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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Dog ate my picnic

711 replies

givingitupok · 12/07/2025 20:36

Had a picnic with my child today in our local park. Random dog (Shar Pei) appeared out of nowhere and ran over to us. I stood up and picked up my child and ran in a panic and stood behind a tree (probably looked like a total fool doing so but there was nowhere else to go without running towards the dog!). No idea where the owner was at this point. Watched the dog eating our food and also drooling all over our lunch box. Owner suddenly appeared from a path that lead into the park screaming at her dog to 'get here now'. Dog totally ignored her and she had to grab it and literally drag it away and put the lead on it. She apologised but when I asked her if she was going to pay for our food she actually had the gall to say 'you should have picked it up when you saw him coming' !!! I have just got home and this literally only happend 45 mins ago so am still fuming. She did not pay for our food and despite initially apologising, was incredibly arsey and walked off in the opposite direction. My child is very upset and the worst bit is, he has SEN and made everything in the lunch box himself (spread the sandwiches, cut up the apples, broke the chocolate into pieces to fit it in the container, etc). This was quite a big thing for him and he's really upset. I am also on a low income and spent a lot on the food. I took a photo of her and it clearly has her face in it. Not sure why but I just felt like I had to do something. I am not going to name and shame, but I'm just so angry.

Not sure what I want from this thread. Just rather pissed off.

OP posts:
ScaryM0nster · 12/07/2025 20:38

That’s very understandable to be pissed off.

Dog owners very rarely understand the real fear that some others have of dogs. To her it would probably seem daft to leave food on the floor in front of a dog. Whereas the absolute right expectation is for dogs to be under control in public places.

I’d guess she was embarrassed, and like many others when find themselves in that position react with aggression and blame rather than humility.

Hope you can enjoy the rest of your weekend.

ninjahamster · 12/07/2025 20:38

Oh that’s really shitty. If the dog ate chocolate though, it could well end up quite unwell.

ThejoyofNC · 12/07/2025 20:41

If her dog ate your whole picnic then karma may be coming her way. Not that that helps you, but still.

TomatoSandwiches · 12/07/2025 20:43

If you have a local dog warden you can pass on the photos to them, but not sure what else you can do, she was definitely rude in what she said and the poor training of her dog.
Side note, just in case, please do not run from an approaching dog, it can easily set them off to chase and attack.

WD40SuccessStories · 12/07/2025 20:44

Shit owner to let this happen, and shit reaction from them after the event.

This is the kind of incident that crap dog-owners don’t believe happen. Decent dog-owners will be as appalled as you are by this.

givingitupok · 12/07/2025 20:45

ThejoyofNC · 12/07/2025 20:41

If her dog ate your whole picnic then karma may be coming her way. Not that that helps you, but still.

It wasn't the whole thing, but I couldn't eat what was left as the dog had had its face in it. It did eat all of the chocolate though, cream cheese sandwiches and a box of grapes/apple plus drooled all over our cheese and crackers and bread sticks. Hummus was safe!

OP posts:
givingitupok · 12/07/2025 20:46

TomatoSandwiches · 12/07/2025 20:43

If you have a local dog warden you can pass on the photos to them, but not sure what else you can do, she was definitely rude in what she said and the poor training of her dog.
Side note, just in case, please do not run from an approaching dog, it can easily set them off to chase and attack.

Honestly I genuinely feel like I had no control over my actions at that moment. I know nothing about dogs and don't know which breeds are dangerous or less so. Will keep this in mind though.

OP posts:
FuglyBitch · 12/07/2025 20:47

I really hate dog owners like her

Limoncellospritzlover · 12/07/2025 20:47

This happened to me on a beach. I had made a quiche and a dog ran up and snaffled it. Owner was walking far behind. I was furious. Owner was not too bothered,

ThatNimblePeer · 12/07/2025 20:49

YANBU. I hate dog owners who just have no empathy at all for the fact that some people are scared of dogs.

nightmarepickle2025 · 12/07/2025 20:50

If the dog ate grapes then RIP dog

ThePure · 12/07/2025 20:50

Well there may be some very bad karma coming her way as both chocolate and grapes are poisonous to dogs. 100% her fault though for not having control over her dog in a public place

givingitupok · 12/07/2025 20:51

Limoncellospritzlover · 12/07/2025 20:47

This happened to me on a beach. I had made a quiche and a dog ran up and snaffled it. Owner was walking far behind. I was furious. Owner was not too bothered,

It's so infuriating. I get she was embarrassed but did she really expect me to just sit there and lift up my food? My child has is not the type of child who would just sit there and watch a dog eat his food. He would likely have lashed out or tried to grab it from the dog so I didn't know what else to do other than move away very quickly.

OP posts:
TrixieFatell · 12/07/2025 20:51

There's some real dickhead dog owners out there. I hope you and your son are ok.

givingitupok · 12/07/2025 20:52

nightmarepickle2025 · 12/07/2025 20:50

If the dog ate grapes then RIP dog

Oh no. Really? See I actually feel bad for the dog now.

OP posts:
givingitupok · 12/07/2025 20:53

TrixieFatell · 12/07/2025 20:51

There's some real dickhead dog owners out there. I hope you and your son are ok.

I'm fine just angry. My son has now declared war on all dogs.

OP posts:
Buggysy · 12/07/2025 20:56

FuglyBitch · 12/07/2025 20:47

I really hate dog owners like her

Me too. Entitled wankers. Nope sorry, you don't have a right to let your dog run amock, out of control, whereas other people do have a right to not have your bloody dog all over them and their belongings.

Why can't people keep their out of control dogs on a lead??

I own 6 dogs and I hate hate hate owners like this.

FizzPlease · 12/07/2025 21:03

Grapes are highly toxic for dogs, so not only was this woman appallingly insensitive to you and your child, she has also put her dog's life in danger. Chocolate is too, but I think grapes are worse.

I hate dogs coming up to me and would always lift a child as an instinct. Saying that, I have a greedy Labrador, but I would never have put him or you and your son in that situation.

Sorry this happened. I hope your son is OK.

Hankunamatata · 12/07/2025 21:05

She should have given you money for the picnic
Bloody dogs should not be off a lead u less prefect recall

givingitupok · 12/07/2025 21:05

FizzPlease · 12/07/2025 21:03

Grapes are highly toxic for dogs, so not only was this woman appallingly insensitive to you and your child, she has also put her dog's life in danger. Chocolate is too, but I think grapes are worse.

I hate dogs coming up to me and would always lift a child as an instinct. Saying that, I have a greedy Labrador, but I would never have put him or you and your son in that situation.

Sorry this happened. I hope your son is OK.

I've just read how toxic grapes are to dogs. The dog ate almost a whole punnet. I'm honestly tempted to post her photo on our local page now under the guise of warning her her dog might be dead by morning! I hope it is ok.

OP posts:
diddl · 12/07/2025 21:06

Likely the dog was supposed to be on a lead in a park.

givingitupok · 12/07/2025 21:07

diddl · 12/07/2025 21:06

Likely the dog was supposed to be on a lead in a park.

Yes there are signs everywhere saying dogs should be ok leads. Technically she wasn't in the park though and was on a path that runs alongside it. The dog ran away from her and entered the park. Not that I'm defending her!

OP posts:
rainbowsandraspberrygin · 12/07/2025 21:09

Oh this has made me so sad 😞. Your poor boy after all that amazing effort!! What a great thing to do. I’d be fuming and knowing me I’d probably cry in anger. You acted like most of us would and protected your boy.

some dog owners are so entitled and think their precious “babies” should be loved by everyone. Sounds like the dog might get poorly. Not the dogs fault but hope it gives the owner a wake up call!!

i hopw you get to do another picnic soon. Are there any dog free areas where you live?

MikeRafone · 12/07/2025 21:09

Unfortunately people are not able to take responsibility for their inaction of keeping their dog under control or on a lead, she was giving lip service with the sorry until you pointed out the actual problem - when it became her problem she turned the tables. She wasn’t sorry and didn’t give a shit

its not dog owners it’s some people and a lot of how society is about taking ownership when they fuck up

ShesTheAlbatross · 12/07/2025 21:10

givingitupok · 12/07/2025 21:05

I've just read how toxic grapes are to dogs. The dog ate almost a whole punnet. I'm honestly tempted to post her photo on our local page now under the guise of warning her her dog might be dead by morning! I hope it is ok.

Some owners really are oblivious to the fact that even though they don’t care that their shit training is inconvenient or even scary to others, it also puts their dog in danger. And I bet she claims to love the dog. Doesn’t love it enough to keep it safe.

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