Dog ate my picnic

Yup, I've had this experience too - it's really shocking and very upsetting for a responsible dog-owner to meet an irresponsible one.
Microchipping of dogs has been a legal requirement for almost 10 years now - mandatory training should also be a requirement of dog ownership (I think this would weed out the irresponsible would-be dog owners as it requires commitment and effort, which so many of them seem to patently lack).

She sounds like an arrogant cow who objected to the restrictions and was making a "protest". 🙄BUT someone should have challenged her (politely). Entitled people will continue with their selfish, ignorant behaviour if no-one ever calls them out on it (again, politely) - silence just emboldens them.

Do they have to renew their registration?

My apologies for confusing this - I was mixing up nomenclature. I meant the equivalent of an annual licence renewal.

Most dog owners just can’t be bothered to properly train their dogs. In fact I’d say 90% !
We’ve trained our dog to come when called (and it takes perseverance) but I still wouldn’t trust her without a lead.
The number of dogs who run off in the Lake/Peak District and then owners put signs up everywhere…saying they are so loved and part of the family. Some are missing for months according to Facebook groups. If they are so precious don’t let them off the lead - you wouldn’t let a small child run off where you can’t see them.

Poor dogs suffer from rubbish owners.

Read all of OP's posts. The owner is now aware that her dog ate a whole punnet of grapes and some chocolate (in addition to other non-toxic items) and has been advised to take her dog to the vet.

Indeed, particularly when OP has told us that there are many signs in this park stating that dogs should be kept on leads.

And still people are tying themselves in complicated knots defending the dog and the owner.

It was just a dog. It should have been on a lead. Them's the rules. OP was perfectly entitled to have a picnic on the grass in a dogs on leads area. But the stupid dog owner thought she was above the rules - as so many dog owners seem to.

Dogs don't have rights, they are just pets. Children matter so much more and a little child's day was spoilt by the entitled behaviour of a pet owner. And yet some people defend it. Proves the entitlement of some dog owners I suppose.

I think training should be mandatory. You just have to watch TV programmes like "Badly Behaved Dogs" and "The Dog Academy" to see that some owners are utterly clueless about how to communicate with their dogs.

No, dogs aren't a menace. Humans domesticated wolves at least 20,000 years ago and dogs have provided great companionship ever since. The blame for some untrained and out-of-control dogs lays squarely at the feet of their stupid owners.

No. I am saying she was responsible for mitigating her own issues about being scared of dogs and gone to a more appropriate place for her to mitigate this happening AND The owner should of course had better recall and control and been a bit nicer. From what I can see they were not in the park but passing it so were not headed in to disrupt anyone purposely.

She has every right to sit where she likes and expect people to control their dogs around her but if she sets up on a football pitch she can expect a football to disrupt her picnic. If she sets up on the floor of a park its not beyond comprehension this could happen. Mitigate by finding a table and she can enjoy her space in peace without worry.

Given she is scared of dogs it seems an odd choice to
dit on the floor (even if she has the right to it) she could just have easily been writing a football landed in my hummus or a red kite swooped and took my chips.

Is she more annoyed by the dog, or the owners attitude.

Dog owner completely in the wrong.
I hope you report her OP.
The defence by dog owners of their mutts off lead and ruining a shared space is disgusting.

Yanbu to be very pissed off OP.

My dog is a scavenger. She is a bouncy lovable animal who is, for the most part, well-trained and amazing with children. But when we are out, she is always on the lookout for food. If she found a picnic laid out, she would behave exactly as this other dog did and no amount of commands from me would stop her. So at this time of year, if we are in an open area where there may be picnics, I keep her on the lead at all times. I walk in quiet paths where we won't meet people eating.

I am so sorry that you met such a rude owner who didn't recompense you for your picnic without question. I keep an emergency fund in my dog-walking bag although I have never had to use it. I am baffled as to how some dog owners think that this is acceptable behaviour from their dog and from them, not all of us are so thoughtless and selfish.

So sick of people making excuses for dogs.

I actually read the full thread. Not sure I recall it saying that there were signs but I do agree that the owner should have had better control of the dog.
however God forbid that OP should actually educate herself and her son about what to do if a dog does come near. I don’t think society will be happy until it becomes like America where dogs are only allowed off lead in dog parks because people get so hysterical.
I’m not super fond of cats - they have been known to come in my house and garden- one once ate some of my roast chicken. Yes it was irritating but I didn’t rant, rave and contact owner for a replacement chicken!!

Didn't bother reading all of OP's posts then?

• OP has no knowledge of dogs;
• there were many signs in the park stating that dogs must be kept on leads.

Why don't you Google a photo of one? They're not very tall dogs, but they're heavy and powerful - males can weigh over 4 stone!

It is annoying when people don't keep their dogs on leads where they are supposed to.
But it's also tricky dealing with the summer people sometimes!

I once got told off by someone because my dog ran up to someone having a picnic. We entered a park we had been to regularly throughout the year only to be greeted by loads of people picnicking and some sort of fete going on.
My dog ran up to someone before I could call him back because the summer people had taken over the entire park.
Obviously it was wrong the dog ran up to someone but it was a totally unexpected scenario I hadn't trained him for.

I imagine the same applies if your dog is on there normal walk and suddenly finds free food on the floor!

That isn't just an arsehole dog-owner, that's an arsehole full-stop.

@Manypets

basically you’re saying that Op should just never leave her house then given that dogs can be allowed everywhere. Even just walking down the street she’s at risk from a dog not being in control of its owner and not being on a lead. No. Dogs should always be on leads and controlled by their owner, end of.

In Britain, it became a legal requirement for all dogs over the age of eight weeks to be microchipped and registered on an approved database on April 6, 2016.

They are both wrong imo.

If I were scared of something I wouldn't put myself in its path. If I had a dog I would do my best to control it.

@Manypets

nah, however you may and try and wrangle it, the OP is not in the wrong, the dogs owner is. But I guess it’s karma seeing as that no doubt will no doubt have shat all over the floor all night

And when your husband pointed out his dog shouldn't have even been there?

YAYYYY - life would be so much better.

Nope some owners can actually control their dogs. they can walk past without a lead and not be a menace to society. Manners all round.

I can see you are of the free spirit training and everyone must love your dog, like the idiot I encountered last night who gave his dog a treat after it hurled itself over someone. But it had a 'friendly' vest on so that is OK 🤔

Righto, everyone keep your dog in, this lady doesn't like them.