Post by rubylottie14 on Dec 21, 2014 13:32:17 GMT -5
Took both Lottie and Minkie into my local park yesterday about 4.30 pm, much earlier than I would normally walk them (usually walk about 5.45 pm when Jack's owner picks him up).
Shortly after I'd entered the park a dog friend of mine called out to me and we walked together with her large collie cross. I can't let Minkie off in this park any more because she has run out at a number of different points and it's too dangerous to risk her being off lead.
In order to give her a chance at being off lead we all went into the tennis courts. We were throwing a tennis ball around and Minkie and Ziggy were having a good time (Lottie was starring out into the park looking for squirrels which is what all my greyhounds have done when let off lead in tennis courts).
Anyway, there was a group of 14/16 years olds kicking a ball around right next to the court and it came over the top and bounced into the court. Minkie of course went straight for it. My walking partner grabbed it from her and went to take it to the all male group. She asked that they wait for her to throw the ball over the fence to avoid any of our dogs getting out through the gate.
All the lads were shouting - if your dogs bite us we will bite them. All sorts of shouting and stupidity was going on. It went on and on. I walked up to the fence and said 'my dog will not bite you, all she wants to do is love everyone'. One lad replied 'you don't know what your dog might do, it could have the devil inside her'. There isn't anything you can say to such a ridiculous statement so I walked away. Alison said to them 'well my dog has a better attitude than you do sunshine' and that tipped them into even more abuse.
Alison had walked away at this point (she told me later that she couldn't trust herself not to say something else and make things worse.)
I was using greyhound leads and they both have buckles on and it took me ages to get them fastened. All the while these lads are shouting abuse at me. I'm on my own in the court at this point and the light is fading fast. The calling becomes sexual - 'do you want anal' and other similar sexual comments.
We walk away from them and I say to Alison 'we better not walk into the corner in case we become trapped'. She says she doesn't think they will follow us.
They do.
They are still shouting at us and coming towards us now. We go out the park and I suggest we stand under a lamp post and we do that. I turn and look directly at them. I stand still and stare at them and say nothing. When I do this the whole lot of them walk in the centre of the road past us and not a single one says a word.
They could easily have overpowered Alison and me - since they numbered 7/8.
I called the police later that evening. I wasn't sure if they'd take it seriously or not.
They've got the details and they told me that had I called whilst it was going on they would have sent out a patrol.
Wish I had done that now but at the time I didn't think about anything other than keeping my dogs and me 'safe' as I could.
I walked round the business park tonight as I cannot go back into my local park now.
Shortly after I'd entered the park a dog friend of mine called out to me and we walked together with her large collie cross. I can't let Minkie off in this park any more because she has run out at a number of different points and it's too dangerous to risk her being off lead.
In order to give her a chance at being off lead we all went into the tennis courts. We were throwing a tennis ball around and Minkie and Ziggy were having a good time (Lottie was starring out into the park looking for squirrels which is what all my greyhounds have done when let off lead in tennis courts).
Anyway, there was a group of 14/16 years olds kicking a ball around right next to the court and it came over the top and bounced into the court. Minkie of course went straight for it. My walking partner grabbed it from her and went to take it to the all male group. She asked that they wait for her to throw the ball over the fence to avoid any of our dogs getting out through the gate.
All the lads were shouting - if your dogs bite us we will bite them. All sorts of shouting and stupidity was going on. It went on and on. I walked up to the fence and said 'my dog will not bite you, all she wants to do is love everyone'. One lad replied 'you don't know what your dog might do, it could have the devil inside her'. There isn't anything you can say to such a ridiculous statement so I walked away. Alison said to them 'well my dog has a better attitude than you do sunshine' and that tipped them into even more abuse.
Alison had walked away at this point (she told me later that she couldn't trust herself not to say something else and make things worse.)
I was using greyhound leads and they both have buckles on and it took me ages to get them fastened. All the while these lads are shouting abuse at me. I'm on my own in the court at this point and the light is fading fast. The calling becomes sexual - 'do you want anal' and other similar sexual comments.
We walk away from them and I say to Alison 'we better not walk into the corner in case we become trapped'. She says she doesn't think they will follow us.
They do.
They are still shouting at us and coming towards us now. We go out the park and I suggest we stand under a lamp post and we do that. I turn and look directly at them. I stand still and stare at them and say nothing. When I do this the whole lot of them walk in the centre of the road past us and not a single one says a word.
They could easily have overpowered Alison and me - since they numbered 7/8.
I called the police later that evening. I wasn't sure if they'd take it seriously or not.
They've got the details and they told me that had I called whilst it was going on they would have sent out a patrol.
Wish I had done that now but at the time I didn't think about anything other than keeping my dogs and me 'safe' as I could.
I walked round the business park tonight as I cannot go back into my local park now.