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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:
HerNeighbourTotoro · 13/07/2025 08:18

Optimustime · 13/07/2025 05:42

I'd be mindful of teaching your dc to be scared of dogs. The dog should have been on a lead but I'd also do more of a check next time to see what kind of place you are setting up your picnic. I walk my dog in a set of fields and this week suddenly there are people picnicking everywhere. For the dog owners who use the field 365 days a year with no one there it's a bit of a surprise. It's not a park though. It's also not great for the picnickers as they are tending to set up in the areas without long grass which is also where most dogs pee and poo! It's picked up but still, I wouldn't want to be eating in those spots.

Breaking News: People picnic not only in parks!
Interview with bewildered dog owners has no clue what to do with themselves coming up next.

aGirlLikeJesamine · 13/07/2025 08:15

i find it odd that in your panic, hiding behind a tree, you took a photo of the dog!

and i wouldnt have asked her to replace the picnic or the money personally.
it was a dreadful thing that happened to you of course but demanding compensation, taking photos, posting on facebook
eergh

HerNeighbourTotoro · 13/07/2025 08:15

abouttogetlynched · 12/07/2025 22:14

Haven’t RTFT, just the first page so apologies if repeating.
Maybe if you’d have sat and guarded your food instead running and hiding, the dog wouldn’t have eaten your picnic. Yes the owner might’ve supposed to have had the dog on a lead, I don’t know, but if you’re walking a dog off lead and say a sausage was in the path, the dog is going to eat it. If however someone is sat holding the sausage/eating a hot dog, it’s unlikely the dog would make any attempt to eat it.
Unless the dog was bearing its teeth and running at you in menacing way, I find it strange that you would get up and run and hide.
I’m not a dog owner by the way and am actually not very fond of them, so I’m not defending dog or owner.
Also you might want to be careful you’re not giving your DS an unhealthy phobia of dogs.

This is the most bonkers reply on the thread. If a dog that looks aggressive is coming my way, Im protecting my kid, not my picnic, your priorities are all wrong. You also cant often tell if a dog you are unfamiliar with of runs towards you what are its intentions. Maybe it will come and want to be patted or maybe he will sink teeth in you- cool for you to want to risk it.

ballettap · 13/07/2025 08:15

Can't believe the people saying the OP was at fault! Instinct was to protect her child after a random dog ran at them with no owner in sight.

I have a dog that people can be wary of because of the breed (not a pitt type or anything like that), I always make sure they're put on the lead if anyone else is around and I would be so embarrassed and apologetic if my dog ate someones picnic or frightened them! I would have paid to replace the food.

vodkaredbullgirl · 13/07/2025 08:14

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Hope that was sarcasm.

PurpleChrayn · 13/07/2025 08:08

ninjahamster · 12/07/2025 20:38

Oh that’s really shitty. If the dog ate chocolate though, it could well end up quite unwell.

Yeah and maybe the owner has dementia.

pelargoniums · 13/07/2025 08:08

Optimustime · 13/07/2025 05:42

I'd be mindful of teaching your dc to be scared of dogs. The dog should have been on a lead but I'd also do more of a check next time to see what kind of place you are setting up your picnic. I walk my dog in a set of fields and this week suddenly there are people picnicking everywhere. For the dog owners who use the field 365 days a year with no one there it's a bit of a surprise. It's not a park though. It's also not great for the picnickers as they are tending to set up in the areas without long grass which is also where most dogs pee and poo! It's picked up but still, I wouldn't want to be eating in those spots.

It’s a surprise that people picnic in summer but not all year round?

TwiceForLunch · 13/07/2025 08:07

Of all the threads on MN that make outlandish claims I am finding it hard to understand why people are so disbelieving that someone might have grapes and chocolate in their picnic.

CellophaneFlower · 13/07/2025 08:05

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 07:33

And who gives their child unwashed grapes, straight from the punnet? Maybe some people do, so I'm giving the benefit of the doubt, but it could equally just be the daily dog hate thread.

Agreed! I was also wondering why this seemingly protective mother hadn't cut the grapes too 🤔

Grapes aren't just killers of dogs...

Lavatime · 13/07/2025 08:00

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 07:33

And who gives their child unwashed grapes, straight from the punnet? Maybe some people do, so I'm giving the benefit of the doubt, but it could equally just be the daily dog hate thread.

Me, all the time.
Ive never washed a grape in my life, no one has died yet!

selkieselkie · 13/07/2025 07:59

givingitupok · 12/07/2025 23:58

Not many people tend to get mailed to death by cows though. It's the first time in my 40 ish years I've ever run from a dog so I don't foresee it becoming a regular thing.

Not the point of the thread but cows kill more people than dogs...

echt · 13/07/2025 07:54

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 07:52

Right. Clearly you're the picnic expert here 😏

Thank you. Smile

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 07:52

echt · 13/07/2025 07:50

Who's to say the grapes weren't washed and put back in the punnet, in a new punnet.

Right. Clearly you're the picnic expert here 😏

echt · 13/07/2025 07:50

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 07:33

And who gives their child unwashed grapes, straight from the punnet? Maybe some people do, so I'm giving the benefit of the doubt, but it could equally just be the daily dog hate thread.

Who's to say the grapes weren't washed and put back in the punnet, in a new punnet.

Lavatime · 13/07/2025 07:49

This happened to me once too, and the owner shouted at me for "letting" his dog eat food that he shouldn't!

echt · 13/07/2025 07:49

DarcyProudman · 13/07/2025 07:37

Also find it interesting that you ‘didn’t know grapes were toxic to dogs’ but thought to mention the two things most toxic to dogs. No mention of crisps and sausage rolls….

Maybe because she didn't have any. She mentioned hummus and sandwiches though.

TwiceForLunch · 13/07/2025 07:43

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 do you pack in your picnic? We had one yesterday and had chicken drumsticks, hummus, veg sticks, grapes and chocolate. Is that weird? is there an approved list of picnic food I am unaware of?

(I also had ginger beer. But not lashings of it).

Beachtastic · 13/07/2025 07:41

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

DarcyProudman · 13/07/2025 07:37

Also find it interesting that you ‘didn’t know grapes were toxic to dogs’ but thought to mention the two things most toxic to dogs. No mention of crisps and sausage rolls….

mumuseli · 13/07/2025 07:37

So sorry to hear about this. Totally understand why you and your son must be so upset, especially as he had helped make the picnic bless him.
Personally, after comforting your DS and acknowledging his aggrieved feelings, I would try to make some light of it and turn it into a bit of a ‘story’ that hopefully he will remember as something you can look back and giggle about…. rather than being traumatised by it. I totally don’t mean to sound like I’m minimising your feelings - it’s just what I would do, as kids pick up on our feelings of stress and it might help your DS feel better if he feels you can both be outraged about the ‘greedy dog’ in a fun way.
i hope some luck comes your way and that you can manage an uninterrupted picnic soon. xx

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 07:36

BunnyLake · 13/07/2025 07:32

One of the stupidest I’ve read on MN.

I'm not reading that the way others did. I took it as sarcasm/irony/humour...🤔

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 07:33

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.

And who gives their child unwashed grapes, straight from the punnet? Maybe some people do, so I'm giving the benefit of the doubt, but it could equally just be the daily dog hate thread.

BunnyLake · 13/07/2025 07:32

Luluissleeping · 13/07/2025 06:59

Honestly, what a stupid comment.

One of the stupidest I’ve read on MN.

Milkmani8 · 13/07/2025 07:30

Next we’ll have people suggesting that grapes and chocolate are outlawed in public spaces so that their unruly dogs can run free, disrupt
annoying picnickers and shit wherever they want without clearing it up. Sorry to hear what happened to you @givingitupok Maybe try a different place for picnics, especially given your son’s needs. Not that you should have to but at least you can picnic in peace. I have had a similar thing happen a couple of times, the owners also said we should be more careful even though I took the dogs by the collar and moved them away from the food. The entitlement of some dog owners is crazy these days.

CoubousAndTourmalet · 13/07/2025 07:30

Chungai · 13/07/2025 07:11

Sharpei can be aggressive though, I would probably be wary of them based on my own experience.

Where did I say don't be wary? I know Shar-pei can be unpredictable, I don't deny that. I would be wary of one myself. All I pointed out is that it's incorrect to refer to it as a "huge" dog, because it isn't.