Reported park to the police for dogs running up to us constantly

[Childcarehelp]

AIBU to have reported to the police that dogs are not being kept on leads and/or controlled by their owners and they are constantly running up to me and my children when we are going for our daily exercise? This is a large park and yet the owners are still completely unable to keep their dogs away from us. Today a dog ran up to my son and grabbed a ball which DS trying to picking up from the floor before the dog got it, covering DS hand in saliva. The dog then refused to drop the ball despite its owner telling it to, resulting in the owner having to chase after the dog and grab the ball out of its mouth. Owner then walked right up to my son to return the ball instead of throwing it from a distance And moreover was annoyed when I said he’s supposed to maintain 2m distance from us. Some people!

Policewoman at 101 actually blamed us for not moving away from owner when he came up to DS!! And was asking me if it was a dangerous dog Why do people (including the police apparently) view dogs/dog owners with impunity?

Despite much resistance, the policewoman did eventually say they would pass the message onto the local team and park wardens would monitor compliance with social distancing. Still can’t believe her approach in trying every way possible to excuse the behaviour despite it being in clear breach of the guidelines.

These threads always fascinate me. All these people with boisterous dogs constantly bounding/jumping up at/chasing/trying to interact with them. In twenty years of owning a dog and four years of being a dog walker I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I have had to deal with an unwanted, excitable, badly trained dog with an ineffectual owner, paying us unwanted attention. Yet on MN children are terrified and adults are exasperated by constant multiple interactions with marauding, slobbering dogs. It's so strange 🤔

In twenty years of owning a dog and four years of being a dog walker I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I have had to deal with an unwanted, excitable, badly trained dog with an ineffectual owner, paying us unwanted attention.

I have to say, my own experience is the same. Despite walking in a variety of locations - quiet and busy - I have been jumped at about 5 times in 15 years.

YgritteSnow

Maybe because people wouldnt be posting if they didnt have a problem with off lead dogs? If they never encountered dogs running up and jumping on them or knocking their kids over etc etc they wouldnt be on here saying how fabulously well behaved all the dogs they met were would they?
The tiny amount of people on here having bad experiences with dogs is a drop in the ocean BUT it doesnt make it ok for dog owners to let their dogs cause havoc off lead. They are the owners who give the rest a bad name precisely because they stand out and are talked about.

This is mumsnet OP - a dog could maul you and some dog lovers here would still find a way of it being your fault. Thankfully most owners can actually think rationally about their pets though, so it's a small but loud minority.

Your question was AIBU to have reported to the police

Yes I believe you were. I dont care if you rang them on 101 or 999, it isnt a police matter at a time like this just because you were frustrated and angry. And no, I'm not saying the dog owner behaved responsibly either.