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Dog ate my picnic

711 replies

givingitupok · 12/07/2025 20:36

Had a picnic with my child today in our local park. Random dog (Shar Pei) appeared out of nowhere and ran over to us. I stood up and picked up my child and ran in a panic and stood behind a tree (probably looked like a total fool doing so but there was nowhere else to go without running towards the dog!). No idea where the owner was at this point. Watched the dog eating our food and also drooling all over our lunch box. Owner suddenly appeared from a path that lead into the park screaming at her dog to 'get here now'. Dog totally ignored her and she had to grab it and literally drag it away and put the lead on it. She apologised but when I asked her if she was going to pay for our food she actually had the gall to say 'you should have picked it up when you saw him coming' !!! I have just got home and this literally only happend 45 mins ago so am still fuming. She did not pay for our food and despite initially apologising, was incredibly arsey and walked off in the opposite direction. My child is very upset and the worst bit is, he has SEN and made everything in the lunch box himself (spread the sandwiches, cut up the apples, broke the chocolate into pieces to fit it in the container, etc). This was quite a big thing for him and he's really upset. I am also on a low income and spent a lot on the food. I took a photo of her and it clearly has her face in it. Not sure why but I just felt like I had to do something. I am not going to name and shame, but I'm just so angry.

Not sure what I want from this thread. Just rather pissed off.

OP posts:
Definitelyrandom · 13/07/2025 09:42

Shar peis aren’t very big (though are very ugly). Clearly it shouldn’t have been out of control, but OP could have acted more sensibly instead of running off in a panic. If it was aggressive it would’ve chased after the OP and child. Why not just grab its collar, move it away from the picnic, make fuss of it and give it a biscuit or whatever to keep it occupied till the owner came over?

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 13/07/2025 09:37

ThePure · 12/07/2025 21:14

I do think maybe you should post to warn her. A whole punnet of grapes could certainly kill a dog and after all
its not the dogs fault. If she takes it to the vet they can make the dog sick but if she doesn’t know it’s happened it might be too late.
Odd that it ate the grapes in preference to cream cheese sandwiches!

Likely OP will be blamed for leaving a picnic with dog poison out in the open while negligently running away...

AngelicKaty · 13/07/2025 09:35

Gardeninrags · 12/07/2025 21:45

Complete overreaction by the OP to run away and leave all the food there IMO. Just hope the poor dog is ok

Fool. 🙄

Beachtastic · 13/07/2025 09:34

vodkaredbullgirl · 13/07/2025 08:14

Hope that was sarcasm.

No... I was joking, but only just! Maybe a rocket launcher would have been more effective.

ALPS100 · 13/07/2025 09:34

Flyswats · 13/07/2025 09:29

The dog owner absolutely was at fault for not keeping their dog on a lead / under control.

But at least no one got bitten.

But at least no one got bitten.

Probably because the OP had the good sense to leave - if she hadn't then people would be saying "why would you just sit there protecting your picnic and allow a dog to bite you"

EmeraldShamrock000 · 13/07/2025 09:31

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 09:05

Yup. I noticed that. Interesting, isn't it? I wondered if I'd come across this poster before. It all seems remarkably similar to something on another thread a few months back.

Well there would be a similar thread as it is a daily occurrence with selfish dog people allowing the dogs off lead around people eating food.

ALPS100 · 13/07/2025 09:30

givingitupok · 13/07/2025 09:13

Wow, I'm reading through posts now who seem to be suggesting I am a liar because I:

a) recognised the dog breed
b) gave my child unwashed grapes
c) hadn't cut up my grapes
d) happened to have chocolate and grapes
e) someone else's dog ignores grapes so this one should have too
f) had all the things in our picnic open

I'm seriously out of here as this place is nuts. Thanks everyone else for the supportive posts.

nutters everywhere, ignore them

most on here are supporting you, despite you have "dangerous" (to quote a previous stupid comment) foods in your picnic like grapes and chocolate 😂

Tofana · 13/07/2025 09:30

I love dogs but Im I’m fucking sick of their owners.

Not even the 6 week holidays yet and I’ve had 2 picnics destroyed and a ball burst at our local beach.

Why take an unruly dog out to a place with children playing? The same dog who snaffled our picnic stole an ice cream cone out of a little boys hand about 10 minutes after destroying our picnic and I so angry because in that time owner should have put the dog on its leash.

The owners again like other owners unbothered by the ruining of picnics or burst ball. If my dogs ruined someone’s day out I’d be mortified and ask could I do a bank transfer or something to cover costs of food/ball. But no, these dicks do not give a shit.

They’re just selfish bastards. They’re obviously the ones leaving dog shit everywhere as well.
I wish there were dog free areas. The ones with shit owners are a fucking pest. The ones with good owners are a joy. Just like kids really 😂

Pricelessadvice · 13/07/2025 09:30

I’d have been mortified as a dog owner and I’d have given you £10 or something as an apology.
She was probably embarrassed and just wanted to get out of there. Not great behaviour though!

Flyswats · 13/07/2025 09:29

The dog owner absolutely was at fault for not keeping their dog on a lead / under control.

But at least no one got bitten.

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 09:28

HerNeighbourTotoro · 13/07/2025 09:25

If you think this is interestiong you must have a remarkably boring life.

I'd have thought being here at all was proof enough of that. Therefore it follows that you do too.

Inthebleakmidwinter1 · 13/07/2025 09:27

You are not wrong to think she was totally out of order and not wrong to be angry. But maybe it could turn into a funny family story? Hey remember that time a naughty dog ate our picnic. These thing happen and will happen again so perhaps resilience is a good lesson for your child.

HerNeighbourTotoro · 13/07/2025 09:25

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 09:05

Yup. I noticed that. Interesting, isn't it? I wondered if I'd come across this poster before. It all seems remarkably similar to something on another thread a few months back.

If you think this is interestiong you must have a remarkably boring life.

HerNeighbourTotoro · 13/07/2025 09:25

Words · 13/07/2025 09:02

You know nothing about dogs but yet were instantly able to recognise the breed?

Hi armchair Sherlock Holmes- I know nothing about dogs but can recognise a number of breeds! Not sure you are onto anything here.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 13/07/2025 09:25

CellophaneFlower · 13/07/2025 09:14

Are you saying that when you have a picnic you don't just take the lids off everything and put it out for you/your kids to help yourself? Or do you systematically put out one thing at a time?

I don't... because of flies and bloody wasps! I just thought it weird that it started off as a pot of grapes and cut apple, then it turned into a whole punnet of grapes. If your child is young... please cut the grapes though.

Mumsnet posts are often embellished alongside the facts, depends on the direction of the thread.

Yanbu, dogs off leads in a public park is unacceptable. Owners shouting ahead "dog is friendly" Well my dog is not friendly around dogs, she prefers people, she's a sprocker spaniel and will react to your dog while in her no escape triple harness.

I'd definitely pay for the ruined lunch, if my dog got close to a picnic.

givingitupok · 13/07/2025 09:15

CellophaneFlower · 13/07/2025 09:14

Are you saying that when you have a picnic you don't just take the lids off everything and put it out for you/your kids to help yourself? Or do you systematically put out one thing at a time?

I don't... because of flies and bloody wasps! I just thought it weird that it started off as a pot of grapes and cut apple, then it turned into a whole punnet of grapes. If your child is young... please cut the grapes though.

Pot, punnet, tub, box. I don't know I just bought a thing of grapes and pulled the film off the top!

OP posts:
TheaBrandt1 · 13/07/2025 09:14

The very idea that non dog owners should ensure their own picnics are safe for dogs to eat just in case some mutt nicks their picnic is next level insanity.

CellophaneFlower · 13/07/2025 09:14

Are you saying that when you have a picnic you don't just take the lids off everything and put it out for you/your kids to help yourself? Or do you systematically put out one thing at a time?

I don't... because of flies and bloody wasps! I just thought it weird that it started off as a pot of grapes and cut apple, then it turned into a whole punnet of grapes. If your child is young... please cut the grapes though.

givingitupok · 13/07/2025 09:13

Wow, I'm reading through posts now who seem to be suggesting I am a liar because I:

a) recognised the dog breed
b) gave my child unwashed grapes
c) hadn't cut up my grapes
d) happened to have chocolate and grapes
e) someone else's dog ignores grapes so this one should have too
f) had all the things in our picnic open

I'm seriously out of here as this place is nuts. Thanks everyone else for the supportive posts.

OP posts:
U53rn8m3ch8ng3 · 13/07/2025 09:13

DarcyProudman · 13/07/2025 06:52

I’m not even sure I believe any of this story. Amazing that you just happened to have grapes AND chocolate in your picnic, all unwrapped.

What? Grapes and chocolate are fairly standard picnic items?

Digdongdoo · 13/07/2025 09:12

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 09:05

Yup. I noticed that. Interesting, isn't it? I wondered if I'd come across this poster before. It all seems remarkably similar to something on another thread a few months back.

Not really interesting at all. A Shar Pei is pretty easy to identify.

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 09:11

MyDadWasAnArse · 13/07/2025 08:59

There's a thread called Dogs Everywhere where the OP is saying they're all over the place and the OP has got a kicking.

Thanks. That tells us all we need to know.

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 09:08

Imdunfer · 13/07/2025 09:05

I'm sorry you were upset but I don't see how my comment could possibly be taken apply to therapy dogs kept close to the people they are there to support.
.

FFS, you accused me of making an outrageous statement, which I did not! Talk about overreacting 🙄Whatever.

givingitupok · 13/07/2025 09:07

DarcyProudman · 13/07/2025 06:52

I’m not even sure I believe any of this story. Amazing that you just happened to have grapes AND chocolate in your picnic, all unwrapped.

Sorry are you suggesting I made this whole thing up for what reason exactly?

Are you saying that when you have a picnic you don't just take the lids off everything and put it out for you/your kids to help yourself? Or do you systematically put out one thing at a time?

Grapes and chocolate are totally normal things to have in a lunch box no?

The internet is a sad state of affairs that do many people post absolute bollocks on here that people don't believe very normal posts (I think so anyway!).

OP posts:
Imdunfer · 13/07/2025 09:05

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 09:01

@Imdunfer
But I was not quoting the OP. I was quoting a person who carries a bat, an umbrella and a whistle in case of attack by a "huge" dog, which I politely pointed out that a Shar-Pei is not. I felt that was a case of dog phobia.

I'm sorry that my post was triggering for you but that does not excuse you for overreacting and taking my words completely out of context. That is in fact triggering for me, as a person with severe social anxiety who relies on a therapy dog to enable me to actually leave my house.

I'm sorry you were upset but I don't see how my comment could possibly be taken apply to therapy dogs kept close to the people they are there to support.
.