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Original poster

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

211 replies

MissionImplausible · 21/02/2020 13:28

We have a camera in the house to keep an eye on the dog whilst we are at work. It's been off for a week or so but I put it back on today and it caught my au pair kicking our dog to get her out of her bed for a wee and then, when the dog didn't move, grabbing her by the collar to lift her clean off her feet and throwing her outside!!!

The au pair has been with us for over a year and knows about the camera but not that it was working again.

I am disgusted and want her out of my house straight away for what I see as gross misconduct - how can I trust her with my child (who is 10yrs old?) BUT a colleague who is playing devils advocate is suggesting a final warning is more appropriate as she has been with us for so long and we've not experienced this before (although perhaps it happens away from the doggy cam?)

Any opinions?

OP posts:
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Mamato2gorgeousboys · 21/02/2020 13:35

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

user1471449295 · 21/02/2020 13:34

Animal abuse. I’d say grounds for dismissal. Honestly, she’s broken your trust. She’s in your home, with all your most precious things and beings. And she has shit all everything from a height.
Poor dog

MrMeSeeks · 21/02/2020 13:34

In my house she'd be gone. Today. I'd also be considering calling the police with video evidence of her kicking my dog. And I'd struggle not to rip her throat out. And I'm one of the most passive people you'd ever meet
Me too, unless you hurt my pets.

Whynosnowyet · 21/02/2020 13:33

Show your ddog the respect it deserves. Imagine her still being there and him facing his abuser daily
.. Why would you want her to stay?

MrMeSeeks · 21/02/2020 13:33

She would be out my house and she’d lucky if i didnt kill if she abused my pets Hmm
Id report her to rspca and spread this on all aupair sites, warn people Angry

MuttsNutts · 21/02/2020 13:32

And it definitely won't have been an isolated incident.

Poor dog.

Dinosauraddict · 21/02/2020 13:32

In my house she'd be gone. Today. I'd also be considering calling the police with video evidence of her kicking my dog. And I'd struggle not to rip her throat out. And I'm one of the most passive people you'd ever meet. Literally a wallflower. Also how you could ever trust her alone with either your child or your dog again would be beyond me. You have a duty of care to protect them. You'd be failing them all not to get rid of her immediately.

Lordfrontpaw · 21/02/2020 13:32

Poor dog - if it had taken a chunk out of her she would have something to say.

I don’t know if I’d sack her but she would know pretty sharp that I knew.

Mossyfern · 21/02/2020 13:31

At the very least dismiss her. I'd report her to the police too. Did she know about the camera?

MuttsNutts · 21/02/2020 13:31

She would be out on her ear for that. What a nasty piece of work.

Mammyloveswine · 21/02/2020 13:29

I think it's fair to dismiss her for this!

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