2007 17:09

I disagree - it is unacceptable for a dog to be of its lead if the owner can't control it - especially a breed like that - I am a dog owner and constantly get peeved with out of control dogs and owners not picking up their dog poo - especially when kids are always around. So many people should not have dogs.

ImmiesMum · 03/04/2007 17:05

No it's not unreasonable at all.
Those owners are so irresponsible.
Have you got someone who could help you get the fences a bit more secure in your garden?-that's what I would do.

for you!

wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe · 03/04/2007 17:03

yes. the woman walked her dog in the field, fair enough the dog maybe shouldn't have wandered off but why is your garden not enclosed?

What do you expect the police to do about it? Presumably this woman is perfectly entitled to walk her dog in the fields behind your house, and from your op she did call it so it's not as if she'd left it to wander where it wanted, the dog doesn't know that is your garden if the garden is essentially part of the fields. if you don't want dogs wandering in/out of your garden then build a fence and get a gate.