I hope this is OK to post. Was this your husband yesterday ?

[Anordinarymum]

I took my dog for a walk in Goldenacre Park yesterday late afternoon. The weather was not good, sleet and snow and cold.
There was nobody else in the park. We walked round the lake and up by the cafe and back round again.
As we approached the lake there was lots of bird noise. I saw a man with a toddler in an all in one suit and a young German Shepherd dog wearing some sort of harness running free
The man was openly encouraging the dog to run at the Swans. It chased the ducks and kept running to the edge of the lake.
The birds were going crazy.
I watched the guy and then I shouted across to him 'Don't let your dog do that mate'
He replied ' I am fully capable of looking after my own dog'
I said 'clearly not'
He did it again telling the dog to 'go on'
I shouted 'put your dog on the lead, this is how the wildlife gets killed'
He shouted back 'Fuck off Cunt' 'Go on fuck off you bitch'
There was nobody else there.
I had no choice but to walk away in case it escalated

Was this your husband with your little tot there in the afternoon?

I was no match for an aggressive man and I had to leave and go home. He was well built and wearing a woolly hat. The dog looked about 18 months maybe a little older. hard to say from a distance but it was quite large and running wild.

To say I was upset is an understatement. To say I felt impotent is another. I felt threatened so had to leave the bird life to this moron and his dog. There were signs everywhere about avian 'flu. How horrible to set your dog on sick animals like that.

I don’t know why you would shout and not expected at be shouted at in return. Sounds needlessly aggressive on your part.

@goawaystormy

*You think he was being polite? If you really get that from the OP you have a very weird idea of what being polite is.

People get away with things like letting their dogs torment and chase wildlife because people like you are too scared to stand up to them.*

I think when someone shouts at you to do something replying back that you don't need or want their (busybody) input (i.e. i'm perfectly capable of looking after my own dog/putting up a shelf/parking a car/watching my children etc delete as appropriate) is being polite. If said busybody then shouts at you again your attempt at politely conveying you don't want or need their input has clearly gone over their head and you have to be clearer. Pearl clutchers will come a long and say he didn't have to swear but those same people will endorse telling rude people (even those not being aggressive) to fuck off on countless other threads. If someone was yelling at me and hadn't taken the hint to leave me alone once I too would tell them to fuck off.

I'm not scared, i'm just not antagonistic and recognise a situation where my 2 pence won't be taken well and it isn't worth it.

But would you use that kind of language in front of/to a small child? Because aside from everything else, that's what he did. The OP didn't resort to swearing, and saying 'clearly not' in response to his telling her he can handle his own dog, wasn't the best idea, but surely doesn't justify his extreme reaction?

If he does have a wife she is not responsible for his behaviour.

@Aaaa1167336

I don’t know why you would shout and not expected at be shouted at in return. Sounds needlessly aggressive on your part.

Are you fucking joking? She asked him to put dog on lead so as not to scare the shit out of the swans and he replies “fuck off you cunt” and you think that’s a justified response? Part of the problem you are love.

I don't know why you'd shout at him instead of taking a photo (this can be done covertly very easily) and reporting to the appropriate people. Shouting at a stranger could be viewed as someone who loves drama.

He absolutely shouldn't have been doing what he was doing and he absolutely shouldn't have been shouting and swearing in front of his child. But you shouldn't have been shouting at him either. You can't have thought that someone behaving as he was would respond positively to someone shouting at them and see the error of their ways?

For future threads like this, " does anyone know this person?" and posting the location would probably be a better way to do it. Enquiring if it's someone's spouse, especially when you've no idea of their relationship status, risks looking on the surface that you are wanting to make them responsible for someone else's behaviour. I'm sure you didn't intend for it to come across that way but as we all know, all to often are people trying to force women into taking responsibility for the actions of men.

Post it on 'Otley our town' Facebook page

Oh please do, they’ll love it 😂

How sad.

I told a child off for throwing stones at the ducks once.

I wouldn't have challenged him though. It's just too risky. I would have secretly filmed him though and reported him to the police.

Just pulled this off the internet...

All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which implements the EU Wild Birds Directive in Great Britain. Under Section 1 of the 1981 Act it is an offence to intentionally kill, injure or take any wild bird. Whooper and Bewick swans are listed on Schedule 1 of the 1981 Act so are further protected from intentional or reckless disturbance while they are building a nest or are in, on or near a nest containing eggs or young.

With regard to dogs attacking swans, or the wilful failure of a dog owner to prevent their dog from attacking a swan, a court does have the power, under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, to impose a muzzling order on a dog of any type which it judges actually or potentially dangerous. In addition, the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 makes it a criminal offence to allow an unmuzzled ferocious dog to be off a lead in a street, park or open space. It is also an offence to allow any dog to attack or menace any person or animal. The Animals Act 1971 provides that the keeper of an animal is liable for any damage it causes if it is found that the keeper knew it was likely to cause such damage or injury if unrestrained. Under the Dogs Act 1871, any person may make a complaint to a magistrates court that a dog is
dangerous or report the matter to the police. The 1871 Act allows
magistrates to order the destruction of dangerous dogs or impose
alternative controls on them.

If you suspect an offence is being committed, you should report the matter to the police. If you witness a suspected wildlife crime in action you should call 999. Otherwise you are advised to report the matter to your local police control room and ask that the matter is referred to the force wildlife crime officer. The police control room should provide you with an incident reference number.

Stuff like this will continue if it's not reported because people will think they can get away this stuff.

Women aren't responsible for the shitty behaviour of their partners. Strange thread.

I do know where golden acre park is as my parents live near there but it is a very odd post.

@Bluebluemoon

What? You can’t really think men who shout abuse to women like this don’t do worse to men and need dogs to protect them as they are scared? You don’t actually think that do you? Not really? You must know men on men violence exists right? And that men who are aggressive to other men, will often also respond to women as this man did? Ans teach their dogs to attack. You know that really don’t you?

Eh? Have you been drinking?

Of course men on men violence exists. That isnt what we're talking about though is it? We're talking about aggressive, abusive dickheads who shout disgusting slurs at lone women in the park?
You do realise that don't you? Well, don't you????

Start your own thread to discuss men on men bloody violence!

You realise that was in response to the he wouldn't have said that to a man narrative that was posted?

You were the aggressor in the situation by shouting at him first and ordering him about and telling him to stop his dog running about and to put his dog on a lead.

Unbelievable. "Know your place, Anordinarymum, stay silent, be a good quiet woman, never question a man."

I'm glad you tried to help, but you were wise not to stay in case the idiot got even more aggressive. You did your best. Thanks for caring.

That wasn't a good comment. Your not the aggressor for correcting someone's stupid behaviour, OP. I really hate how so many places on mumsnet think they can judge others.

I think you're fine to ask if anyone knows the jerk. I'm proud of you for challenging the behaviour. The birds would be frightened - they are prey animals fgs, who doesn't understand that Vincent?! Shot a dog aggressively barking at a kid will have the kid crying in fear. My mum is fearful of dogs cos one was barking at her and my sister when my sister was a tiny tot.

Contact the local authority, ask them to put cameras up esp if swans have been attacked here before. Swans are protected. Say its antisocial behaviour and makes the park a place lots of people avoid. Put a good case forward and they'll put a camera up.

Well done for caring enough to intervene x

There are some really stupid idiots on here, [animal lover]

What if it was?

Am I responsible for him? Do I have to ground him and take away his phone privileges?

Yeah OP don’t shout at an important man who is letting his dog illegally disturb wildlife. As for his aggressive abuse of you well if you challenge a man with your shouting what else could you expect. I would have shouted too - wanker.

It’s disturbing on a number of levels. The guy was setting a dog on wild birds, in the presence of a youngster.
Giving the completely wrong impression to both dog and child.
That’s disturbing enough but his attitude to a woman is abhorrent.
It’s a police matter in all respects and border line social services with the child.

@Anordinarymum

There are no cameras in the park at all. There are lots of incidents like this down by the lake where people think it is fine to encourage their dogs to chase birds and go in the water. There have been instances of Swans being ripped apart by dogs here. I just wish people would stop and think instead of being cruel and rude to passers by who voice an objection I'm not expecting anyone to do a thing, but someone knows him don't they!

Why did you not call the police?

If a total stranger shouted at my DH and he felt that he was right in his actions I can guarantee he would never respond with fuck off you cunt and definitely not in front of children.
I can't believe people are trying to excuse his behaviour.
I'm sorry you're getting such a hard time OP.

@ MellowBird85 you really can’t expect people to take it well if you decide to appoint yourself as a wildlife vigilante. I would say it was OP’s further comment that made him react. It is really worth shouting at a stranger in public over if you are not ready to accept the fact that the person being shouted out may not immediately cower to your demands? Each to their own, but it is human nature to meet aggression with aggression.

I wouldn't have framed it this way. If by some twist of fate this man has a wife and she recognises him from your description, she's unlikely to do anything about it.

1. He's an adult responsible for his own behaviour.
2. If he's really awful, she may be afraid to confront him.
3. They may be similar and not agree that he was in the wrong.

Venting is all well and good, but this was a pointless tack to take. Not surprising that people are annoyed by it, tbh. Finding the right authority to complain to would be a more useful approach.

Surely you know that if someone is moronic and feckless enough to do this they wouldn't be shamed into stopping by anything you have to say?

@Shunter350

It’s disturbing on a number of levels. The guy was setting a dog on wild birds, in the presence of a youngster. Giving the completely wrong impression to both dog and child. That’s disturbing enough but his attitude to a woman is abhorrent. It’s a police matter in all respects and border line social services with the child.

A police matter?!

@Aaaa1167336

@ MellowBird85 you really can’t expect people to take it well if you decide to appoint yourself as a wildlife vigilante. I would say it was OP’s further comment that made him react. It is really worth shouting at a stranger in public over if you are not ready to accept the fact that the person being shouted out may not immediately cower to your demands? Each to their own, but it is human nature to meet aggression with aggression.

I don't believe their levels of aggression were comparable, though? Yes, the second comment likely irked him, but speaking to anybody like that (man or woman) is not justifiable in any way.

@Dinosauria

Whilst I understand and support what op wants to achieve (the protection of animals) this just deepens my despair from today. The behaviour of men is not the wives, sisters or mothers fault, nor their problem. The problem lies with the man.

Exactly this.

Yes, the second comment likely irked him, but speaking to anybody like that (man or woman) is not justifiable in any way

This. I'm leaving this thread now as it's actually shocked me how many people seem to think this man was well within his rights to act this way. It's frankly disturbing.