Dog off-lead in deserted play area- is this woman U?

[TridentTested]

A friend of mine has a rescue dog with terrible recall.

Our local park has a fenced-off children's play area.

On weekend mornings when the play area is empty, my friend lets her dog off-lead in the play area.

She says she's not U because there's no-one there; she always puts the dog on the lead and takes her off if a child comes to play in the play area; she picks up poo; and doesn't let her dog climb on the equipment. She says having a dog running around in there is no worse than the rats, foxes, mice, cats etc. that roam the park at night.

So, do you think she's being U?

positively Sorry, I wasn't clear in my OP.

She does take the dog for a couple of laps around the park first, plus she has to walk the half mile from her house to the park. So I think the dog does poo before they go into the play area. My impression is that her dog poos on the walk from her house to the park (she always comes into the park with a few full bags )

She is being U. There will be traces of poo left behind. Also, it sets a precedent where other dog owners could see what she’s doing and decide to do it too. This has happened with a small ‘dog free’ area near me. It now has dog shit in it like every other public space in the area.

I do this and/but makes sure dog is empty before going in park. So, dog has never pooed in childrens area

But what if someone is put off taking their kid in to playground, not knowing she's going to remove dog? Or avoid the playground in future because people ignore the 'no dog' rule?

I understand why she does it but it sets a bad precedent - someone else will take dog in and not give two hoots about others or poo etc.

another dog lover chiming in to say she is being unreasonable. A children's play area is for children. Not for dogs to shit all over and leave residue.

She is being unreasonable. It may put children/ parents off even entering the play area if they see a dog running round in there. How do they know if the dog is okay or that your friend will leave inmediately?

totally U

either campain for fenced in dog areas or don't get a dog if not being able to let it off lead is a problem

I think the answer is for your friend - and anyone else local that she can rope in - to badger the council to fence off some of the park for a dog-friendly secure run. It would be available to everyone, and would also benefit local roads, too, as less risk of dogs running in the road from the park, etc.

People like this are the reason dogs get banned from areas completely. They will end up with dogs being banned from the whole park.

I was going to say I don't think it's unreasonable but tbh I had thought of left over poop in the grass though.

With that in mind I don't think it should be allowed.

I would eye roll if I saw your friend sorry.

Never forget seeing a couple with an ENORMOUS huge great dane type dog strolling arrogantly right across a no dogs beach in midsummer. We had a baby and a toddler at the time and had made some effort to find a no dog beach as fed up of the babies being snuffled at by dogs and dog poo etc. There were plenty of dogs allowed beaches. Typified the arrogance of some people - rules don't apply to us because because types. Errgh.

A number of the dog-walkers who use the park are badgering the council for a fenced-off dog area. It's not looking likely in the next few hundred years though.

No dogs means no dogs.

You'll get people approaching with their kids and deciding not to go into the playground when they see the dog there. Not fair on them.

And other people will see someone with their dog in there and decide that they can put their dog in there also. So more dogs will be going in.

There aren't many places that explicitly say No Dogs, so people should respect that. I say that as a dog owner.

I’noticed some dog owners doing this. Also, sort of by accident, as the dogs are small and can just get in by squeezing through fence. It doesn’t bother me especially, as long as pop picked up and the dog removed as soon as any children arrive.

There is a really grumpy cat which roams one of our local parks without reproach. I’ve actually avoided the park on occasion as it used to swipe at my toddler, who was, admittedly. hounding the grumpy cat - she loves them, but they don’t always love her! I could get her to leave the poor, grumpy cat alone, so we ended up not going there for a bit - for both their sakes! She’s scared of dogs, so gives them a wide birth.

Ideally though, your friend could keep the dog on a lead until it can be recalled a bit more easily? Or just go to places where it’s fine for the dog to run about.

Not sure what the answer is with the cats, (grumpy or otherwise).

Poo picked up*

One dog I guess is ok but where do you stop? Mr Smith brings his two dogs too, Bert joins in with his dogs, all of a sudden 15 digs each morning are pooing and seeing all over this kids area

So yes, I think she's being unreasonable

Couldn’t get her to leave it alone^^

Jeez, my phone hates me today.

I say this as a dog training professional, but yes, she is BU. There are places you can hire to let your dog off-lead, or she can use a long-line. It's unfair to allow a dog where small children play.

Thanks for 'clearing that up', OP.

I would even be happy, as a dog walker if the rest of the park was on lead, if each park had an of lead area. It would make everyone a lot happier, as those dogs that need of lead exercise would get it without people making a drama out of it.

If there's a rule-breaking, poo-spreading, potential child-mauler (and her dog) in our local playground then many people are simply going to avoid taking their children there rather than risk a confrontation with someone who obviously thinks they are more important that the intended users of a facility.

Dogs aren’t supposed to be in children’s play areas full stop so if she’s within the fenced off area she is def being unreasonable. Surely the dog will wee on the equipment? If just in a open plot of land type park that seems ok.

No. She is BU. This is poor behaviour.

I have approached a “deserted” fenced play area to see someone doing this with their dog. They had their back to me and my 3yo so didn’t see us just bugger off home. I took my autistic toddler to playgrounds at 7 in the morning to avoid queues etc.

Picking up poo - again no not ok. Dog shit doesn’t come up cleanly, some is left and kids will come down slides and land on their bums.

No just because other animals might shit there doesn’t make it ok either. Her dog isn’t a wild animal and it’s her duty to obey the rules of the play area.

All the play areas near me are completely ruined by dog shit, other shit, broken glass, cans etc. They ought to be for people with kids under a certain age and anyone caught in there without a kid of that age ought to be fined. I think its disgraceful all the facilities around me are ruined by selfish twats.