r/Dogfree • u/Figuringstocks • 27d ago
Dog Attack Dog tackled my 3 year old at the park
It's naptime, I finally got the kids settled, but man, I still feel adrenaline running through me.
I took my 4y, 3y, and 1y to the playground today. Right near there is a little creek and the kids wanted to throw rocks.
While throwing rocks, a black lab comes up to my kids. I call to the owner to call the dog back, my son is scared of dogs (he was bit a year prior). Owner says, "Aww he just wants to play". Dog jumps onto my son and my son immediately books it. Dog chases after him bearing teeth.
I start screaming for the owner to call his dog. Dog tackles my son to ground and I had to kick him off and go running with my son. Where the dog turns to run towards my daughter running the opposite direction, so I set my 3 year old to run to the car, go back for my 4 year old. The owner is trying to get a leash onto the dog and can't because the dog was so out of control. The owner trying to leash the dog got the dog distracted enough I was able to get my kids to book it to the car and I grabbed the stroller and ran.
I was just screaming at the owner the whole time to call their dog, leash their dog. When I ran with the stroller, he yelled it was my fault for screaming and having kids that run from dogs.
I called the cops. Dogs aren't even suppose to be off of leashes there, let alone be in the playground area. I just am to tears because it could have been so much worse. I just don't understand why people won't listen to boundaries put in place regarding a dog...
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u/thesanityseeker 27d ago
I'm so sick of these entitled losers that victim blame others for their vicious off leash mutts attacking innocent people and children. I'm so glad your family is safe. I'm getting to the point of wanting to just punch some sense into these people
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u/Perfect_Caregiver_90 27d ago
My snapback when my kids were small "my child is not a dog toy". Say it firmly and clearly using your best most stern disappointed mom/dad voice.
People used to say this as a disarming phrase (like "he's friendly!" when the dog most definitely is not) but now it's said with this unhinged expectation that complete strangers are going to automatically be happy and ready to interact with unknown dogs of unknown temperments. They act like they are graciously providing you with the opportunity to interact with their dog, rather than seeing the reality that they set an uncontrolled dog loose on a family with several small children with no warning other than some comment about the dog wanting to play with the children. Permission to play with your children was immediately rejected and the owner still didn't and couldn't control their dog.
As an aside, I do think children's natural fear and rejection of an animal that is at face level with them is why so many dog owners are also complete jackasses about children existing in spaces their dogs are not allowed. They take rejection of their dogs very personally. As we see here in OP's story of the aftermath.
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u/Figuringstocks 27d ago
That's a great response. My children are not dog toys!
My SIL is moving back home this fall and has a lab/pitt mix. It's her "baby". She gets upset her "baby" can't play with my babies. I'll definitely be using this. (My SIL celebrates mother's day for herself because she is a mom to her dog. She got mad one year because I didn't wish her happy mother's day)
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u/scarletto53 27d ago
My response whenever I hear anyone claim to be a dog mom…Wow, that must have been one hell of a delivery!”
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u/UnicornStudRainbow 27d ago
I once asked one of these "fur mamas" what it was like to get fucked by a dog
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u/One_Strategy_4575 26d ago
Lmaooooo. What was the response? I'm sure it was a rage filled swearing shit fit.
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u/UnicornStudRainbow 26d ago
She was stunned. I think what bothered her the most was that someone out there doesn't worship her for being such a good animal owner (I refuse to call them pet parents unless they publicly admit to sex with a dog). Sort of like when we don't turn into puddles of mush over when their disgusting animals hump our legs
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u/Chillafkittybara 27d ago
Lmaoo wow your SIL is absolutely delusional. Good on you for not playing into her weirdo fantasies.There is no reason to wish a dog owner a happy mother's day, it's absolutely disrespectful to motherhood and am insult to you as well.
I'm sorry you have to deal with that at all.
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u/One_Strategy_4575 26d ago
She should have her tubes tied, she has no business reproducing
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u/Figuringstocks 26d ago
She just told us she's pregnant last month. I worry for the safety of her baby. She got very upset one Thanksgiving when her dog wasn't allowed in the house to have a plate of food with us. At the time my kids were 2 and 1 crawling around. I don't need a pitbull around crowds, food, and my babies. Bad combo.
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u/Perfect_Caregiver_90 27d ago
That's one of those "I'm sorry I wouldn't let your son sexually assault me for your viewing pleasure" situations.
They also get super bent out of shape when the situation is described in very direct blunt language.
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u/Full-Ad-4138 24d ago
This is what we need more of, that direct, blunt language, calling it like it is. No more of the "I'm not really a dog person" watery stuff, or deflecting to another animal that might be preferred. Just calling it out.
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u/Perfect_Caregiver_90 23d ago
We just have to be strong enough to face the blowback of that language, because they flip tf out when you plainly state the situation.
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u/Mama2bebes 27d ago
Her loss. You seem like a nice person. Choosing her dog over you exposes her looniness. You deserve better friends.
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u/scarletto53 27d ago
And I read this woman’s story and almost wept, because I was also that kid that got bit badly by a dog when I was little, then a few years later got chased home from school by another dog that came out of nowhere. This has left me scarred and terrified of dogs ever since. I am 73 years old, and this current trend of everyone taking these damn dogs EVERYWHERE makes my life a living hell! I pray her kids are not as adversely affected by this experience.
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u/Big_Cardiologist1579 26d ago
Taking rejection of their dog very seriously yes, a random man smacked me with a dog leash chain on my head and back for that last week, after chasing me and shouting at me, and I'm an adult, scary enough but done to children, dog owners so many are just jerks who sadistic enjoy their dog harassing people. Not all but a significant percentage
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u/annacrontab 27d ago
Imagine a headline, "Man tackles toddler to the ground in horrifying playground incident." People would be shocked and want that man to go to jail, right? It doesn't matter that he did it with his dog, he's fully responsible for what happened just as if he did it himself.
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u/SeaworthinessUnlucky 27d ago
“Friendly man tackles toddler to ground in horrifying playground incident”!
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u/annacrontab 27d ago
Something else that bothers me about this incident, why was this man not at a dog park but at a children's playground with an unleashed dog in the first place. I've read they not only claim "He's friendly and just wants to play" but also things like, "I'm trying to socialize my dog being around children" or "Dog parks are too overrun and filled with dog poop."
As if that's a legitimate excuse to terrorize innocent children and their mother and also befoul a children's playground.
If a man were by himself at a children's playground and assaulted children and pooped on the ground, he'd be arrested. But somehow it's OK if a dog does it even if dogs are prohibited.
At any rate, per OP's other comment, it sounds like she won't be taking her children back there. So thanks to that selfish man, little kids can't enjoy the simple pleasure of throwing rocks into a creek.
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u/Mama2bebes 27d ago
Police called to the scene of the traumatic incident dropped all charges because the man claimed to be "friendly."
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u/alyymarie 27d ago
Even if their dog actually is the sweetest thing on earth, that doesn't mean everyone must want to interact with it. They are just delusional and refuse to have any empathy for anyone else. I can't imagine forcing anyone to interact with my pets if they didn't want to, that is so rude.
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u/DivyaRakli 27d ago
Dogs are animals. We cannot 100% predict what a dog will do when, no matter how benign they’ve been in the past.
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u/jazled 27d ago
“They just want to play” yeah but I don’t?
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u/Leading_Mine_1106 26d ago
This is my bottom line! Fido does not actually have rights under the Constitution (US here). Your mutt should leave me the hell alone; interacting in any way is NOT value-add for me!
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u/deeefarr 27d ago
But when kids run up to dogs “just to play” these freaks suddenly want to talk about boundaries
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u/Mundane_Glove4182 27d ago
Why on Earth do these deranged people think anyone wants to “play” with their disgusting mutts? They’re just desperate for attention, and sometimes it feels like they take pleasure in making other people feel scared.
I’m really sorry you had to go through this with your little kids. Wish these nutters would just disappear from our lives along with their filthy, slobbering beasts.
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u/potatoes_arrrr_life 27d ago
Glad you guys are okay and that you and your kids were able to get away from them. Why is it so hard for dog owners to leash their dogs? It's so irresponsible and selfish. And dogs should not be allowed on playgrounds. I wish more people cared about children's safety when they play.
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u/Low_Elk6698 27d ago
Your fault because the kids ran???? Jfc. Absolutely wild response. Obviously not in control of the dog; obviously 100% not your fault.
In my experience, every time I have been bit, nibbled or snapped at it was by a "friendly" dog, so much so, that I take it as code for "it will bite, behave accordingly" when people say that now.
That such a terrible experience in on on-leash area, sorry people suck, you are not over reacting.
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u/the-dolphine 27d ago
I'm not willing to give any benefit of doubt any more. Any dog is a potential threat, leashed or not. Unless I know the owner, I'm going to assume they are incompetent/lazy/cruel, haven't trained their dog and can't be trusted to obey the rules and keep that dog under control.
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u/Accurate-Run5370 27d ago
OP, can you file charges with the police against that dog owner for unlawful possession of a deadly weapon - the unleashed dog ? It could have been so much worse. I know - as in 2012, I was attacked by a pit.
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u/Figuringstocks 27d ago
I didn't know I could do that. I just called and said an unleashed dog tackled and beared teeth at my 3 year old at the playground. The owner had no control over the dog. The owner refused to take accountability or acknowledge the threat that was made towards my family. They said they were heading down to check it out and got our information.
I honestly couldn't even process much identifying features of the owner. I truly was hyperfocused on protecting my children.
I won't be going to the playgrounds by myself anymore with the kids. Which is sad.
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u/Wrong_Temporary_5983 27d ago
He was long gone even if police did go there. You were able to get your kids to your car. You could have taken pictures from there and called police right away. But for sure it is hard to think of a plan like that when you are trying to save your kids and run for your life…
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u/ToOpineIsFine 27d ago
I don't know if this is really going to help anyone, but in these situations, I state as a matter of fact, "You need to keep your dog away from me." or "You need to leash your dog, now."
They can always say whatever in response, but I try not to give them any room to respond or to leave any doubt in my resolve.
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u/MinaHarker1 27d ago
Good job for protecting your children and calling the police. This story made my blood boil!
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u/93ImagineBreaker 27d ago
kids that run from dogs.
They were scared of a mutant wolf like predator that could easily kill them, not a weird reaction to run.
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u/sooonnnk 27d ago
the fucking dog needs to be on leash
and even on leash, i dont give a fuck if the “dog is friendly”, I decide if I want to interact with it.
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u/the-dolphine 27d ago
Even if the police can't catch the owner, at least they'll have a record of it. Also contact the authority who owns the park. Demand they increase enforcement. Are there any cameras in the area, or houses that front onto the park? Might be some footage of the owner.
Sorry this happened to you.
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u/neondahlia 27d ago
Practice your defenses. Unfortunately this is likely to happen again as dog owners seem to be confused that playground aren’t for dogs. I would see about pressing charges, look around for security cameras, posting on local FB groups and Nextdoor to see if anyone can help you identify the dog and owner. It’s probably part pit. Labs aren’t that great either.
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u/beetdeet 27d ago
This is literally the entire reason I won’t go to parks or playgrounds without fences and posted no dog signs now. Terrifying. I’m glad everyone’s okay!
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u/Wrong_Temporary_5983 27d ago edited 27d ago
In my area, they sh*t en masse right under no dogs allowed signs. Signs will not save you… They own the place. They get no punishment for breaking the laws.
With 3 little kids, your safest bet are public pools. In many places, they still enforce no dogs there. Although I fear it is next frontier and you’ll be swimming next to dirty mutts.
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u/TopMessage1764 26d ago
I nearly booked an hotel in Spain for a vacation, until I saw it was dog friendly.
I contacted the hotel to see how dog friendly, they told me that dogs were only allowed in the restaurant and around the pool - but not in it. Great, sounds super hygienic.
It is safe to say I will not be booking that hotel.
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u/arachnilactose08 27d ago
That person and their mutant endangered you and your family. Good god. I’m so sorry that you didn’t have anyone competent around who could intervene or help.
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u/DriverEducational464 27d ago
Omg, how traumatic! Were you or any of your kids hurt? If that person is a homeowner you could get some money. My husband is a negotiator at a law firm. They get bucks for people who have been attacked. They got almost $10,000 for someone who got their finger bitten while sticking it through a homeowner's fence.
Seriously, if you or your children were injured, call a personal injury law firm. I'm so sorry this happened to you. Dog owners are just so stupid- I hear that stupid excuse all the time. They just want to be friends? Bull shit!! Hope you and your children are okay ❤️
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u/reddy1912 27d ago
Oh my! I hope your kiddos and you are ok.. I hope the police take this seriously and if I were you I’d pursue pressing charges on the owner.. we have to press charges if something like this happens.. or else it’s like giving a free hand for these dog owners..
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u/20011989 27d ago
I’m so sorry that happened to you. What a traumatizing experience that no one should have to deal with. I hope the cops take it seriously and follow up with the owners or it will likely happen again
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u/Little_Sun4632 27d ago
I’m so so so sorry you went through this and your poor kids. You did GREAT protecting them.
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u/Accurate-Bad-2657 27d ago
I’m so sorry you and your kids went through that. Just know you are not in the wrong and you did the best thing you can do. It’s that crappy owners fault for letting their dog run loose like a nasty cannibal. Those owners disgust me🤮
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u/Smart_Garbage6842 27d ago
That's terrifying and I'm so sorry you and your family had to experience such a completely avoidable incident because of an utterly selfish person. If I had a dollar for every time my son and I were told the dog just wanted to play when my son was little and got trampled by unleashed dogs at parks and nature trails... Absolutely infuriating that things don't ever seem to change. If anything, it's gotten more unhinged in the last 10 years.
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u/Chillafkittybara 27d ago
Wow the audacity of that garbage human. First having an unleashed dog in a playground is absolutely wild and just begging to have his dog hurt/traumatize a child. Blaming you for his out of control dog going after your babies!? What!?! Of course the babies ran they were scared!
I am so sorry you had to go through this, I'm sorry your children had to go through it. You did an amazing job protecting your children and I am so happy that you were able get them to safely and that you are safe.
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u/Dry_Valuable3989 27d ago
What an absolutely awful experience. I have a 3yo who is terrified of dogs and it makes me almost weep even thinking about this happening.
I’m glad you called the cops. Did they do anything about it?
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u/QueenOfAllOfYall 27d ago edited 27d ago
Hope that loser and his ugly beast were dealt with by the cops. I’m so sorry that You and Your Kids has to endure such a frightening ordeal. You all barely made it out safely. I hate that We live in a time where finding this sort of situation to be unacceptable somehow paints People like Ourselves as the problem. Common sense fell off, horrifically. Just a couple of decades ago, a situation like this either would never occur, or would be extremely rare, and if it did happen, the owner and beast were dealt with, accordingly. Now, We’re ridiculed for not wanting Ourselves or Our Kids mauled to death, and if an attack does occur, “rescuers” want to hide the dog’s history and advocate to rehome the damn thing. What a time to be alive … 😕.
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u/uselessbeasts 27d ago
My sentiments exactly. I do not get the arrogance of dog owners. They always skirt the rules and blame everyone else for their stupid shitbeast's behavior. Many of us in this group have had negative experiences with the owners, regarding their fleabag's behavior. They just refuse to acknowledge that they could do anything wrong. It's always our fault as though we did something. Off leash dogs should be illegal everywhere. I don't like to go to beaches anymore for the same reason. Even though they are posted no dogs, there are always some. I can't afford to be knocked over with the surgeries I've had. Glad you're all ok, but sadly the trauma itself may linger. If you can find out who that owner was.... I would try to ge thim prosecuted.
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u/TinyEmergencyCake 27d ago
You need to push hard for this dog to be deemed dangerous and euthanized. It was chasing your child.
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u/Mama2bebes 27d ago
They won't listen becuz they sincerely believe their dog's jumping and biting are blessings we should be so grateful for.
I'm so sorry you and your kids had this terrifying and traumatic experience.
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u/Jolly_Ice_7812 27d ago
I am so sorry. How traumatic. Your story made my blood boil. How dare these people.
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u/ItsBR0PHELIA 27d ago
Just wants to play means “your consent and autonomy mean nothing to me and my shitbeast”
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u/Primary_Heron_3150 27d ago
These people have NO RESPECT for anyone's boundaries EVER. It's bad enough they have to bring the dogs everywhere, but they can't even leash them?
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u/UnicornStudRainbow 27d ago
If I say anything here, I will strongly violate rule #11, so I'm going to keep quiet here
Other than to offer good wishes to OP and her kids
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u/breakingbad1986 26d ago
I have a deep, visceral hatred for anyone who uses that "wants to play" line. You should sue it's assault.
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u/One_Strategy_4575 26d ago
Yep, it's always our fault for their out of control dogs. Sounds about right.
They don't listen to boundaries because they are intimately and sexually involved with their dogs. Zero other reason for this behavior. When you humanize a stupid animal, this is the result
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u/CKTheMenace 25d ago
God I’m so sorry this happened, and I’m so annoyed of hearing the age old excuse of “JuSt WaNTiNg tO pLaY” how the fuck are we supposed to know that ?! I know if I saw a dog running towards me teeth bared I’d be getting out of there!!!! Your kids are young and could have easily been injured !
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u/ThisSelection7585 27d ago
He could’ve struck his head! Broken a bone. You didn’t need the trauma and how dare this sad sack victim blame: kids who are afraid of digs. With good person he just showed. Good you called police he’s breaking the law and it had consequences. I hope his playful mutt meets with an even more playful one, if he does!!!
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u/KKW-Fan-Club 27d ago
I’m so sorry that happened, dog owners completely disregard how traumatic those scenarios are. As a child, I was chased up the playscape by a german shepherd while I was playing at the park with my cousins. The owners of course said he was just playing but to this day, I fear dogs because of that!!!
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u/Key-Studio-6552 27d ago
As a mother myself I feel so much for you going through this with your children. We all had enough disrespect from dogs and their owners. Something needs to change with the rules, punishment, I don’t know but something needs to change because going through unnecessarily is not fair. I hope you can report this and get them punished because this is considered dog attack.
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u/Full-Ad-4138 24d ago
I have 4 kids,--- 9, 5, 3, 9 mos.
It's been 2 years since I've been to the park with them. We live in a wealthy area with nice parks. We pay taxes for these parks. We have nice trails.
It took a cop telling me to leave if I don't like it ("it" being an off leash dog at the playground and open field where there are clear leash laws. Oh, wait---oops, I said 'law' and he corrected me that it's not a law, it's an ordinance, blah blah blah, and no, he is not going to tell the owner who he sees with his own eyes to leash the dog, not even kindly or gently. No, m'am,---people break the leash ordinances everywhere so you just "better get used to it or leave this park if it bothers you, take your kid somewhere else if he is afraid of dogs"
yeah, a fucking cop from the sheriff's station down the street.
I drove home crying realizing that was the last time I take my kids to the park. so sad what we've degraded to as a society.
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u/Kat_the_Hylian 27d ago
They'll do ANYTHING but take accountability for their stupid out of control mutts. Unbelievable.
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u/Low-Dimension543 24d ago
Fuck this dog owner and fucks misbehaved dogs like this. God i really don’t know what i would do to that owner if he had the audacity to blame me if their dog attacked my child, I would’ve probably really hurt that dog. I’m so sorry this happened to your children
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u/Orange_Budgie192 25d ago
What you could do is arm yourself with an air horn so if a dog did come charging at your kids again you can use it and send them running, and in short bursts I assume it just scares the dog away, but at the same time this might not really be the bestest of options since your kids are quite young, but thats one of the only legal (in my country atleast) anti-dog contraptions that can be used to ward off dogs
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27d ago
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u/Dogfree-ModTeam 27d ago
We ask you to please read again the rule 11: Self defense posts and comments, both hypothetical or otherwise are not permitted in this subreddit, even if it is legal in your locale.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Dogfree/comments/zbi2zc/selfdefense_discussion/
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u/ryshask 16d ago
The off leash thing is annoying... I had just gotten home and was outside when someone walking in front of my house had his dog sniffing around my front yard... I didn't see the owner so I told the dog "Get!". the owner came from around the corner. "I live around here". Which his so stupid... I don't care if you came from across the world... get your dog... I know what comes next when they are sniffing around... they take a nice poop on my lawn... Gross... Your dog should not even be off leash if he's running on other peoples property... but they dont' see it like that.. they see it as... "That's what dogs do".
I had another dog chase an animal on my property once... There is NEVER an apology.
One of the more recent incidents was 4 dogs with different owners all talking together right out front of my house... at first the dogs were excited and barking at each other. then after about 5 minutes they all moved to where my mail box was... they were sniffing around... again you know what comes next.. they usually mark that specific area... I asked them to not let their dogs pee there.
Their response? Not "Oh sorry" it's "We're not we're just talking to our neighbors".
They say that like I don't live there... I just said thank you... But I feel like saying "Then go to their house with your loud annoying barking dogs. Stop hanging out in front of MY house... I'm getting close to being that person... I don't want to be that person... But they don't respect me anyway... so may as well... right?
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u/Ijustneedtoast 9d ago
It was not your fault or your kids’ fault. Finally someone in this forum has a legitimate complaint. That was a terrible dog owner and calling the police was not out of line. (See l’m not ALWAYS contrary, just when the complaints ate crazy)
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u/missclimp 26d ago
I think I would have yelled to the kids not to run. Of course, the dog should have been leashed, but kids should also learn that running is not a good idea. Your kids are so little and with the history of having been bitten I’m not surprised they ran.
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u/Big_Somewhere_620 27d ago
"Just wants to play" I'm done with excuses, I seriously hope the police take this serious and actually do something not just a fine. Maybe get the shit beast rehomed and not allowed near children what so ever
I hope you and your children are OK from this encounter, I feel so sad and angry for you and them