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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think this person is disgusting and irresponsible and shouldn't be allowed a dog

42 replies

AlmostAJillSandwich · 20/05/2017 17:50

Had to cut my trip out short and come straight home after an incident in pets at home.

Some irresponsible dog owner has let their dog take a big, sloppy shite right in the middle of the floor and walked off and left it. Inevitably multiple people have walked through it, smearing it all across the floor in every direction for a good 3 metre square area. No signs, no staff attending to it or diverting people from walking there so presumably it hadn't been noticed yet.

It was right in front of all the small animal cages at the front of the shop, and the only reason i didn't walk right in to it first entering the shop is there was a big crowd there looking at the little pets so i went to see the reptiles first. Coming from the other side i just noticed in time right before i stood in one of the big smears trailed down the aisle.

I only saw it because force of i habit i look at the floor when i'm walking as i have severe OCD about germs (exclusively pee and crap germs) and have to make sure i don't stand in anything, but i usually only do this out doors.

Cue me almost having a massive panic attack while i frantically scour the floor of where i had walked to see if there were more smears, and examining the bottom of my shoes and the hem of my jeans that unfortunately go on the floor in these shoes, but are the only ones i can get on atm, trying to see if there's even the minutest bit got on me. Noticed whilst doing this just a few feet from the crap pile a dog (presumably same one, i hate to think there are two such shit owners been through there so close together) had pissed all up the corner of the shelves and was a puddle on the floor, which i had walked right past, so now panicking i've stood in pee as well and shite.

There's no way the owner of the offending dog didn't notice what it had done, and they've made no attempt to clean it up and just left it to be traipsed through, with a lot of kids in because it's a weekend. If they go out with their dog they should have clean up provisions, if they had ran out they were in a shop that sells poop bags and such, and if they had no money on them they could have asked staff for some paper towels or other cleaning supplies to clear up. At the very least, they could have played dumb it wasn't their dog and alerted a member of staff there was dog mess in the middle of the floor, not that some poor staff member should have to clean it up.

This has completely ruined my day, and my anxiety is now through the roof, with intrusive thoughts that will continue for god knows how long about if there was anything on my shoes/jeans that i didn't see, if i've walked that into the house, if its all over the car mat, etc, which will happen every time i go out as i have to stand on the mats again and can't bin them because it's a rental car. I've had to change the jeans i'd only had on 2 hours and spray disinfectant over all my carpets and floors where i've walked, and the car mat, but i still don't feel things are "clean" and feel i'm contaminating everything. Who knows how this will also affect all the other people who did stand in it, or those like me who can't be 100% certain they didn't.

AIBU to think people who don't clean up after their dogs are vile and irresponsible and not properly caring for it, and shouldn't be allowed to have them?

OP posts:

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 20/05/2017 22:09

This is exactly why dogs are banned in most shops and plenty of other buildings.

Long may it stay that way.

limitedperiodonly · 20/05/2017 22:32

It's a pet shop

LilaBard · 20/05/2017 22:38

YANBU. I suppose it's to be expected to an extent in places where animals are allowed but there's no way the owner didn't notice, and no way the first person who stepped in it didn't tell staff. They should have cleaned it up if the owner didn't. I would have complained to the manager.
I have a dog who will wee on everything and poop every.single.time. he goes into the vets (combination of other dog smells and nerves). They tell me it's fine and happens all the time, but I am still mortified and insist on cleaning it up personally.

pinkandorangeroses · 20/05/2017 22:41

I think it's an overreaction and I think you need to seek some sort of help if your anxiety is so strong. It's unpleasant but should not be ruining your day.

ElphabaStrop · 20/05/2017 22:50

WhatToDo Erm - not only is PAH a pet shop, but most branches have dog groomers and/or vet surgeries inside the shop. Banning pets would be pretty counter-productive.

Wolfiefan · 20/05/2017 22:55

Wow. I have a puppy and she often comes shopping with me (where allowed). I always carry poo bags and tissues (yuck!) I would be mortified if she made a mess like this but would clean up what I could and alert staff ASAP. Happy to do the whole job myself but don't come armed with spray etc!
The dog owner was BU
YANBU. I am sorry this has flared your anxiety. No one who has has been lucky enough to avoid suffering will ever understand how grim it is.

LostSight · 20/05/2017 22:59

Did you manage to tell the staff Almost? It does sound absolutely grim.

Are you getting help with your OCD? I have some OCD thoughts, but what you describe sounds way worse. It must make life very tough.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 20/05/2017 23:15

ElphabaStrop I know it's a pet shop. That's why I said most shops and not all shops.

SparklesandBangs · 21/05/2017 08:47

Almostajillsandwich why did you go to Pets at Home, have you never been before?

Whilst dog crap on the floor is nasty and the owner is irresponsible I am sure as soon as the staff were made aware someone would have been sent to clear up.

It is unfortunate that you were so affected by the incident, however you know that this is because of your MH issues which sound very severe yet you went there.

WhiskyChick · 21/05/2017 09:10

I think it's pretty sad that so many people are suggesting that the OP should avoid going there with her MH issues. I assume by this reasoning you all think she ought to stay at home and not be offended by the dog mess left on pavements either.

Sadly most people would assume that if people take their pets into stores that they would also be responsible enough to clean up any mess. Maybe this is a regular thing in pets at home but I've never seen this on any of my visits

JaimeLannister · 21/05/2017 09:26

My dog loves a trip to Pets at Home and has never shit in one. If she did I always have poo bags so would clean it as best as I could and tell a staff member.

It would be disgusting if it was left on the pavement outside, what difference does it make if it's inside. Still disgusting.

limitedperiodonly · 21/05/2017 20:00

If your dog has diarrhoea, which I'd guess it was seeing as OP described it as a sloppy shite, you're not going to be able to pick it up and will have to go for help to clean it up. Presumably that's what the person did and while they were gone, people traipsed through it.

If you have a problem with wee and poo to the extent that stepping in it or even the thought that you might have, causes a panic attack and ruins your day then a pet really isn't for you. Or a baby. Or an incontinent adult. That's not being mean. It's being practical.

Birdsgottaf1y · 21/05/2017 20:06

Are there any for washing in the washing basket?

Birdsgottaf1y · 21/05/2017 20:07

Ignore that, my DD has got me demented.

ILoveDolly · 21/05/2017 20:10

I'm not a sufferer of OCD but this would have been a massive thing too. I hate dog poo and would be so angry this had happened

OhhBetty · 22/05/2017 15:37

Yanbu OP. I don't want this to come across as patronising as I don't mean it to be but you should be proud of yourself for even going in the shop. You didn't choose to have a mental illness and I hope this hasn't set you back too much.

The dog owners should have alerted someone immediately. Really they should have stayed with it to avoid people stepping in it and asked a customer to fetch a member of staff.

And clearly many people need education on mental illness. I hope they are treated with more compassion should they suffer from one.

limitedperiodonly · 22/05/2017 22:11

At the risk of being overinvested, things get spilt on the floor in supermarkets, and Pets At Home is a supermarket that unlike Tesco, allows people to bring their dogs in.

So whereas in Tesco someone might drop a dozen eggs on the floor, in Pets At Home someone's dog might take what the OP called a 'sloppy shite'.

In both situations I'd expect them to mention it to a member of staff so they can put out a call to 'cleaner in Aisle 5'.

If the OP is afraid of germs from animal shit, as she said, then it's perhaps unwise to be in a place that sells animals and encourages people to bring them in.

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