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Original poster

My au pair manhandled my dog.... is it gross misconduct?

211 replies

MissionImplausible · 21/02/2020 13:28

We have a camera in the house to keep an eye on the dog whilst we are at work. It's been off for a week or so but I put it back on today and it caught my au pair kicking our dog to get her out of her bed for a wee and then, when the dog didn't move, grabbing her by the collar to lift her clean off her feet and throwing her outside!!!

The au pair has been with us for over a year and knows about the camera but not that it was working again.

I am disgusted and want her out of my house straight away for what I see as gross misconduct - how can I trust her with my child (who is 10yrs old?) BUT a colleague who is playing devils advocate is suggesting a final warning is more appropriate as she has been with us for so long and we've not experienced this before (although perhaps it happens away from the doggy cam?)

Any opinions?

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IntermittentParps · 21/02/2020 14:19

She kicked your dog?

Zero tolerance. Get rid. No notice. Fuck the colleague.

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 21/02/2020 14:19

Bitch. It’s clearly must have been going on for a while if not the whole year.

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 21/02/2020 14:20

I could never ever trust someone like this again.

She would have been sacked on the spot.

Some things are indefensible deal breakers and this is one for me.

SpencerReidsMistress · 21/02/2020 14:20

Get her out! How can anyone do that to a dog.

BritInUS1 · 21/02/2020 14:21

Get your husband to sack her and get her to pack now

EyUpDuck12 · 21/02/2020 14:23

She would not spend another night in my home. I would also report to the agency you recruited her through and dependant on her age, report to police too.

MotherOfLittlePeople · 21/02/2020 14:23

Dismiss her and also show footage to police. I wouldn't want them looking after my children or animals especially when she knows there's a camera.

SoloMummy · 21/02/2020 14:26

I don't think that you having a dog that she has had to assume responsibility for is fair on her and being a great nanny doesn't mean that you'd be a great dogs woman!

Given she's not employed to be a dog sitter, I think you need to be 110%sure that your contract will allow for this as reason for dismissal as she would be well within her rights to pursue this through small claims court.... Unless the camera can without doubt prove this was unreasonable force used..... Plenty of dog owners do as you have described op....

AuntieCedent · 21/02/2020 14:27

I wouldn't expect an au pair to be seeing to my dog unless I was paying them for childcare and dogsitting services. Are you?

DartmoorDoughnut · 21/02/2020 14:28

Gone.

AuntieCedent · 21/02/2020 14:28

Some of my colleague's have au pairs and honestly, it's just an excuse to have a cheap Nanny with poor boundaries and limited social power.

IntermittentParps · 21/02/2020 14:29

being a great nanny doesn't mean that you'd be a great dogs woman!

There is something of a gap between 'being a great dogs woman' and kicking ad hauling a dog about Hmm

IntermittentParps · 21/02/2020 14:29

and

queenrollo · 21/02/2020 14:31

The other issue is that if your dog begins to fear human interaction it is going to defend itself. What if your child goes to hold the dog's collar for some reason (if someone comes to the door or to put a lead on) and the dog doesn't understand she means no harm and snaps at her?
And having read that it is a rescue dog makes me even more certain that I would have the au pair out NOW.

LonginesPrime · 21/02/2020 14:31

Given she's not employed to be a dog sitter, I think you need to be 110%sure that your contract will allow for this as reason for dismissal

She's an au pair so she won't have an employment contract.

being a great nanny doesn't mean that you'd be a great dogs woman

There's a difference between being 'a great dogs woman' and throwing a dog!

GarlicSoup · 21/02/2020 14:31

I would get rid of her straight away. What else has she done away from the camera you don’t know about?

^
This with bells on!

HappyHammy · 21/02/2020 14:31

Poor dog. Get rid of her, even if it's not her job to look after the dog that is cruel and I wouldnt ever want someone like that in my home. Show her the video, inform the police if she kicks off, report it to her agency if she has one and goodbye.

LonginesPrime · 21/02/2020 14:31

*not being

Firsttimemummy2020 · 21/02/2020 14:33

Just never. Can’t comprehend that 😢 I was an au pair in my late teens and wouldn’t dream of doing that if they’d had a dog!

Littlemeadow123 · 21/02/2020 14:39

I'd have absolutely no tolerance for this. If she did that to my dog she would be out on her ear and any future employer who got in touch with me for a reference would hear about what a nasty little bullying bitch she is.

catzrulz · 21/02/2020 14:41

Sack her, tell her she won't be getting a reference either, and show the Police the video. Also, as PP have said explain to her agency if she has one why she is gone.

Littlemeadow123 · 21/02/2020 14:42

@SoloMummy

Just because she isn't employed to look after the dog doesn't give her free rein to abuse it. Animal cruelty is a criminal offence for crying out loud. She is not dismissing her for not taking good enough care of the dog, she is dismissing her for being an abusive little twit.

Littlemeadow123 · 21/02/2020 14:45

OP, if she is grom an agency, I'd make sure that they know about this. That way, if they decide to keep her on, they can at least make sure that she is not placed in a house with pets.

Pinkette06 · 21/02/2020 14:45

Get rid of her! Your dog must be fearful every time he sees her. People who hurt animals make me so angry

JayAlfredPrufrock · 21/02/2020 14:45

Eek. I’d have been straight home and throwing her out.