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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think dogs should be banned from beaches from April to September

379 replies

tryingtobemarypoppins2 · 03/06/2011 22:04

Two words: DOGS MESS!!

OP posts:
Ormirian · 04/06/2011 10:27

Do you think Cornish surfers should start a 'surfers against dog shit' group ? Since clearly it's a BIG problem. Clearly just as big a problem as human shit clogging up the sea Confused

I can honestly say hand on heart that in all the years I have been using um beaches I have encountered dog pop perhaps three times. I dread to think of the number of times I have come across dirty nappies, big coiled turds with toilet paper next to them, used condoms. Lot to mention all the other detritus of selfish human beings littering the tideline.

Let's get some perspective!

Ormirian · 04/06/2011 10:28

Yes madhatter! I'd forgotten about the shard of glass on croyde beach that I got stuck in my foot last month! Damn those pesky dogs!

DumSpiroSpero · 04/06/2011 10:36

TBH, I am really not a fan of dogs - I have a couple of friends who have them and I can cope with that and am even quite fond of those particular animals but in the grand scheme of things not at all keen otherwise.

That said, it really is the owners that cause the problems not the dogs.

I took my DD (who is scared of dogs since BIL's pet has twice snapped at her head) to the park a couple of days ago - we were sat with friends, kids playing quite happily when a huge Irish Wolfhound (I think) started wandering about, off the lead (which I believe is actually banned in the this park between 10am and 6pm). All the owners did was shout at it to come back whilst sitting on their backsides drinking their beer!

Bloody annoying but not the dog's fault.

DooinMeCleanin · 04/06/2011 10:37

No I have not seen dog shit on our beach either and I walk there all year round. We do have a section of beach that is dog free. Dog walkers get the first part and the sand dunes, tourists and local non dog owners get the middle bit. Dogs are allowed on the promanade, but only on leashes. The dog owners part of the beach is generally the cleanest bit Confused. T'other part has empty drinks cans and hot dog wrappers strewn all over it.

I do think it's a bit unfair that they are not allowed near the paddling pool area even if they are leashed and under control. My kids love walking along the beach with me and my dogs, but can't play in the paddling pool if we have the dogs with us, despite the fact that we use the beach all year round and always clean up after ourselves.

Andrewofgg · 04/06/2011 11:50

YANBU. And from October to March. And from the parks. And from the streets. On leads or off leads. Let's have an end of dogshit and of barking dogs and of their barking owners.

BeerTricksPotter · 04/06/2011 13:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DooinMeCleanin · 04/06/2011 14:04

Yeah lets ban dogs from all public places for most of the year. That'll stop them barking. Oh wait, no it won't. It'll make it worse because they won't be exercised Hmm

Can we please ban intolerent people? And people who chew gum? And hamsters, I have an irrational dislike of hamsters, therefore I declare no one can take pleasure in owning them and they must all be mad.

MilaMae · 04/06/2011 15:27

My 7 year old was bitten by a dog last week by a dog he just walked past and had his back to. He went into shock,vomitted and now all 3 of my children are terrified of anything on 4 legs. My beautiful boy's buttock has teeth marks,bruises and he's had to undergo hefty antibiotics through no fault of his own.

At a family gathering this week I was the only person not to have been previously bitten by a dog.The staff at the A & E we went to we were told they're inundated by treating dog bites(it's not a rare occurance).I have a vet friend who says every single dog has the possibility to bite. For some reason dog owners want us all to play Russian roulet with our kids safety and presume every dog we come across is as gentle as a mouse.

Over the years in public places my kids have been jumped on,licked,had toys/sticks grabbed out of their hands,had dogs wee on their buckets,been bounded over,barked at,worried,chased,sniffed when eating,shat next too......

Yesterday we went to a beach (supposedly dog restricted) and wouldn't you know a huge bloody dog pitched up next to us.All 3 kids(in much need of a beach day)wanted to go home.I mentioned it to the attendant who said all dogs on said beach should be on leads this one wasn't and as predicted kept coming over,sniffing etc,etc.

I pay my taxes which pay for the upkeep of said beach,my kids are entitled to quality beach time not a ruined day.Dogs can (and often are) a major bloody pain in the arse. I don't like them,my kids don't like them,I have no wish to share one second of my free time in their company neither do my kids.There is no law that says we should.

If owners wish to have a dog fine have one but don't inflict them on the general public who don't wish to have their personal space invaded. I think threr should be places just for dogs to be exercised so the rest of us can get on with enjoying the countryside in piece without constantly having to protect our kids.

Op you are definitely not being unreasonable.

JoanofArgos · 04/06/2011 15:29

Well I agree, fucking hate it when you're batting a ball around or something and some bloody hound comes and snaps at the kids.

DooinMeCleanin · 04/06/2011 16:51

MilaMae where the hell do you live? i don't know anyone who has been bitten by a dog. None of my dogs have ever bitten anyone, nor have any of my family's dogs. We have owned a lot of dogs between us, including most of the 'dangerous' breeds. All lovely dogs.

Btw dog owners are also tax payers and they use the beaches all year round, not just when the sunshines.

fifi25 · 04/06/2011 16:58

dooin - i was thinking the same. Ive got 3 dd's and 3 brothers and we have never been bitten. Ive got 2 dogs but had 3 who have never bitten anyone. Mams got 2 dogs and they have never bitten anyone.

MilaMae · 04/06/2011 17:00

Glad for you.

Fact dogs bite.

Just because you love dogs and haven't been bitten doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

MilaMae · 04/06/2011 17:03

You might want to check out the NHS direct site which states it's estimated that around half of all children will be bitten by a dog at some point in their life.

fifi25 · 04/06/2011 17:04

Some humans murder each other. Some dogs bite. It doesnt mean people shouldnt be allowed to own dogs incase they bite. Most dogs wont bite if brought up properly. Sounds like you have been very unlucky and i can understand your dislike of dogs. I would probably feel the same if my family had of suffered so many bites

MilaMae · 04/06/2011 17:07

Oh and my mother has had her coat ripped by a dog whilst on a walk(thank god it didn't get to her back which is what it wanted).My mil has been bitten twice,her sister 3 times .... they live at opposite ends of the country.

Aside from what we were told in A&E when my ds was in hospital a few months ago a boy was rushed in with a serious dog bit and the nurses on his ward commented on the frequency too so clearly it happens!!!!!

fifi25 · 04/06/2011 17:08

Its ok i believe you im just saying i dont personally know anyone who has been bitten by a dog

DooinMeCleanin · 04/06/2011 17:16

fifi you are obviously a much more trusting person than me because I, personally, believe the op and her family are embellishing the truth at least. Either that or they all smell of wild game, in which case they should look into doing something about that.

I do feel sympathy for people who are bitten, but thankfully dog bites are rare.

MilaMae · 04/06/2011 17:18

I didn't think I did until last week. Smile

When your kids gets bitten sadly you get everybody's dog bite story(not exactly great when it's in earshot of said kid but there you go).I don't think it's something that comes up a lot in general conversation.

Dp and kids have just returned from the river.Kids having a nice paddle,hoards of dogs racing up and down it,3 upset kids so dp came home-great.I just think it's sad when child welfare comes second to an animal's and this happens frequently .Safety aside I've lost count of the friends I have with kids who hate having to share their personal space with dogs.

fifi25 · 04/06/2011 17:20

dooin Grin at wild game

MilaMae · 04/06/2011 17:22

Shock I can't believe Dooins last post.

Look at the NHS site and ask at your local A&E,it happens-a lot.My ds has the scabs,teeth marks and bruising on his arse to prove it.

MillyR · 04/06/2011 17:23

MilaMae, there are places for dogs to go to be exercised - beaches which allow dogs. There are also beaches for people who don't like dogs; these beaches don't allow dogs on them.

Why don't you take your kids to a beach that has banned dogs entirely? There are loads of them.

MillyR · 04/06/2011 17:25

Yes, lots of children are bitten by dogs. But they are unlikely to be seriously injured or die. In fact children are less likely to be seriously injured or die from being bitten by a dog than they are from playing with a balloon. Yet people take kids near balloons all the time.

fifi25 · 04/06/2011 17:25

I can understand what dooin means though. 7 bites in one family seems a lot of bites.

aldiwhore · 04/06/2011 17:26

Dongs shouldn't be banned. Tourists should. Unless they have common sense.

The unwritten rule where I hail from (landlocked these days unfortunately) is that its okay for dogs to be off leads if the beach is quiet, but if its busy they need to be leashed, as for dog shit, well below the water mark/tide line is fine as it gets washed away (and the sea isn't exactly sterile) but above the tide line, pick it up.

Dogs aren't the problem, people are. AND the council who empty the bins provided too infrequently so that there's piles and piles of nappy sacks around the base of the bin.

MilaMae · 04/06/2011 17:26

I don't find the wild game remark funny at all.

If my son had been facing the wrong way he'd have lost his genitals.He keeps asking "why me".Seeing your son white,sweaty and vomiting in fear aint funny.He didn't deserve to be bitten, he did nothing,he doesn't smell of anything.All 3 of my children are now traumatised-funny I think notHmm.

My mother took a long time to go for walks in the same area again and she's a very gentle person.My mil and her sister have scars on their arms. The boy on my son's ward will need plastic surgery.

What's funny about that?