Dog ban outside school

[stivesholiday]

Recently our primary school has closed its gates to cars as our new head teacher wants to encourage as many of us to walk to school as possible.

Additionally, the new head teacher has changed the drop off and pick up rules, so that parents don't need to wait in the playground, they can do a quick wave goodbye and kiss in the morning. At the end of the day, as long as the teacher sees the parent waiting, the child can walk out of school.

Concurrently, there are a lot of people since the New Year that have gotten dogs. These factors combined mean that many more dogs are being walked to school as dog owning parents realise that if they walk the 20 mins to school and back twice a day, that it a fair chunk of their dog walking done; quite handy.

There are now around 15 dogs that are in the school area before and after school. They are not allowed in the playground, but the parents don't need to go in there anyway. So there are lots of dog owning parents waiting on the footpath behind the metal fence outside of school.

Some parents have complained that there are too many dogs at the school gate area and it is frightening for their children who are scared of dogs. These are not aggressive dogs, but many are puppies so are bouncy and they all want to play with each other.

I can see the perspective of the parents with small children that feel scared. They have put a petition together to ask the head to ban dogs from outside the school.

Am I being unreasonable to think that as long as the dogs are not in the school grounds, are not acting aggressively, are on a lead/under control, there is nothing that these parents can do, no matter what the petition?

I put my hands up to owning an 8 month old puppy. One mother asked me via Facebook to not walk my dog to and from school and I said no because I'm doing nothing wrong. I likened it to not wanting a strangers car parked outside your house but you can do nothing about it if they have paid their road tax.

I would like to add, that the dogs waiting on the footpath are not blocking the footpath, but do narrow it. But the footpath is narrowed by the adults saying goodbye/waiting for the children as much as the dogs.

How can the head ban things outside of school?

The owners need to keep the dogs away from the actual gate, on a lead and make sure they don't come into contact with anyone who doesn't want them to.

Other than that, the school can only send a letter out asking them not to stand so close to the gate really.

Not possible, HT has no jurisdiction over pavements!

You're on public property, I don't see it right that they can do a damn thing about it. Different if you were in the playground but you aren't.

Pandering to a fear and avoiding it will only make it far worse in the long run. When it comes to dogs, that they'll see daily pretty much, pandering is even worse.

And I have an anxiety disorder, have experienced terror at things on a daily basis but have been taught not to avoid where possible.

As long as dogs are on short leads and calm and controlled it shouldn't be a problem.

Sorry, where's the dog ban?

Yanbu ... christ what is the world coming too .
People need to learn they cannot control their environment and if not on school grounds then there is bugger all they can do .
if a child never meets any nice dogs it will never learn not to be scared of them .

Dogs have been banned from our school gates since a dog snapped at and nearly bit a child and the school's stance is 'better not to take the risk in the first place' which I totally get.

I wouldn't take my 14month old puppy on the school run and I walk him separately, I know he wouldn't bite or hurt anyone but it's just not worth the risk IMO.

If they don't want the path blocked the answer is to let parents into the playground (possibly the ones without dogs).

I doubt they can prevent dogs from being walked by the gate anyway though.

As for these children who are scared of dogs and being encouraged to walk - what happens if they pass a dog or three on the route home and how is encountering them by the school gates any different???

While not going as far as banning them, there was a notice in our school newsletter asking those with dogs to wait further down away from the main gate.

I have a dog (rarely bring him to the school) but thought this was a reasonable compromise.

The head will have no power to enforce a dog ban outside the school gates, so it's pointless.

I'm surprised that dogs were ever allowed in the school grounds though.

I have to say, that was my view too. If the gate is, say, 4 foot wide, there is an expanse of wire fencing along the footpath of about 20 foot that runs after it. Parents stand there with their dogs. There are a lot of rolling of eyes and tutting as parents don't want to walk past so many dogs to get to school. However, I didn't think there was much they could do about it.

I could fully understand if any of the dogs were aggressive but they aren't at all. They are all human and dog friendly.

It must be a nightmare for parents with children with such a massive fear of dogs, but dog owners and their dogs have a right to be on the footpath as much as anyone else.

Unfortunalty a few stupid idiots who think their dog is king...and Ever so friendly ruin it for us all.

Sorry - read your post properly. So the head hasn't banned dogs but you're worried they might. I do agree that they can't actually ban them but the way you're describing it sounds like all children have to walk through a sort of dog-infested alley to get in and out of school which sounds a bit much.

I like dogs but if the footpath is narrow I can understand why people might complain.

And they're not calm and controlled if they're puppies are they?

What Worra said.

I'd be annoyed at seeing 15 dogs outside the school gates and I think some children wouldn't like it much either. It's a matter of being considerate and sensible with your dog and remembering the number one rule "not everyone loves your dog!"

Oh and Op it's nothing like having a car parked somewhere you don't like.

We have a regular letter sent out to say no dogs on school property. Small village school. Parents used to tie them up on a grass verge within the school grounds but out of the way of the children.
Someone complained so now ALL the dogs are on the tiny pavement outside. Which all the children have to walk past.
Bonkers

It's awkward I know, I was walking down the footpath by my DDs old school and a puppy excitedly jumped up and scratched my leg not nice when there's 15 puppies you have to avoid.

It must be a nightmare for parents with children with such a massive fear of dogs, but dog owners and their dogs have a right to be on the footpath as much as anyone else.

You don't need a "massive fear of dogs" not to enjoy walking past fifteen of them every time you go to school. It's not about fear.

Not everyone loves dogs and not everyone loves your dog. You may have a right to use a footpath but that footpath is outside a primary school at school pick up and drop off and a bit of consideration and common sense is needed.

Yanbu.

The school can ask parents with dogs to stand back a bit so kids coming out the gate don't have to pass right past them. I know a school which did this.

But they can't ban them from a public path. No way would I leave my dog at home on a school run walk.

When my dog was little enough I carried her into the school grounds and quite a few parents copied me. It was great to socialise the puppies.

As long as the parents/dogs are behaving I don't see what the school can do anyway!

YANBU

Standing on a public footpath with a dog on a lead is fine. If a child is scared of a dog (on a lead) then the parents need to work on the issues that the child has, or they're going to struggle in life!

I don't think there is anything the head can do if they are not on school property

I don't like dogs congregating ( with their owners obviously. ) outside the school gate but appreciate that it's the dog owners right to do so

My youngest DC was bitten by a stranger's dog a couple of years ago. He was just walking along a pavement, an uncontrolled dog appeared and bit him, badly.

He then worked out that he couldn't actually leave school without walking past an array of dogs, all quite excitable on account of the hordes of passing kids. It didn't matter if we turned left or right - there were dogs. It was bloody hard for him. And I did the whole "they're just young, they're friendly, they have no interest in biting you" stuff but still, it was bloody hard for him.

Some of these kids who are twitchy about dogs have a reason to be twitchy about dogs. I don't know what my point is really - yes, of course the school doesn't own the pavement and dog walkers have rights etc but just please be aware of these sort of issues.