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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be a little bit 'grr' about this...

105 replies

tyzer2001 · 10/02/2011 10:35

Every morning I walk my two dogs in the local field/park/grassy area. It's designated for dog walking and has poo bins etc. 99% of the time I don't see anyone, not even another dog walker.

This morning as I got to the gate I was stopped by a teacher who said 'I'm sorry, you won't be able to go into the field as we have the children in there'.

I asked what was happening and she said that the Reception class were having 'Wild Time' and running off some energy.

It's quite a large field and doesn't belong to the school, which is a few minutes walk away.

I said to her that I would keep my dogs (both of whom are very placid and good with children anyway) on the lead until we were well away from the children, but she insisted that I couldn't use the field!

I walked the dogs five times around the much smaller, not-designated-for-dogs park instead, but can't help feeling a bit put-out.

OP posts:
maddy68 · 10/02/2011 10:37

I would just have said no! they can use the school playgrounds to 'excercise' there children!

OhForBoonessSake · 10/02/2011 10:38

i would have walked right on past her and told her she was welcome to try and remove me. Smile

Dancergirl · 10/02/2011 10:39

YANBU

I don't know much about dogs but you sound like a responsible owner and the field is public space!

I would have said (politely), sorry I'm still walking my dogs and carried on. What's she going to do, call the police? Wink

Louii · 10/02/2011 10:39

If it was public land then you were within your rights to use it.

curlymama · 10/02/2011 10:39

I would have ignored her and kept my dog on a lead. If it's a public park, she has no right to tell you you can't use it.

I would probably complain to the school. If they wanted to use a public area, they should have risk asessed it, and surely the possibility of dog walkers would have come up. DO they really think it's acceptable to tell other people that can't use a public area? Ridiculous. You should have asked if they had special permission from the council to cut off a public area for their private use.

FakePlasticTrees · 10/02/2011 10:39

Point out if this happens again that unless this field has been closed to the public by the council (assuming it's a council park) she has no authority to stop you, and if it has been stopped, you'd like to see the notices to this effect.

Sarsaparilllla · 10/02/2011 10:40

The school don't own the field so I think the teacher was being ridiculous, it's a public park, they can't stop people walking through!!

PenguinArmy · 10/02/2011 10:40

well if they want 'Wild Time' then encountering a few animals is part of that. They should have asked you if you minded not walking your dogs around there today as they were concerned about how kids would react, not merely told you (on who's authority) that you couldn't. Very rude.

I'm not sure the children should be playing in a area designated for dogs either.

You would have been well within your rights to say sod them, but I wouldn't have had the courage either.

YANBU

coldtits · 10/02/2011 10:40

Just inform her that as a teacher, not a police officer, she does not have the authority to direct your movements around public ground.

emsyj · 10/02/2011 10:41

YANBU. Cheeky mare! I would have feigned not hearing her, given a weak half-smile and kept walking.

scurryfunge · 10/02/2011 10:41

The teacher is a loon. Speak to the school. It is public place. I wonder if the parents knew their children were running around in a field full of dog shit?

Original poster
tyzer2001 · 10/02/2011 10:42

I should add that she physically blocked my path, and short of having the Reception class watch me fling their teacher over my head in a classic judo-throw, there was not much I could do Grin

OP posts:
MorticiaAddams · 10/02/2011 10:42

YANBU and should have walked your dogs anyway. There are far more places that children can be wild and dogs should be on a lead than places that dogs can be let off.

Bubblerapped · 10/02/2011 10:43

It is a public park, maintained by the council to whom you pay council tax.

Unless they have been given special licence to use it exclusively (which is highly unlikely), then they have no rights to stop any member of the public accessing the land.

and wtf is wild time... for the first lesson of the day??? what are they trying to do, tire the kids out so that they are too knackered to learn for the rest of the day, covered in mud..

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 10/02/2011 10:43

No way would I have left, cheeky bint! Who does she think she is?! Shes not the boss of you! :)

Def complain to the school!

Original poster
tyzer2001 · 10/02/2011 10:44

scurryfunge

It's not full of dogshit because I am such a sad act that I pick up other peoples as well as my own Blush

*My own DOGS that is, not my ACTUAL own. IYSWIM. Grin

OP posts:
OhForBoonessSake · 10/02/2011 10:44

in that case i would have asked her to ,ove aside and allow access or produce the relevant notice that permits her to deny you access.

coldtits · 10/02/2011 10:46

I'd have just unleashed the dogs. They'd have run off, and if she's standing in your way preventing you getting to your dogs, it's HER fault if the children get scared.

She was, after all, free to move the children.

scurryfunge · 10/02/2011 10:46

tyzer -not directed at you but in my experience dog walking fields are always covered with it.

I pick up my own (dog'sGrin) all the time. I just don't think these areas should be children's play areas.

Original poster
tyzer2001 · 10/02/2011 10:52

Yes, I agree.

Next time I will be a bit more ...thingummy...what's the word...

OP posts:
pozzled · 10/02/2011 10:53

YANBU. If it were me I would contact the school. How ridiculous for them to think that they can ban all other members of the public from a public area.

(The dogs mess thing is a whole other issue- tyzer I wish the dog owners who use our local playing fields were more like you!)

LisaD1 · 10/02/2011 10:56

YANBU - teacher sounds mad! I would email the school and tell them if it happens again you will call the local police to remove her from blocking your path! Mad as a box of frogs.

newpup · 10/02/2011 10:56

I agree with the other posters. The school can not decide to section off a public area for their sole use. I would have walked there anyway but kept away from the children with the dog.

agedknees · 10/02/2011 10:57

yanbu. It is designated a dog walking area. Who in there right mind would encourage children to play in there?

manicbmc · 10/02/2011 11:00

I hope the little cherubs proceeded to trample dog poo through the school on their return. Grin

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