Dog burst my son's football

[Maverick99]

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.

If one is that disabled, they are too disabled to have their dog off the leash.

So, we don't shame the dog owner for being a twat, because he might "feel badly about himself", but it's okay to destroy a child's property and if they end up "feeling bad about themselves", oh well, that's the breaks? FFS!
facepalm

If you can’t control your dog then don’t take it off lead to a park. If your dog damages someone else’s property you pay for a replacement/repair. U.K. dog owners are another level of entitled.

Saw a post on our local Facebook group where someone’s dog jumped up and bit the face of a child walking past it on the pavement. The parent posted a picture of the owner & dog asking if anyone knew their details for the dog warden and there were many posters commenting that you shouldn’t “walk past dogs on a tight pavement as it might make them feel threatened and therefore bite” 🙄

How about if your dog is not under your control by command bloody leash and muzzle it!

Oh..... I accidentally crashed my bike into your Ferrari?

Yeah.... well, it's too expensive for a car anyway......

Then you would have no complaint if the owner of the property (that your dog destroyed, and you didn't replace), took your picture and posted it on all forms of social media, including local town/city FBs?

It needs to be a minimum of 200 pound fine for any dog off its leash in a public park. Take your dang dog to a dog park or keep it on the leash.

Erm, my dog has total recall and I have absolutely no idea where our nearest dog park is. They're not a thing here at all.

He shall continue his off lead walks, bothering no one, as he has done for the last 12 years. He shouldn't have to suffer on lead walks because some twats can't control their dogs

I guess if a dog runs loose and destroys a $200 bike tire, a $300 purse, a $100 pair of trainers, it's just a case of SOL for the owners because the "precious little doggies" are allowed to do what they want without penalty.

Don't they have dog parks in the UK? I mean, really? No public park should allow dogs off the leash. That should only be allowed in fenced dog parks.

I have a feeling that the dog owners here would blame the child if their off-leash dog bit the child.

Edited to first say, "I am so sorry that your child was bitten by an animal that had zero reason to be near your son, not muzzled or on a leash." I hope he fully recovered.
That sort of reply doesn't even shock me after reading the dog apologists here.

One of their dogs attacks a person and they will be sure to say, "Well, you should have been dressed in attack dog padding that would protect you from a dog attack!"

I can't believe that dog parks aren't a "thing" in the UK. I thought the UK was so forward-thinking. Even our little town has a dog park, and there aren't many cities/towns without one or one close. That way, dogs are safe, people are safe and children's toys, bikes, clothing, etc. are safe.

People continue to say how their dogs are safe and friendly. They need to read about the fatal dog attacks committed by "friendly" dogs. Most dogs are friendly, until they aren't. There is never a guarantee, ever. Children and adults have been killed by the "family dog(s)". Luckily, it's pretty rare.

Are you in the U.K.? They are definitely a ‘thing’ here. I hope we move towards more of a Canadian mindset where dogs are only allowed in specified dog parks and must be leashed on sidewalks etc…basically anywhere else.

I am in the UK. And I assure you. Where I live, there are no dog parks.

The dog owner should have paid, and should keep his dog on a lead in future. As should all owners who's dogs are untrained and have no recall. We take our spaniel to local parks as she loves to run and fetch her own ball, she has zero interest in other dogs, people or toys and her recall is brilliant. This really pisses me off when things like this happen as all dog owners then get slated.

That doesn’t mean we don’t have them, that just means there isn’t one near you or that you know of.

I want that to be the wide-spread law here in the States too. We have a lot of dig parks, but people will still walk them unleashed and then act shocked when their dog jumps, nips, bites, or knocks down someone. They also allow them to roam. My neighbor had two dogs break right through her sliding glass door screen into her family room. Scared the crap out of her and her dog. Luckily, our police do come when called.

Where did I say they weren't a thing in the UK? I said 'here' as in, where I live.

A quick google will show you dog parks are just about everywhere.

Why are you trying to argue with me? Where I live, there are no dog parks. There might be one a 30 min drive away. But I don't drive.

We shall continue as we are.

If a dog ruins something belonging to someone else, the fault is with the dog owner. Doesn't matter what the damaged item cost. Kids should be able to take their toys out without worrying that a dog will ruin them.

I’m just pointing out you are wrong. They are a ‘thing’ here and they are everywhere and becoming more common. That’s all.

Of course the dog owner is at fault, I don’t think anyone on here is really questioning that. But how does that help the OP? Feeling righteous won’t bring her son’s £45 ball back. She has no recourse to get the money - it’s too small a sum for small claims court. The suggestions that she doesn’t take out a £45 ball if she can’t afford to lose it are just being pragmatic I’d say.

Do you have something wrong with comprehension? There are no dog parks, and by the way, I mean the 'free' ones. Not ones you have to pay per hour. Though that one is 15 min drive away. Near me. They are not a thing in my little part of the country.

So I am not wrong. Thanks

I think it will happen here eventually. Dog ownership has increased massively in the U.K. and with that lots of entitled owners who can’t train their animals properly. I live near a national park and the amount of livestock attacked (and often killed/maimed) by dogs is unreal, not to mention the shit left everywhere or hung in bags on the trees. Awful.

Oh FFS 🙄

Do you? No dog parks and then suddenly ‘oh yes, one just up the road!’ 😂

In the UK, dogs are permitted off leads (not leashes) in parks, aside from a designated children’s area.

There isn't one just up the road. I actually can't find the nearest 'dog park' actually near me on Google. The only things that are coming up are the pay per hour ones. Which aren't dog parks are they.

And the closest being 15 min drive away, is not just up the road for a person who is disabled and doesn't drive