Dreading schools going back because of one women

[honeyrosesandwich]

AIBU to anonymously email the school when the schools go back about this women.

My DS's school has 2 entrances, 1 is on the main road so it's usually used by people driving to school, the other's at the back of the school, both used equal amounts. From my house, I'd need to walk past entrance 2 to get entrance 1 a further 5 mins away. So I've always used entrance 2. Used to be a 3rd entrance but they shut it due to it getting slipper when wet.

Last year, a women on my route to school started bringing her 2 big dogs with her every morning and every afternoon. One of them sometimes wears a muzzle. She lets her DD in reception hold the lead or has them off the lead.

Now unfortunately no matter what time I leave she seems to be on the same route either just behind or just ahead. Which means I have to watch her dogs pooping every morning in front of me when I've not even had my breakfast and it makes my stomach queasy.

Now the main issue is entrance 2 is down a very narrow alleyway and she ties her dogs up on a lamppost halfway down it and over 200 children every morning and afternoon have to literally walk into her dogs to get in and out the school. I am not sure how friendly they are but it seems like its only a matter of time before this goes wrong. When she unties them she then proceeds to just let them off the lead or her dd mess around walking with the leads. AIBU to not think its appropriate to just leave ur dogs off the lead when theres hundreds of young children about, lots of noise etc.

I'm just fed up having to walk into these dogs and get harassed by them just to get my DS into school. She also walks them in hot weather which, i've never owned dogs, but I don't think you're supposed to do.

Would I be unreasonable to complain to the school and see if they can put out a message asking people not to bring their dogs every bloody day

She absolutely should not have the dogs off lead in any area, especially a school. Again, tying them up is also a poor choice too.

But I think it’s a fetch to say you’re being harassed by the dogs simply because they take a shit on the road in front of you. It’s not like they are doing it on your drive. Hopefully she picks it up.

I am not sure what you want the school to do. They can hardly ask her not to do it if she isn’t bringing the dogs into the school premises. You could try email the school your concerns about them being off lead but if it isn’t within school I’m not sure how much weight this will have.

Is she on school grounds? Of public alley?

Nothing to do with school unless on school grounds.

Leave 5 minutes earlier.

Harassed as in I have to virtually walk into them to get past in the tight alleyway packed with all the other parents and theyre sniffing me

What do you want the school to do, that you can’t do? Why can’t you just ask her to keep her dogs on the leash on that bit of the alleyway given there are so many kids around?

That isn’t harassment. That is just you simply not likening the dogs.

I would hate this! Can the school do anything?

'Sometimes wears a muzzle' is very worrying. Unless it's a halti which only stops pulling (narrowish lead material, not a plastic guard).

The dogs should be tied up as out of the way as possible. Definitely not where children walk right past.

Can you maybe bring this to the attention of the school.

Also, I'm assuming she picks up the poo?

YANBU to be annoyed by the dogs, but YABU to involve the school. They have enough on their plates and have no control over what happens on public land. She's not taking them onto school grounds so it's nothing to do with them.

Can you contact your local authority dog warden and just explain a parent is walking large dogs off lead at pick up and drop off next to a school and ask if there’s anything that can be done to make the situation safer.

I would inform the school that she is letting them off the lead.

I also want to know if she is picking up the poo.

This is nothing to do with the school.

Walk an extra 5 minutes and use the other entrance.

Do you have a fear of dogs?

Because it sounds like you’re walking past them and they sniff, which probably lasts all of what …. 1 second?

Seems very bizarre to have an issue with walking past 2 dogs on the street unless you have a phobia.

I personally would not leave my dogs tied up, but this is more you being anxious. Contact the school it it’s causing you this much anxiety as she shouldn’t really be leaving them tied up or a young child in charge around hundreds of kids. But if its a public road, I doubt there’s much they can do.

Dogs wear muzzles for a variety of reasons, not just because of aggression. A Friends dog wears one because hes a 4 legged hoover. Thousands of pounds in surgery to remove rubbish he's eaten including plastic.

The school cant do anything as its not school grounds.

The school can’t do anything and nor should they be expected to. This woman has a right to walk her dogs past the school at whatever time of day she likes, but she also has a responsibility to keep them under control. If she doesn’t have them under control, which she probably doesn’t if they are off lead or are being held by a young child, then call the dog warden or potentially the police if they are genuinely likely to be dangerous.

What breed are they?

Hmmm. Our school is v clear on dogs not being allowed in the playground but also, every so often, they email a reminder about not tying a dog up too close to a gateway children have to go through as some are scared of dogs. So some schools do this sort of thing

Sorry but this is your problem because you don’t like dogs. The dogs “sniff” at you, wow how awful 🙄
Doesn’t sound like they are any threat to the children, saying it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt is a huge overreaction, why would anyone get hurt by walking past a non-aggressive dog?
Also what do you expect the school to do about it, she’s not bringing them on to school grounds right?

If you dread it that much that you’re worrying about it in the school holidays just leave 5 mins earlier and use entrance 1 instead.

Dog woman is definitely being inconsiderate and certainly shouldn’t be letting her children hold the lead of any dog. At my sons’ school there were definitely policies about not bringing dogs into school grounds or tying them up nearby the entrance to the school. Many children on the AS are terrified of dogs too. I would approach the school first and possibly see if they could have a quiet word with her.

If this lamppost she’s tying the dogs up at isn’t on school grounds, then there’s nothing the school can do about it.

And while I’m not a particular fan of dogs, I wouldn’t call a dog sniffing someone “harassment”.

I’d try either leaving earlier or using the other entrance.

You lost me talking about poop, that makes you seem hysterical.

I am not sure the school can do much. Does not seem to pass any test of animal cruelty. Contacting dog warden given young child is sometimes asked to be in control of one of them seems the only option.

Hardly harassment.

If the dogs are off the lead then you can complain. And I would hope she clears up their shit.

But I can’t understand why you think seeing some dogs tied to a lamppost in the morning equates to “harassment”. It seems like a massive escalation and an attempt to create drama.

If you are really scared of the dogs just use the other entrance or leave earlier? But your dog phobia isn’t really her problem.