Harassed on a walk

[MooseBreath]

I just got back from a walk on a public footpath along a field with my dog and DS (13 months). This path is in a very open area and is frequently used by dog walkers, which are rarely on a lead as they tend to run about the field together. My dog, though not on a lead, was walking to heel on the grass rather than the path.

A jogger ran towards me and when she approached, she slowed down and changed directions so that she was walking alongside me (my dog was still on the grass to heel). The woman pulled out her phone and started filming me stating that if my "dog's shitty nose so much as touched her knee that she considers that harassment and she would use any means to get him away" from her.

I stopped walking and asked her to stop filming me and said that my dog has no interest in approaching her, then carried on walking a bit quicker, with my dog still by my side.

She continued to film me and walk alongside me saying she's "sick of everyone and their bloody dogs". I asked her to please stop following me, to which she said "I can walk wherever I please". I responded repeating my request to stop filming me and leave me alone. She followed me for a further few minutes, filming the entire time as my dog did nothing. Eventually the woman turned and left in a huff.

I wanted to turn and go home, but I certainly didn't want her to know where I live. AIBU to call 101 and report? It seems silly because she didn't touch me, my baby, or my dog, but she wouldn't go away, and I was worried that my dog might so much as follow a scent and set foot on the path. I don't know if she's done anything illegal, and I don't know if police could do anything, but I know how unsafe I felt.

"Put your dog on a lead" has become the new "cancel the check."

This isn't a dog on a lead issue.

Nonsense

OMG that is exactly what I was thinking!

Maybe that should apply to Stalker Woman?

Agreed, but aside from the etiquette / requirements of having a dog on a lead, I think everyone is in agreement that this woman is batsh** crazy.

I think some posters seem to be under the impression the OP has brought it onto the whole town herself by having a beautifully behaved dog walking to heel in a field nowhere near a path, off the lead.

Cat people, man… nuts. 😂

I read up to the second paragraph and thought YABU not everyone likes being approached by dogs (and plenty do approach whether it’s walking up to someone and having a sniff or running up to them) BUT then I carried on reading and that woman sounds like she was definitely harassing you! If she was to do it again I’d definitely film her back so you have evidence of her harassing you

@andymary it doesn't just happen when the OP has her dog with her.
It has happened when she's just out with her children and no dog.

She is continually harassing OP @Coconutter24 and others in the community. Also has taken photos of her and her children outside their own home.

Police really need to pull their finger out. Sounds like MH crisis to me.

Then OP definitely needs to report it if its continuous

I think in most cases like this, this is an excellent suggestion, however, it seems to happen to OP when she is with a pram aged child, and super loud attack alarms could potentially be damaging to little ears- just something to consider.

So many horrible people on here who are clearly bored and deciding to miss the point and attack the OP.

@andymary funny how you think it's perfectly acceptable to be treated in the way the op is because her dog wasn't on a lead.
You're wilfully ignoring all the situations that have been presented to your own end.
The woman is not doing this because she's scared of dogs. If someone is scared they're going to be attacked by a dog then they don't run past, turn around and then get as close as possible and start trying to goad the dog the owner.

But you know that and just enjoy making someone feel bad. Maybe you could find the town where the lady is operating and intimidating people and get your kicks that way instead

Do people not have the ability to read all of OPs posts? This has clearly escalated way beyond the dog on lead and is actually nothing to do with the dog now.
There was a woman like this where I live, she now has a curfew and an a cousin zone of where she's not allowed to be.

@CatMadam
Bye

Cat people: whyyyy do dog people hate us so much, I just don't get it, dog people are craaaazy

Also cat people on a thread about a woman and her children being harassed and stalked: ☝️

@CatMadam

I’d say the umpteen frothing people quoting me because they’re personally offended by dog leads are more guilty of derailing the thread, but I’ve wasted my time enough here- should have known incompetent dog owners couldn’t be reasoned with :)

Haven't seen any frothing on here, just posters correcting you Cat because what you said was wrong and irrelevant. I guess they weren't the one being incompetent?

Cat person here BTW

Evening. We've had to delete a few personal attacks from this thread now - please could we keep things on topic? Thanks, all.

@MooseBreath I hope you're coordinating an approach with @UnfortunateTypo and @GhostWalker, hopefully you (and the many people putting up posters, posting on Facebook etc) can form a WhatsApp group or similar to come up with a plan. There must be public council and/or police meetings you could gatecrash. A mass reporting of these crimes (Protection from Harassment Act, perhaps also threatening, poss hate crime as she only attacks women) with lots of video evidence will come across more firmly. It doesn't matter whether she's unwell (clearly) or whether you have a dog. You deserve protection.

😆 🤣 @Nanny0gg the self-appointed thread police officer. I always laugh when you show up like the kid who got overlooked for prefect.

I definitely picture some of the dog posters telling Jackie Weaver she has no authority here 😂

Oh goodness OP, you don't happen to live in Ely? This sounds depressingly familiar

No it hasn't and yes it is. People with dogs seem unable to comprehend that not everyone is enamoured by them. Put it on a lead.