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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think school staff should make care provision for their dogs?

530 replies

LoveTheirDogs · 07/10/2021 12:02

Our headteacher and business manager have both got dogs in the last six months. Now they're bringing those dogs into school. They're saying that the dogs are 'school dogs' which seems to mean that they're dogs that mostly hang around in school. They've also scheduled a number of 'enrichment activities' for the kids so that they can 'learn how to interact with different species' ie their dogs. AIBU to think this is taking the piss and they should just make provision for their dogs same as any other working person rather than having the whole school have to go to these (non-accredited) 'courses' that clearly cost a fortune and are only being put on so that BM and HT can tick a box that says everything is ok with them bringing their pets to work?

OP posts:
Comedycook · 07/10/2021 12:03

I'd absolutely hate this. My dd hates dogs...she'd be on edge all day knowing one was in the building

Cactu · 07/10/2021 12:04

School dogs are really beneficial for a lot of children and obviously someone has to own the dog so why not the head?

MadamMedea · 07/10/2021 12:05

I couldn’t care less, provided the dogs are trained and appropriately supervised, and assuming children with allergies aren’t exposed to them.

billy1966 · 07/10/2021 12:06

Absolute BS.

Lots of people don't like dogs and they certainly shouldn't have them fousted on them.

Email your objections and concerns.

Paper trail is always best.
Then the governors.

5zeds · 07/10/2021 12:06

They have a “school dog” at my child’s school. So long as it’s well behaved and it’s shit is dealt with I don’t care.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 07/10/2021 12:07

My DS would love this so much.

Yes, they are taking the piss, and it's unfair on kids who don't like dogs, and it's clearly going to distract the children from their work. But...I would have loved to have dogs around the school, so I can't be totally against it.

Original poster
LoveTheirDogs · 07/10/2021 12:07

They aren't 'school dogs' though. They're family pets that the HT and BM are too tight pay dog walkers for so they bring them to their workplace and call them school dogs. And get every local taxpayer to fund 'courses' so that they can say the kids in the school have had appropriate input in order for them to use their workplace as a dog kennel.

OP posts:
monkeysox · 07/10/2021 12:07

What about people with allergies. This is ridiculous.

Onemorefortheroad · 07/10/2021 12:09

This is awful 🙈 as someone with severe allergies this would just make school life a nightmare and would have been constantly on edge!

Pure CF as well.

LaurieFairyCake · 07/10/2021 12:11

Well I absolutely hate snakes and spiders but I would be over the moon if I'd been taught to deal with them at school if snakes/spiders were met in the street everyday

The whole point of these courses is that children are exposed to animals in a safe way so it prepares them to cope with them in the outside world - you can't avoid dogs easily

Separately to that the teachers should have dogs off site unless they do everything to have them in school safely (we have dog daycare)

EvilPea · 07/10/2021 12:12

My ds’s school have a school dog.
I cannot underestimate how beneficial it’s been. The children are calmer in the school. The troubled ones talk when they are with the dogs.
The sensitive ones come out of their shells when the dogs are around.

They’ve worked with some of the scared ones, and they are no longer scared. That’s respected though.

They’ve had the dogs trust in the teach the kids manners around dogs.

However, these aren’t normal pet dogs (although they are one of the teachers) they are trained as therapy dogs, they are a poodle cross so hypoallergenic for most.

If implemented well it’s brilliant and can transform school life for some children.

Goldbar · 07/10/2021 12:14

I sort of agree that they're taking the piss.

But most of the kids will love the dogs being in school so, so long as they are trained and on a lead around the children and there are no children with allergies who would be affected, I couldn't get that worked up about it.

Comedycook · 07/10/2021 12:14

I'd ask to see the risk assessment

KingdomScrolls · 07/10/2021 12:14

Hmm when I was at school we had class hamsters and gerbils, one teacher had love birds and every spring she'd being in an incubator and some eggs from her chickens and we'd watch them hatch. All of the arguments arguments about the dogs would apply to those animals too, but they were seen as a lovely addition and learning opportunities. As children we loved them. As long as the dog was appropriately supervised I wouldn't have an issue.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 07/10/2021 12:15

@Onemorefortheroad

This is awful 🙈 as someone with severe allergies this would just make school life a nightmare and would have been constantly on edge!

Pure CF as well.

Well I highly doubt the dogs would be in school if any pupil or member of staff was severely allergic
purplesequins · 07/10/2021 12:15

yanbu
what about children who are allergic?

I can't imagine it's beneficial for the dogs either being in a noisy school all day.

CherryMaple · 07/10/2021 12:16

My DD has a fear of dogs having been bitten in the face requiring hospital treatment. Having a dog in school would be appalling for her.

The Head at DS’s primary school brought her kitten to school every day. She would be sitting in the reception area stroking it. Her office had been transformed into a cat play area with toys everywhere.

I wouldn’t have thought that school staff can carry on working as productively with their pets there? 🤔 🙄

lindjam · 07/10/2021 12:16

Loads of schools have school dogs now. I think you will look spiteful if you say anything.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 07/10/2021 12:17

@Comedycook

I'd ask to see the risk assessment
Yeah! Cos, there' sno rules abut it! No guidelines.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities/chapter-8-pets-and-animal-contact

www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/factsheets-downloads/school%20dogs.pdf

BakingOfTheFoodCats · 07/10/2021 12:18

I wonder if its my kids school, they just recently got a “school dog” as well, wasn’t too impressed as I hate dogs

PesosBandage · 07/10/2021 12:18

Dammit. I left my teaching job to stay at home with my toddler, as I didn't want to put him into nursery just yet. Kicking myself for not pitching the idea to the school of a "school toddler".

Sexnotgender · 07/10/2021 12:18

Therapy dogs are amazing.

If this is done properly it can be hugely beneficial. It totally depends how it’s done whether you are unreasonable or not.

Grellbunt · 07/10/2021 12:19

That's outrageous. Is that a state school?

LivingNextDoorToNorma · 07/10/2021 12:20

Ds’ primary has a school dog (I think it actually lives the headmaster too), the kids love it. I’m pretty sure parents have the option to opt out for their children if they want to. When I was at school we had hamsters/rabbits/gerbils in the class. I assume if a child had been allergic they’d have moved them else where. I’d guess it’ll be the same with the dog!

NorthSouthcatlady · 07/10/2021 12:20

I would have loved a school dog as a child. But it depends if they’re well behaved. My fiancé had a phobia of dogs as a child, he thinks that was because he was exposed to them and it could have been prevented by meeting dogs