To believe a bitey puppy in a children's group is not an emotional support animal

[Thegreengreenleavesofmay]

Someone has brought a bitey puppy to a children's group and said that because they are training it to be an emotional support animal for a SEN child, they cannot legally be asked to keep it at home.

İs this true?

Ah yes, a home ed group. Having been a home ed family for several years and attended similar groups, I can completely imagine the situation!

If she was really training it, it would have been on a lead and she would have been using instructions with it. Just letting it lose isn’t training it at all 🙄
Rather than just not go back, I’d contact the group organiser asking them to intervene before the next session, giving them all the information you’ve been given here. The woman has a new puppy that she’s going to claim is an assistance dog but is definitely just trying it on 🙄

The puppy was attacking? Or the person was attacking?

Puppy would be too young to know any swear words, so I'm guessing it was the person...

Ah... I already spoke to them about the child attacking other children and they said they would ask the parent if they (the leader) could intervene in future. I did reiterate a few times that the parent themselves needs to be supervising constantly, and there's no judgement towards a SEN child's outbursts to ask them to be supervised. I personally believe the leader is trying to be diplomatic and not cause any upset, but with the dog thrown into the mix now, I can see how the leaders lack of boundaries is becoming a safeguarding issue.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm still in two minds about leaving or staying as it's a brilliant group otherwise due to the people who attend and the activities on offer, but if I did leave at least I know I'm not being dramatic!

Are you the only one who is considering leaving over this?

A toddler group (I assume it was this?) is not an appropriate environment for a puppy. Did the owner check with the organisers if the dog was allowed in? Did anyone consider that some people might be allergic to dogs?

I thought it was just me that noticed it 😂 I don't go to many as the lack of boundaries and lack of organisation is too much. We do after school clubs with better discipline from their leaders and usually do our own thing in the day.

İt's a home ed group. So primary school age.

Is it just a casual parent led group?

My dog is a Therapy dog, when she is working she is in uniform, and always on lead. Permission is asked to ensure people want to greet her. I would never leave her alone.

I don't know, I've only been a few times as it's relatively new and my child didn't want to go for a few weeks because of the child turning up and being aggressive the second time we went. I was hoping it would be calmer as I emailed the leader about it straight after and she said she would implement a no touching rule.

No, it's official and set up with some kind of funding for home ed kids.

Emotional support animals have no status. If it nips or bites, it shouldn’t be around young children.

Do you have the number of any of the others that you have got on very well with?

How old is your child op?

I'd speak to the organisers then.

my suspicion is that it’s only a trained support dog that can’t be turned away. One in training isn’t yet a support dog and so can be excluded

I knew it would be a home ed group. No shade on home ed - I home educated one of mine for 8 years, so I know how unorganised and hellish these groups are and how batshit some of the other families can be 🤣

They were stupid to bring a puppy along.

Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. A herding breed in and amongst children with no supervision! 😩

So bloody irresponsible.

Me too

I didn’t dare say it though!

I don't wanna say and have omitted a couple of other details, because if they're on Mumsnet they'll know which of the other parents I am!

That's what I was thinking...

I see. I am allergic to dogs that that would literally really irritate me. So inconsiderate.

Why?

managing interactions with dogs is an important t part of development and this seems like a good op given a puppy