Babies and dogs left outside shops?

[AuntieMillicent]

Today at about 15:00 I saw a toddler in a pushchair outside a shop while I drove past.

No adults around. Northern town. The shop was small and all glass fronted, in fairness, but really?

At about 1630 I came out of the post office and there was a lovely 'labradoodle' (I think!) Dog outside tied up. I assume owned by someone who was also in the post office. I petted the dog for a few minutes but nobody came out, he was a lovely friendly thing. Vulnerable to going off with anyone I'd have thought.

Surely at best someone could have stolen him to sell, at worst to do something awful with.

I thought this sort of thing was a 'no no' nowadays?!

Obviously the toddler would be something more so frowned upon but I don't think either are okay, are they?

I was driving and in traffic when I saw the child.

I imagine the parent of the child could see them through the glass of the shop. It was probably too crowded inside (am imagining a bakery or similar) to have buggy get in the way and maybe the child was asleep.

Dogs get tied up outside shops all the time, it’s normal.

It used to be the norm for prams and pushchairs to be left outside shops. SIL once walked home leaving her DS in his pram outside her local corner shop.

I was in a butcher's shop the other day and a man came in with his dog.
It had it's feet up against the glass fronted cabinet as it stared wonderously at the array of meat.
It was like a child in a sweet shop, or more accurately a dog in a meat shop!

I'd never leave a child or dog outside a shop - only takes a second to steal either ... I'd always take them in or not bother if not allowed in

Standing in a shop and watching is pointless. All it means is that in the few seconds that some asshole takes your kid, you actually witness it.

Yes we used to do that years ago but that was before kids were currency.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to live in the state of paranoia displayed by some posters on this thread!

I think it was a sort of second hand electrics shop? The sort that sells second hand phones and Ipads type thing. It didn't seem to be very crowded, although I do take the point that buggies aren't always practical in smaller places.

I think I'd have taken the child into the shop and left the buggy outside in that circumstance.

I'd never leave my dog tied up outside a shop, ever. She's a mutt but she looks like a pedigree, others often have assumed she's valuable, I just wouldn't take the risk.

Cannot remember hearing about a child being snatched from outside a shop .Surely it would have had extensive news coverage!
I leave my little dog outside our local village shop very occasionally and if a long queue etc I check every couple of mins or go back later.

They do it all the time in Norway!

I feel like people are more likely to steal an unoccupied pram! It used to be much more common to leave babies outside and dogs tied to things. I think they still do in other countries. I’d of left my dc in a locked car when I nipped to a shop. Probably be reported now.

If I leave my dog outside a shop he would take any amount of fuss from anyone. But if you tried to steal him you wouldn't get far before realising that the level of separation anxiety is very STRONG as he'd drag you with all his strength to wherever I was.

I never leave my dog outside shops, I have an absolute fear of someone stealing him. He’s not worth much (neutered, eight years old) but he could be stolen by someone running a dog fighting ring or something equally horrific.

I don’t have kids but if I won’t leave my dog I can’t imagine I would leave them either!

I leave my dog outside shops all the time, lots of people do in our village.
Never left my babies outside alone though and have never seen anyone do it either.

This is true. DD took the dog for a walk once and dog ended up getting free because the dog fought that much, and just ran home. Strong DS has managed it on odd occasion but dog just cried the entire time and tried to pull him back.

Still wouldn't risk it though. I guess it depends on area.

This

Jamie Bulger?

"Surely at best someone could have stolen him to sell, at worst to do something awful with."

How about at best nothing would happen to the dog?

Not outside in a pram though. Obviously his death was horrible but I’m not sure if it’s good idea to live life as if the worst possible thing can happen at any moment.

I wouldn't leave a child alone outside.
I didn't ever take my dog to shops.

A dog shouldn't be in a shop unless it's an assistance dog. Leaving it outside is appropriate.

The dogs are not allowed in post office so probably that's why

I am not saying the dog should've been IN the shop-I don't take my dog in shops at all even if they're dog-friendly, because she's huge and it'd be a pain up the arse 😂

I wouldn't leave her outside a shop though, at a push I leave her in the car if I am just nipping in somewhere but as a rule I don't take her with me while shopping at all.

Yes, I worded that incorrectly, I should have said someone could take a dog and do X or Y. I could've stolen that dog quite easily if I were so inclined, I was parked less than a minute away.

That's true-a child is a little less easy to replace than a pram though.

That crime shook the nation didn't it. I saw a bloke on youtube who apparently beat the absolute crap out of Jon Venebles while they were imprisoned together. He had lied and said it wasn't him who'd done it-I have no idea how he's getting away with being so open about it now!

Denise Fergus used to get very upset at people referring to him as Jamie. He was James.