To tell couple off in park?

[TLOAS]

Walking through the park this morning. It’s a lovely park with lots of woodland but big open grass area in the centre and home to lots of wildlife. The squirrels were running round this morning when I see one couple stopped with their dog who was pulling on the lead while looking at a squirrel. The couple, fully aware of this, lean down and upclip the lead and dog pelts at the squirrel.

I shout over, I say shout but it was a little windy and about 20ft away, and say why would you do that? They asked do what so I said “why would you purposely take the dog off the lead knowing it was going to chase the squirrel?” They shouted back some nonsense about it only being a squirrel and that their dog is only small and to mind my own business.

WIBU to tell them that the size of their dog doesn’t entitle them to purposely release it on a squirrel and terrorise wildlife?

The couple are total arseholes

I knew some dog person would come out with ‘what about cats’ and here you are! I actively discourage my cat from hunting.

If they trapped the squirrel and knew their dog couldn’t hunt and tear it up then yes, if it’s just a dog on a walk being taken off lead then no. My dog loves to woof at wildlife, she gives chase but she never actually catches anything. We have squirrels in our garden and you can see the squirrels goading the dog sometimes, we just let them, we don’t ban the squirrels for making fun of our dog

My dog would be bored silly in one of those closed in fields. He might as well just play in the garden

How do you do this? Give it a chat about how hunting is bad? 😂
My last dog caught quite a few squirrels but she was super fast. My first one and my current one have never caught one.

I do think it's just nature really, but deliberately encouraging your dog to chase a squirrel is a bit horrible I agree.

YBVU and I think deliberately shit stirring.

Hahahahhah thanks for the laugh! 🤣

Yes I would and I have done I saw a guy let his dog off to chase a squirrel He argued back but I was making such a fuss that other people noticed and he put his dog back on the lead .Another time I shouted at a bloke who was letting his child use a water pistol to try and spray a squirrel. He didn't take kindly to that and said oh it's hot I said - let me spray you with it then. he walked off, unfortunately there's a lot of twats around.

Luckily you have zero choice in the matter. Our park says as long as dogs are under control they can be off lead. So shock horror my dog is off lead ALL THE TIME!

I actively discourage my cat from hunting.

I would love to know how you do this 😆

This is brilliant. Can you please tell me your techniques as I’d like to have a chat with my dog

Dont talk so blooming ridiculous, it was chasing a squirrel not attacking anyone !! Talk about dramatic lol

Same here. We walk our dogs on the Moors and the only time they need to be kept on lead (as on the official signage from National Trust) is during ground nesting season which is understandable.

One of my friend's dogs did catch a rabbit in their back garden and it was traumatic for the whole family. Probably the squirrel will fare better, but it's still idiotic.

It's the same as when I see people letting the kids scare birds or a seagull, running up and screaming at them. Why? I nearly intervened the other day when someone's 5 or 6 year old ran up to scare a bird, but luckily he was very slow and the bird was very fast, but it's just awful. Toddlers just about excusable, but an older child, nope.

If they were walking off lead and the dog chased one, I think that's ok, it's the deliberate releasing of the dog towards the squirrel on purpose. Just weird but people are thoughtless, I walk somewhere where dogs are supposed to be on lead the whole time and people still don't!

I agree.
What about all cat owners who don’t attach bells to the cat’s collar even though they know it will kill birds?

I can’t get worked up about animals chasing other animals - this is nature!

Dogs have to be on a 6 ft leads where I am unless in dog runs or certain dog parks. You're also supposed to prevent your dog from chasing other animals like squirrels. They're also licensed and have rabies tags to show they're vaxxed. That's the law.

Somehow, the dogs thrive.

Fair play to you op. The sort of scum that would do this are the sort i wouldnt want to get into an argument with tbf.

How do you prevent a dog catching a wild animal in it's own back garden?

When I walk my dog in the countryside, he has a great time chasing squirrels- he has absolutely no chance of catching one. They’re already in the upper branches of the tree before he’s even anywhere near the tree. But I wouldn’t release him from his lead purely to chase a squirrel in a park. I also keep him on lead anywhere near sheep, cows and horses!

Yeah, I’m on Team Squirrel.
I also tell off people who frighten pigeons and I shouted at people throwing stones at ducklings once.

I met a couple in a country park area whose two whippets caught and killed a squirrel. They were mortified and confessed to a park ranger who said it was fine because the squirrels were predating on the birdlife and needed keeping down.

Well, not in a park, no!

Slight flaw in your argument.

If a pit bull comes along, chases your dog and rips it to bits, is that nature ?

Or is the pit bull not an animal chasing another animal ?

Start chasing after their dog. See what they think about that.