My au pair manhandled my dog.... is it gross misconduct?

It'd take me less to kick her out than it took you to write this post. This is unacceptable and I'd probably call the police too. Poor, poor dog!

Did your colleague see the footage?

My only possible explanation for your colleagues respond is that it was a very gentle kick.

The Au-pair will probably have to organise a flight home, but I agree with others she can't stay in your house if she's kicking your dog.
Does your child even like her?

Animal abuse is definitely a red flag for work in any type of care setting.

@MissionImplausible
Please report her actions to the police/agency.
Violence to the vulnerable affects animals and children. Please see this link
thelinksgroup.org.uk/about-us/

This person should not be allowed to look after any child

I don't think that you having a dog that she has had to assume responsibility for is fair on her and being a great nanny doesn't mean that you'd be a great dogs woman

I’m not a dog person. But I’d never ever mistreat one. Or any other living creature .

I’d fire her. What does her contract say about dismissal ? If shes young and / or from another country I think it’s reasonable to give her a few days to arrange flights home or look for another job. You can’t put her out on the streets tonight .

If you don’t want her in your home then you can always pay for a cheap hotel for a few days, to give her time to make other arrangements .

I don't think that you having a dog that she has had to assume responsibility for is fair on her and being a great nanny doesn't mean that you'd be a great dogs woman!

She's not employed to look after the postman either but if she punched him in the face she'd get the sack. Ridiculous logic. Poor doggy and poor you what a shame. She wouldn't have come back in the house if it was me.

@SoloMummy

She is neither a nanny nor employed.

Even if she were, her role as childcare does not give her a legal right to abuse animals because 'looking after a dog is not her responsibility'.

At the most she could perhaps argue it's reasonable for her to ignore the dog. Not to abuse it

That's disgusting!! Get rid of her now. Your poor dog! There's no way I could trust someone that heartless with animals to be with my kid unsupervised, ever.

What a Bitch

I admire your restraint OP as I am of a mind to treat her how she did the dog .
Get Rid.

This really does need to go to the police, it is animal abuse.

Animal abuse is a red flag as many go on to abuse children/other people.

@SoloMummy you must know some horrible people. Most dog owners never kick or throw their dogs and wouldn’t dream of it anymore than we would kick or throw our dc.

Eek. I’d have been straight home and throwing her out.

Get rid of her! Your dog must be fearful every time he sees her. People who hurt animals make me so angry

OP, if she is grom an agency, I'd make sure that they know about this. That way, if they decide to keep her on, they can at least make sure that she is not placed in a house with pets.

@SoloMummy

Just because she isn't employed to look after the dog doesn't give her free rein to abuse it. Animal cruelty is a criminal offence for crying out loud. She is not dismissing her for not taking good enough care of the dog, she is dismissing her for being an abusive little twit.

Sack her, tell her she won't be getting a reference either, and show the Police the video. Also, as PP have said explain to her agency if she has one why she is gone.

I'd have absolutely no tolerance for this. If she did that to my dog she would be out on her ear and any future employer who got in touch with me for a reference would hear about what a nasty little bullying bitch she is.

Just never. Can’t comprehend that 😢 I was an au pair in my late teens and wouldn’t dream of doing that if they’d had a dog!

*not being

Poor dog. Get rid of her, even if it's not her job to look after the dog that is cruel and I wouldnt ever want someone like that in my home. Show her the video, inform the police if she kicks off, report it to her agency if she has one and goodbye.

I would get rid of her straight away. What else has she done away from the camera you don’t know about?

^
This with bells on!

The other issue is that if your dog begins to fear human interaction it is going to defend itself. What if your child goes to hold the dog's collar for some reason (if someone comes to the door or to put a lead on) and the dog doesn't understand she means no harm and snaps at her?
And having read that it is a rescue dog makes me even more certain that I would have the au pair out NOW.

Given she's not employed to be a dog sitter, I think you need to be 110%sure that your contract will allow for this as reason for dismissal

She's an au pair so she won't have an employment contract.

being a great nanny doesn't mean that you'd be a great dogs woman

There's a difference between being 'a great dogs woman' and throwing a dog!

and

being a great nanny doesn't mean that you'd be a great dogs woman!

There is something of a gap between 'being a great dogs woman' and kicking ad hauling a dog about