Page 18 | AIBU to think school staff should make care provision for their dogs?

BelleOfTheProvince · 08/10/2021 14:03

Well it is. We're not talking about a carefully planned introduction of an animal here.
We're talking about two individuals who used their position in a school to allow them to bring an I'll thought out animal into a school.

I happen to know introducing an animal takes a lot of planning, our introduction of school chickens fell through because we didn't have the space to do it safely and to the high welfare standards I'd expect.

Personally, I think a dog sitting under a desk because the owner can't be bothered to source appropriate care for them is cruel. Not forgetting that these people have actual jobs to do and school jobs have a much higher level of responsibility than other jobs. You simply can't guarantee that you can look after an animal without it impacting the children unless it's carefully planned. Which this isn't.

Anyway, I think I have seen enough. "Oh dogs are cute" from people who don't work in schools so I think I will mute.

Tenbob · 08/10/2021 14:38

@Mischance

What has class got to do with it?

These people could not be arsed to get proper care for their dog so brought them into school under the guise of school dogs.

Leaving aside the fact the the whole concept of school dog is open to debate, these people are abusing their positions. How many other staff have dogs and would find it easier to bring them into school? Why are only certain staff allowed to do this?

Leave your dog at hoe and do not foist it on the school.

Again I say - talk to the governors, who have safeguarding responsibilities, and also staff welfare responsibilities - why should one person be allowed to do this and not others?

There are huge safeguarding implications - dogs can be unpredictable, as can small children - a volatile situation especially en masse.

I am a school governor in a school where the head has 5 dogs - he would not dream of bringing any of them in.

What has class got to do with it..?

How about how it seems these vicious, unpredictable dogs only seem to terrorise state schools…
The multiple examples posters have given throughout the thread of lovely school dogs being adored by children seem to largely at private and village schools.

So it seems the middle/upper middle classes have no issue with the concept of school dogs, and see them as something that can bring benefits to a school.

Where a lot of the handwringing and ‘whataboutery’ claiming dogs will be mauling kids and setting off allergies are coming from posters objecting to middle class bubbles (the OP) and others who a quick glance of their posting history are firmly not middle class

So there is your class divide
Middle class naice village schools or indies- school dogs are brilliant, never had any issues with them etc
State primaries in lower middle/working class areas -school dogs are an outrage and a health and safety time bombs etc

Xenia · 08/10/2021 14:40

Also if two teachers can bring their dogs in could a new mother teacher bring in a silent very new baby which would lie in its carry cot most of the day and then show it to the children in the same way a dog might be shown around?

SW1amp · 08/10/2021 14:44

@Xenia

Also if two teachers can bring their dogs in could a new mother teacher bring in a silent very new baby which would lie in its carry cot most of the day and then show it to the children in the same way a dog might be shown around?

‘A very silent new baby’? I don’t think I’ve ever met one of those

I’m also not familiar with the ‘babies as therapy’ service
Do they get a high vis vest and special collar like Pets as Therapy dogs do..?

Comedycook · 08/10/2021 15:21

I’m also not familiar with the ‘babies as therapy’ service
Do they get a high vis vest and special collar like Pets as Therapy dogs do

My dd adores babies...she hates dogs! She'd love a class baby to cuddle!

SirChenjins · 08/10/2021 15:31

My DD took in DC3 aged 8 weeks as her Show and Tell - the class were thrilled. No allergies, no anxieties (from humans or animals), and all wees and poos were nicely contained

whyarentiskinnyet · 08/10/2021 15:34

My sons primary has a school dog who is the head teachers dog, I think it's brilliant. I guess it depends on your genera feelings on dogs 🤷🏻‍♀️

SirChenjins · 08/10/2021 16:47

What about the other teachers and school staff - do they get to bring their dogs and other pets in?

Lifethroughlenses · 08/10/2021 17:29

We always had class pets growing up. Many kids can’t have pets at home for lots of reasons and looking after animals is a really important thing for lots of kids. Therapy dogs are used extensively. As long as they are well behaved, I think this is a really positive thing.

waitingpatientlyforspring · 08/10/2021 17:33

@Comedycook

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

Same here. My son is petrified of dogs and wouldn't settle if he knew they were in all day every day. For a specific purpose, then yes, fine. Ie police brought dogs in to meet the children. His teacher kept him with her and away from the dog and he didn't have to sit on the floor with the dog walking next to him.

cherish123 · 08/10/2021 17:43

It is a bit much. Don't know how a HT could do their job properly with a dog! The business manager is administrative/secretarial so could do the job if they kept an eye on the dog at all times. I suspect the only reason one is allowed to bring it in is because the HT is doing it.

takenforgrantednana · 08/10/2021 17:48

@LoveTheirDogs

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?

the teacher are no different then any other employee, and should make proper arrangements for their animals, be that in doggy day care or staying at home!, ok maybe bring the dog in for an hr on the last lesson of the day for the benefit of the kids learning about the animals, but no way should they be in school full time. if i was you i would be kicking up such a fuss about this to your local education commitee and also health and safety, esp when the kids education is being altered to the detriment of them and the benefit of the teachers/dogs (i.e no dog sitting costs)

what happens if a child has an allergy or medical condition? is the child removed? hell no it should be the dog as its in the wrong enviroment,

i wonder what there insurance company would have to say about this? what if a child was injured?

takenforgrantednana · 08/10/2021 17:50

i should add im a dog lover and have 2 dogs of my own, and no way would i even consider taking them into work with me and mine are small dogs and non shedding

Ajl46 · 08/10/2021 17:52

This is ridiculous- can you imagine if their pets were cats, tarantulas, or rats etc?! Somehow I don't think they'd be able to get away with this. Surely supervising their dogs takes time away from their jobs too?

Cheeseplantboots · 08/10/2021 17:54

My teens’ senior school has a dog and they had a dog in their junior school too. The children aren’t forced to do anything with the dog but most of them used to jump at the chance. It’s very common to have dogs in school and a fantastic idea.

mumda · 08/10/2021 17:59

We had a dog at primary school a couple of times. Only he wasn't supposed to be there so I'd have to take him home. One of my parents managed to let him out when they left for work and he'd come and find us at school.
School was fairly relaxed about letting me leave to take him home.

garlictwist · 08/10/2021 18:00

Oh God, this brings back awful memories of my primary school in the 80s. Two of the teachers had dogs that they brought in and I hated it. I didn't like dogs (still don't) and no amount of "enrichment activities" would have changed that. YANBU.

Fwaltz · 08/10/2021 18:06

If you’d asked me 12 months ago, I’d have totally agreed, but my daughter has just started as a school with a dog, and she and the other children LOVE it. They did have to ask our permission as to whether we wanted our child to be near the dog, so we had a chance to flag any concerns (like if she was frightened of dogs etc.).

Did they at least get the parents consent at your school?

Flowersintheattic2021 · 08/10/2021 18:08

No it's a good idea. I like the term therapy dog

TickyTacky · 08/10/2021 18:10

If this is done properly it is amazing for children, especially those with any additional needs. I used to work in as part of the send team in a school with a very well trained therapy dog. She absolutely improved the lives of all of the children I worked with. As did the ponies, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens.

Briony123 · 08/10/2021 18:10

At our boys' school, all the teachers that have dogs take them in. Then all the parents take their dogs in. It's just so much more fun than schools with all the poor dogs lined up inside the gate, looking sad. It's humans that cause the problems in this world; not dogs.

CauliflowerBalti · 08/10/2021 18:11

My son’s school has a dog. It’s clearly a staff member’s pet but most of the kids love him, he’s no bother to the ones that don’t, and it’s great imo.

Crazycat53 · 08/10/2021 18:20

At my dd's old school the receptionist started to bring her dog into school. My dd was terrified of going any where near reception. The dog had previous bitten the postman. Definitely email the governor's.

Rosesareyellow · 08/10/2021 18:21

This is ridiculous- can you imagine if their pets were cats, tarantulas, or rats etc?! Somehow I don't think they'd be able to get away with this.

Why? Surely they’d actually be more practical to keep in school. Cats can roam independently (although I guess that’s not much use if you’ve scheduled an enrichment activity with it). My DCs school had guinea pigs - keeping a rat isn’t miles away from that. A tarantula would be most ideal - you could probably even leave it school over half term if you feed it beforehand.

Blossomtoes · 08/10/2021 18:33

@cherish123

It is a bit much. Don't know how a HT could do their job properly with a dog! The business manager is administrative/secretarial so could do the job if they kept an eye on the dog at all times. I suspect the only reason one is allowed to bring it in is because the HT is doing it.

The one I had in the early 60s seemed to manage it. He must have been doing something right because it was the school with the best 11+ results in the county.