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Original poster

Dog burst my son's football

496 replies

Maverick99 · 11/04/2024 19:53

Took my 5yo football mad son to the park today to play with his new football that he got for his birthday. It cost £45 and was the first time he'd used it, after months of begging me for it.

He was kicking it through some goal posts when a dog (I think it was a staffy of some kind but know nothing about dogs so could be wrong) ran up to the ball which was about 10ft away from him and bit it, causing it to burst. It then started running around in circles around my son then back to its owner. Didn't seem dangerous but son was hysterical over his football.

Owner put the dog lead on and apologised, and I asked that he replaced the football. I was v pissed off and vocal about his dog and the fact that it wasn't on a lead. He said he couldn't afford it and refused to exchange details or tell me his name but was v apologetic.

Just feel pissed off that there was nothing I could do and nobody else helped me out as lots of people saw.

Can't afford to replace the football myself but thankfully my dad is going to buy him a new one tomorrow.

Not sure what I want from this thread, just a vent because I feel so irritated still and like I could've done more or handled it better.

OP posts:
PlainCake · 11/04/2024 19:55

Not sure what you could have done differently- just one of those things. Would it make sense to have a cheap ball for the park and use the £45 one at home? That's a lot of money for a football.

Original poster
Maverick99 · 11/04/2024 19:56

PlainCake · 11/04/2024 19:55

Not sure what you could have done differently- just one of those things. Would it make sense to have a cheap ball for the park and use the £45 one at home? That's a lot of money for a football.

I didn't buy it for him but he's had the same football since he was 3 and we've never had a problem with it. But yes it is a lot of money.

OP posts:
Porageeater · 11/04/2024 19:57

How annoying it’s no wonder you were pissed off. I’d be mortified if my dog did that. Bloody hell though is that what footballs cost these days?

Everanewbie · 11/04/2024 19:58

I’m sorry this happened. But seriously, a £45 football for a 5 year old?

RazzberryGem · 11/04/2024 19:58

Tbh, I'd be really annoyed in your situation too and it was a bit shit that the owner let the dog around off-lead with small children and balls and things about.
However, £45 seems like an unacceptably extortionate price for a football and I'd have told you to shove off too if I came over to apologise and you tried to bill me almost £50 for a replacement. Hell nah.

Original poster
Maverick99 · 11/04/2024 19:59

Everanewbie · 11/04/2024 19:58

I’m sorry this happened. But seriously, a £45 football for a 5 year old?

I didn't buy it. He'd been asking me for it for ages so his uncle (my brother) bought it for him. I agree it is a lot.

OP posts:
Screamingabdabz · 11/04/2024 19:59

PlainCake · 11/04/2024 19:55

Not sure what you could have done differently- just one of those things. Would it make sense to have a cheap ball for the park and use the £45 one at home? That's a lot of money for a football.

So the value of the ball is at fault here? 🙄

XenoBitch · 11/04/2024 20:00

That is annoying. I can't blame the dog owner for not wanting to pay so much for a ball though. That is a lot of money.

One of my mum's old dogs burst a football once. The kids laughed it off, as they said they had found it in the field anyway.

SevenSeasOfRhye · 11/04/2024 20:01

It's irrelevant that £45 was expensive for a football - the point is that the OP's property was damaged. He should have paid for it, or at least offered something towards it.

WildBear · 11/04/2024 20:02

SevenSeasOfRhye · 11/04/2024 20:01

It's irrelevant that £45 was expensive for a football - the point is that the OP's property was damaged. He should have paid for it, or at least offered something towards it.

This.

OP, you should have asked him for some money towards it.

Original poster
Maverick99 · 11/04/2024 20:03

I do understand that it is expensive, but footballs are designed to be kicked. They're pretty robust. He's had his last ball for 2 years and we take it to the park up to 3 times a week and never had a problem. Just irritated that he couldn't control his dog quick enough to stop it from biting his ball and running in circles around him.

OP posts:
OhmygodDont · 11/04/2024 20:03

Post on your local Facebook. One to shame his out of control dog. Two sometimes kind people come together and you might find a nice little football squad for your little lad. Our local Cllrs are on our and leading up
to election time one of them would bring your kid a nice new football.

PlainCake · 11/04/2024 20:04

Screamingabdabz · 11/04/2024 19:59

So the value of the ball is at fault here? 🙄

Show quote history

No, what on earth are you talking about? The man was at fault but there is no way for OP to make him pay.

Taking expensive things out and about is a risk.

Original poster
Maverick99 · 11/04/2024 20:05

PlainCake · 11/04/2024 20:04

No, what on earth are you talking about? The man was at fault but there is no way for OP to make him pay.

Taking expensive things out and about is a risk.

Show quote history

Honestly I've never actually considered that taking a football to a park with football goals so literally designed for football would be risky. They're literally designed to be kicked. There should be no risk at all of dogs biting and ruining someone else's property in public.

OP posts:
OhmygodDont · 11/04/2024 20:06

You should be able to play and take a football to a designated football field as such this is via the council installed goal posts.

ToxicChristmas · 11/04/2024 20:10

I'd be mortified if my dog did that (but I don't let my dog loose in public parks/play areas so it won't happen!). I'd have replaced the ball. There's not a lot you could do really though.

MissyB1 · 11/04/2024 20:12

I think this is just a case of “shit happens”, it’s not nice but it’s life. Dogs chase balls. If it was my dog I would have offered something towards a new ball, but certainly not £45 as it was your choice to take such an expensive ball to the park.

RazzberryGem · 11/04/2024 20:12

SevenSeasOfRhye · 11/04/2024 20:01

It's irrelevant that £45 was expensive for a football - the point is that the OP's property was damaged. He should have paid for it, or at least offered something towards it.

I agree, and maybe if it was like £7.99 - £12 like every other football EVER, they would have.
The way OP has phrased it (to me, I could be wrong) was that they were demanding for the dog owner to replace it and pay the £45 for another one.

"Very pissed off and vocal", wanted money and / or their details after the dog owner said they couldn't afford to replace the ball.

Seems like they weren't really put in much of a position to be able to barter. People probably don't take cash dog walking, and I doubt I'd have given over my address and phone number to someone screaming at me in a field to hand over almost £50.

TheBottomsOfMyTrousersAreRolled · 11/04/2024 20:12

if we see anyone playing football i put my dog on the lead immediately as he has form for popping balls at home and i certainly wouldnt risk it with someone elses.

SevenSeasOfRhye · 11/04/2024 20:13

PlainCake · 11/04/2024 20:04

No, what on earth are you talking about? The man was at fault but there is no way for OP to make him pay.

Taking expensive things out and about is a risk.

Show quote history

It's a football! If you can't take a football to the park, where can you take it? And £45 as a sum of money is not vast - the fact it's expensive for a football doesn't matter - it's not like the OP gave her son a gold plated i-phone to play with in the park.

RandomButtons · 11/04/2024 20:13

Maverick99 · 11/04/2024 19:56

I didn't buy it for him but he's had the same football since he was 3 and we've never had a problem with it. But yes it is a lot of money.

Show quote history

£45 for a football for a 3 year old? I’m impressed it’s lasted 2 years to be honest. We loose them sooner than
that.

def get a cheap ball for the park, keep expensive ones at home. Dog owner was a jerk though.

PeaceOnThePorch · 11/04/2024 20:15

This reply has been deleted

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Hankunamatata · 11/04/2024 20:16

I'd be rally annoyed and would have demanded the same of the bloke. My older son brought a special football with his own money that he uses is places where he knows it won't get lost like in the middle of a park football pitch

Yes lots of money for the ball but the dog shouldn't have destroyed it and owner should have paid

SouthLondonMum22 · 11/04/2024 20:16

Honestly, I wouldn't believe a random person in the park telling me that a football for a small child costs £45 and I'd refuse to hand over that kind of money too.

PlainCake · 11/04/2024 20:16

Maverick99 · 11/04/2024 20:05

Honestly I've never actually considered that taking a football to a park with football goals so literally designed for football would be risky. They're literally designed to be kicked. There should be no risk at all of dogs biting and ruining someone else's property in public.

Show quote history

I feel like I'm answering a different question to other people on this thread 😂

You wanted to know what you could have done- the answer is nothing. The man was never going to give you the money. Over the years things like this will happen, especially when your son is older and playing with other boys- balls will get punctured, kicked into the hedge or whatever. This stuff happens. Not much you can do about it so better to have a cheapie ball for the park so that it's not the end of the world and save the precious one for home. This doesn't mean it's the ball's fault or whatever nonsense PP said- it's just life.