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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be so sick of selfish dog owners...The seal pup in London

769 replies

TickTockTick21 · 22/03/2021 20:25

It’s in the news that a seal pup has been mauled by an off lead dog. The seal pup now is likely to be put down.

Recent story of an off lead husky attacking lambs and sheep . A few months ago an off lead dog mauled a deer which had to be destroyed.

Numerous stories of swans being mauled by off lead dogs. On top of the numerous stories of children being attacked by off lead dogs.

Ffs why are people so bloody stupid and selfish! Keep your dog on a lead near wildlife!

I feel so sad for the seal pup . AIBU to think laws need to be tightened around off lead dogs?

I say this as a dog lover and owner .

OP posts:
toffeebutterpopcorn · 24/03/2021 17:50

@mumof2exhausted

YANBU in the last couple of weeks both my young children have been knocked to the ground by “friendly” dogs and I’ve had a sandwich stolen off my knee. Keep them on a lead in public spaces.
I was in the park when a very large dog (size of a Great Dane) decided to stalk a woman walking along with a sandwich. She was quite small and holding it over her head as the dog was rearing do dogs rear?) so sniff at it and tried to grab it. She was walking faster and faster and ended up dropping the sandwich and running - and the dog grabbed it and ran off. The idiot owner and her friend were giggling behind a tree some way away. They weren’t children.
Pomegranatespompom · 24/03/2021 17:52

No worries @PinkSparklyPussyCat I didn't think you were. I'm probably a but sensitive as DS remains terrified of dogs. My sister has 2 soppy retrievers and so hoping this improves with time.
@jamdonut We had Lhasa apso' in my childhood home, such sweet dogs. You re so right about the owners who should out 'very friendly' while trying to chase after...

godmum56 · 24/03/2021 17:55

some people are selfish, some of those selfish people have dogs.

KEF411 · 24/03/2021 17:56

Dog owners who let their dogs off the lead then ignore what the dog is doing while they look at their mobile phones.
Dog owners who let their dogs jump on you and nip at your ankles, saying, "He's just being friendly".
Dog owners who let their dogs leap into ponds where ducks are swimming.
Dog owners who let their dogs run along cyclists barking at the wheels.

Gabbianni · 24/03/2021 17:56

Doubt very much she will be prosecuted - she's a QC - but I think the dog should be pts - it could have been a child, it could be a child next. Also, that leash needs looking at - what company made that?

Takeoutyourhen · 24/03/2021 18:00

No fine and the dog wasn’t PTS but she made a donation to a seal sanctuary or something like that. 🤔

Bertiebiscuit · 24/03/2021 18:05

Totally agree - dogs should be on leads

Netaporter · 24/03/2021 18:16

I think all dogs should be on a lead in highly populated/public areas. I walk my dog on a public costal path. He is a massive dog and is quite playful so is always on a lead even though he is well behaved. This is because I understand not everyone walking along loves dogs. I don’t think it is acceptable to let your dogs run ahead off lead and bother other dogs who might be nervous. Mainly I get pissed off by other dog owners who either let their off-lead dog bother mine and wind him up or let their extension leads out so their dog can get near to mine. I have no idea why people do this. My dog is on a very short lead so I have maximum control. Other dog owners say ‘ooh is he friendly?’ When I stop or pull away to which I normally reply ‘he’s fine but he weighs 75kg so frankly the chances of your chihuahua/Pomeranian/cavapoo coming off well if he treads on him/her is not high’ 🙄

LST · 24/03/2021 18:18

[quote mediciempire]@LST he is unsuitable for your lifestyle if you can only give him the off-lead exercise he needs by being inconsiderate of other people and you can't make adjustments that are relatively minor for him still to be able to have off-lead exercise without being inconsiderate to other people.[/quote]
How the fuck am I being inconsiderate? How? Please explain that to me? He has never ever gone up to another person, child or dog in his entire 9 years. So how? You are wrong.

LST · 24/03/2021 18:20

@Tessabelle74

As a dog owner, I believe dogs should be on lead in public places, end of! We should have dog parks like in America where they're fenced and cleaned etc for people who want dogs to run loose. My rescue dog gets very stressed if approached by dogs off lead meaning he never truly enjoys a walk anywhere busy, all well and good when I can take him to somewhere less busy, but no fun for him or me if we go to the seaside etc
Your dog shouldn't be approached by off lead dogs. And the people that allow their dogs to do that are twats that are the reason for this thread in the first place. But saying all dogs need to be on leads in public places is not fair on the owners who do give a shit and who do control their dogs and train them properly.
Justgorgeous · 24/03/2021 18:20

The dog poo is just so gross, I wish there were laws to track and fine people. I don’t have a dog but we are considering one next year.

Mum2b43 · 24/03/2021 18:21

I had been totally ‘not bothered’ about dogs off lead until last year in the park... I watched a dog chase after a child, it clearly just wanted to play, not aggressive at all. The child screamed in terror, it was horrible to watch this poor child being so petrified, running, screaming and shaking, clearly fearing for his little life. The owner of the dog was in a conversation with a group, glanced over and did nothing other than call the dog back. No apology, nothing. Poor mum was left trying to calm and console little boy. It suddenly dawned on me that there must be loads of people with a phobia of dogs and yet they can’t even go to a park because entitled to dog owners think their dogs enjoyment is more important than a person’s right to feel safe.
I shortly afterwards saw a dog off lead rip the tail clean off a squirrel... the owner looked at me and shrugged saying “he’s a fast dog”. Never been so disgusted by a dog owner.

Welshgal78 · 24/03/2021 18:22

I saw a off lead dog chasing a group of terrified goats. When I confronted the owner, she claimed the dog had escaped her back yard, but since that day I've seen her around our village walking with her dog off the lead on several occasions so I don't believe her any more. The goats were so scared and seriously out of breath when they finally got away.

LST · 24/03/2021 18:23

@itsaniceproblemtohave

I think if your dog needs off lead exercise and you live nowhere near a beach or woodland nor have a big enough garden, then you've got the wrong sort of dog for your personal circumstances
I live near loads and loads of fields and walks which allow off lead exercise so my dog is perfectly fine for my set of circumstances thank you very much :) Just because I have no woodland, beach or national park doesn't make me an unsuitable collie owner.
Leonberger · 24/03/2021 18:38

@Netaporter I have the same problem with my big ones.
I actually had a woman be angry with me that I wouldn’t allow my 75+kg dog play with her tiny little fluffy poodle type. My dog is lovely but if he stood on it it would be squashed flat! My giants often get bitten by little off lead dogs that are apparently normally friendly just not to mine, another reason mine are on leads.

I do always get people approaching me to touch my dogs though not the other way around.

YoniAndGuy · 24/03/2021 18:39

There are increasing problems with dogs worrying livestock near me.

One will be shot soon - a couple of the farmers have made that crystal clear.

So many people on the local FB group who are so utterly sick of the situation that they can't wait for that to actually happen.

The feeling is quite different to a few years ago. Dogs have rocketed in popularity and more people are feeling the effects of crappy owners. There is a LOT of anti-dog feeling.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 24/03/2021 18:44

@LST you sound like a responsible dog owner but I think you're fighting a losing battle on this thread as is any dog lover!

Netaporter · 24/03/2021 18:45

@Leonberger we have the same dog 😉 yesterday a twat dog owner when I had clearly moved away to the other side of the path let his uncontrollable Labrador lunge at my boy on an extension lead. Result? I ended up falling over the other dog and broke my sunglasses. I’m bloody sore today and I am pissed off that other dog owners who cannot control 35kg dogs cannot work out for themselves that 75kg (if annoyed) could do considerable damage.

Obviously we can’t get far as it is without everyone wanting to say hello and ask questions (which I don’t mind) 😂

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 24/03/2021 18:48

@Pomegranatespompom

No worries *@PinkSparklyPussyCat* I didn't think you were. I'm probably a but sensitive as DS remains terrified of dogs. My sister has 2 soppy retrievers and so hoping this improves with time. *@jamdonut* We had Lhasa apso' in my childhood home, such sweet dogs. You re so right about the owners who should out 'very friendly' while trying to chase after...
That's understandable. I hope your son is ok and the soppy retrievers help.
LST · 24/03/2021 18:48

[quote PinkSparklyPussyCat]@LST you sound like a responsible dog owner but I think you're fighting a losing battle on this thread as is any dog lover![/quote]
I dont know why I bloody engage. I do it every bloody time 🤣 I will continue walking my dog as I have done for the last 9 years and no one on mn is going to change that! So why do I argue with them?! I need to hide these threads.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 24/03/2021 18:51

Wait. Does @Leonberger have a Leonberger? 😁
They are so beautiful. There isn't many in UK, is there? Or is it just because I am more in the cities (suburbs) and people don't have them due to space?
I remember few when I was young. They were MASSIVE. Newfoundlands were popular at that time too there.

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 24/03/2021 18:54

@Tessabelle74 i agree with fenced off area in parks would make sense , safer for all incl dogs as when teaching recall they can't escape
Im lucky as we have fields and river walks and not even far from a beach for winter walks ( i don't take him in summer even to the ones he's allowed as its too busy with kids and people and not any fun for him either )
My local park is biggish and the one end is where everyone lets dog off lead as no kids play and it could easily be fenced in
We have a river walk across the road though which is shared by dog walkers and public but people expect dogs off leads , I mostly keep mine on other than areas where its large enough for him to have a run
The parks where i lived that had dog areas also had dog pooh bags at the entrance for those who forgot

SummersMumma · 24/03/2021 18:56

Slightly off topic but I am so fed up of dog crap everywhere - all over the pavement, over the grass at our local park - outside the school - do people not realise how disgusting this is or they just don't care?
People should have to agree to some kind of basic knowledge / health and safety agreements before they are allowed to become fur parents.

granniesbonnet · 24/03/2021 18:57

I have had dogs for years. A few crazy, irresponsible owners spoil things for everyone. Poor seal has died. No wonder dogs are disliked by some.

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 24/03/2021 19:04

@LST I have a collie as well and he is brilliant , yes he needs some off lead but we live near where that is possible
My collie loves people except for when out off lead with a ball as a typical collie only the ball is of interest
Come to my house and he will want to say hello , out he has no interest
Some on here see it just one way and seem to really hate dogs ( prob own another pet ) others bit more reasonable and realise its only some owners.
Even my 15 year old walks our dog no issues as he is well trained ( the dog , not 15 year old) he picks up after him as well and has been walking him for a few years as he is responsible , so if a 15 year old can be , there is no need for an adult not to be able to control a dog and pick up after it