Dog Bit My Child This Morning In The Playground!

[Mummatothreecubs]

Hi, sorry if it’s in the wrong category.

This morning my child was bitten by a dog in the school playground by a parents dog. I didn’t see this happen although he was playing near the climbing frame when he dog jumped and clenched his jaw around his arm. Although his skin is not broken he’s been left with bit marks on his skin.

I raised my concerns to the deputy who was In the playground at the time and she said she would have a quiet word with the parent or may put this in our weekly newsletter.

Several parents bring their dogs to school for drop off/pick up, can anything be done about this? The school also has 2 small pet dogs which roam around on a lead.

I’m actually very concerned now and worried this could have again, he already isn’t great with dogs and now this has happened it’s going to take us a while to work on the whole safety around dogs again.

What is the rule around dogs in the playground? If there is one. Who do I speak to about this?

I was thinking the exact same thing?! I’m surprised that dogs are even allowed in the school playground let alone this shitty response from the deputy? Hope your son will be okay, what was the reaction from the dog’s owner?

My dog is a literal therapy dog for SEN children and the most bombproof dog I've ever known and I'd still not take him on a playground, kids at play are too unpredictable even if he's not! It just isn't the place for a dog.

That owner needs more than a quiet word, they need the fear of god putting in them. I'd go to the police and possibly contact the school governor to express your displeasure at the complete failure of the deputy to react appropriately to this. Dog bites can kill, just because this one didn't doesn't mean it can just be swept under the rug and ignored.

o good, I am so glad, I misunderstood you. I thought you were ONLY telling the deputy head.

I know its hard, my 6foot son was bitten on the thigh once, and nearly cried having to report an animal to the police, but he was very aware that if it had been a toddler, it would have been a bite on the head.

Don't be daft. Acting shocked she spoke to the deputy head. Police may well be a good idea but don't act all surprised she spoke to a teacher!

That is absolutely ridiculous that dogs are allowed in the playground! Definitely go to the head, and if need be the govenors!

All Primary schools I know have a very strict no dogs on the premises rule, you should push for one at your school as well.
Anyone who complains that they can't do the school run and dog walk seperately shouldn't have a dog.

It was on their premises and the dog was there with their permission. OP probably didn't expect the under-reaction she seems to be experiencing. She could reasonably expect the school to ban dogs from the premises like at most other primary schools.

Police.

At our primary school it is forbidden to take dogs into the playground. They are also not allowed to be tied up outside the gates incase they harm a child as they walk past. I cannot believe the under reaction from the deputy head and I’m very relieved you are reporting to the police. Many children are scared of dogs- this is completely unacceptable.

I’m glad you reported this to the police. The school should have done this immediately!!

It was a teacher's dog?

Our school allows dogs but they've got to be carried.

No wonder the school is trying to minimise this - it's all kinds of wrong.

Our school has a school dog. It's the head teachers.

I'd never heard of a school dog before this 😂 out school has a no dog rule on the play grounds but a lot of parents ignore this request and still bring them

Our school has a school dog. It's the head teachers.

That would annoy me. I'm assuming it's not a dog with additional training, which I'm aware can be very useful for some children. This is a dog owner who doesn't want to sort out some sort of care for their dog while they're at work.

As far as I can tell from the OP, there are 2 "school" dogs, who belong to teachers and are allowed to be at school. The dog which bit a child playing on a climbing frame was just a family pret with a parent dropping off.

@Mummatothreecubs do you know the name of the parent / dog owner?

Regardless of being on a lead, it/they shouldn't be inside school unless an approved therapy dog.

Report it to the dog warden at your local council. www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/report-a-dog#:~:text=You%20can%20report%20a%20dangerous,your%20local%20police%20force www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/report-a-dog#:~:text=You%20can%20report%20a%20dangerous,your%20local%20police%20force]]]]
WTF is a teacher doing bringing a pet to work, let alone an out of control dangerous one. I'd be raising hell with your local education authority about that too.

Heavens above - dogs should NOT be allowed in school playgrounds.

The school also has 2 small pet dogs - what the heck???!!!

I would be speaking to the governors (or their academy equivalent) or the LA - this is not on.

Our school has a school dog. It's the head teachers. - it is not a "school dog" - it is the HT's dog and she/he brings it to school.

This should not be happening.

This is awful OP hope your dc is ok! My dc school put in every weekly newsletter that dogs are not allowed on site but it’s regularly ignored as those with smaller dogs will just carry them in! Those with larger dogs will wait outside and everyone does have them on leads tbf.. I’ve never seen anyone carrying their dog in be challenged by staff though, so probably why it’s ignored!

This is the situation at the school near to my house my dc don’t go there but they have a ‘school dog’ which is just the HT pet that goes to work with her every day 🤦‍♀️

A quiet word with the parent?? Ummm what?? ‘You’re the deputy principal of the school. You set the rules. It is not unreasonable and it is in fact a legal requirement that you set the rules so they keep the children safe. Children being bitten by dogs on school grounds is not safe and you need to look at the rules, change them and publicise and enforce that to make sure they stop that from happening. A quiet word with the parent does none of that so is a woefully inadequate response. What are you actually planning to do that’s effective?! As the parent of the child who was bitten, I have a right to know.’

I’m glad you called the police!

Seriously? There's no mark. The fact no one at school seems bothered is because it's not a bite. If the dog had wanted to bite your child it would have.
Dogs use their mouths in all sorts of ways.

Op how are you teaching your child about animals and the natural world without understanding the basics.

No dogs allowed on school property in any of the local schools here.
Only assistance dogs.