My son came back from a 5 night secondary school camping trip and told me one of the teachers took their pet dog with them. It was a mtb, climbing, walking etc etc trip. The dog went up Snowdon with them and to the beach where it wasn’t on a leash. Should the school have allowed this with or without parental permission? Can anyone advise if there is a reason why a dog would be on a school trip. Should I bring it up with the school or let it go as I don’t want my son to reap the consequences of my actions… Holiday or school trip? I’m not sure… Am I over-reacting?

In my opinion, yes, you’re over-reacting. But I’m a dog owned, so perhaps I’m biased.

Yes, it is great that kids learn about animals of all sorts. Most outdoor centers I have worked at had center / staff animals around – cats and dogs – and unless someone was coming in with allergy or reason not, the dogs were around on session where appropriate.
The bigger risks in life are the ones you accept without question (traveling in car, staying at relatives etc), yet we fuss over the smaller ones (in this case the dog)..On that week statistically your son was more likely to be hurt at school or have a crash in the coach on the way – did you check the coach and driver over?
(BTW, I am a non pet owner, who would never have a dog or cat as a pet)

Can anyone advise if there is a reason why a dog would be on a school trip.

Because kids interacting with animals is a good thing and let’s them learn that they’re not all snarling beasts who eat kids’ faces.

Your child is probably more likely to be bitten by one of his classmates.

Am I over-reacting?

Quite simply yes you are, massively. It’s not something that would ever cross my mind to be even the tiniest bit outraged about.

I’m dog owned too but I wouldn’t take my dog to work. My friend thinks I’m over-reacting too. More thought need maybe.

What was the dog’s name ?

Looks at Daily Mail on-line for “Child almost savaged by non rabid dog on freebee holiday shocker”
🙄

Perhaps the school were not willing to cover the cost of pet care, in which case, that teacher may not have been willing to go. If the dog had not been allowed, perhaps the trip would have to be cancelled.

Errr. What was son’s response to the dog being on the trip?

Another question, is there a reason a dog should not be on a school trip?

An outdoor holiday sounds the perfect place to take the dog. I’m assuming he doesn’t actually take the dog to work. School trips are more than work for teachers, they require full 24/7 sacrifice for the duration. Maybe the kids learned a bit about dog ownership on the holiday?

. It’s not something that would ever cross my mind to be even the tiniest bit outraged about.

This ^^

I don’t think it’s appropriate. Not everyone likes dogs, some folk are allergic. Dog owners think dogs are a part of life, but they aren’t for everyone.

Not all kids know how to behave around dogs. Not hard to see a situation where a kid who doesn’t know how to deal with dogs annoys it and gets bitten. At the very least, it could cause a little stress and make someone’s school trip a bit less fun.

You should shoot the teacher, the dog, your child and then shoot yourself in the penis to avoid this kind of trouble in the future.

My 17 yr old is at the army college in Harrogate at the minute and we went up for a family day a few weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised to see that his NCO’s Great Dane is living in the barracks with them. All the lads seemed to love it and the dog certainly got loads of attention.

What was the dog’s name ?

Why are you the teacher or friend of? 😉

Yes, you are over-reacting …

Think of those poor children in the 3rd world that have to run the gauntlet of dogs from their neighbour everyday to go to school.

Yes, I did but then I had a pipe to whack them … 😈

allthepies – Member

What was the dog’s name ?

Good point. No responsible parent would want their child to associate with a dog called Tyson.

. Not everyone likes dogs, some folk are allergic.

Then those that don’t will keep away or learn dogs are actually nice. One of the many questions asked by Teachers before school trips is the allergies one.

What was the dog’s name ?

Tyler.

Not all kids know how to behave around dogs. Not hard to see a situation where a kid who doesn’t know how to deal with dogs annoys it and gets bitten

Haven’t you almost answered your own statement there?

It was a probably a good learning experience, schools are supposed to do that sort of thing I believe!

some folk are allergic.

I don’t think he was forcibly rubbing people with the dog… I’m allergic to feathers, I didn’t demand the school and all places we visited by stripped of any decorative feathers as a child…

Is the staff member a first aider? Does the staff member have detailed knowledge of the area the school visited? Is there any chance that taking the dog was the only way that the staff member could go on the trip? Do you consider five days away looking after the most precious thing a parent has a holiday? Is the dog a pitbull? Has the dog been CRB checked? Was it off the leash during other times of the adventure holiday fully paid for by charging the students extra?

I say ring the Daily Mail and complain.

Has the dog been CRB checked?

Dammit you’re right – he could be a serial leg humper 😉

OK point taken. I over-reacted…

Has the dog been CRB checked?

😆

I can assure you it wasn’t a holiday for the teacher.

Someone will no doubt complain and that’ll be another activity that won’t take place next year. How many of you went on a proper school exchange to another country when you were younger? If you’re over 50 there’s a good chance you did, if you’re under 20 the answer is no, though you may have been on a trip to Disneyland Paris stopping in hotels and never speaking French.

What was the dog’s name?

Germany.

never speaking French.

Pretty useless language to know these days anyway.

Not all kids know how to behave around dogs.

Good point.

Also, not all kids can do sums or write gud.

Sorry, definite over-reaction. I’m sure that the teacher wouldn’t have taken his dog if it was a rabid, snarling beast. Dogs and outdoor experiences go together very well, I’m sure all the kids loved having him (the dog) along on their trip. Have you asked your son if he was pleased that the dog came too?

I’m not a dog owner, never have been, but I’m very happy for my boys to learn to interact with animals, and an outdoor-themed trip sounds like the ideal opportunity.

I’m under 50 and went on trip to France, didn’t really need to speak French as all the places we visited spoke English. My daughter gets the chance to go to France in a fe years before she starts high school. So nothing changed there.

i think it is reasonable to expect the school to ask but i dont really see it as a big problem

If they did take a dog [ having completed the risk assessments for activity breaks] then they need to have mentioned the dog in the risk assessment and have done things to control for this- seriously Health and safety gone mad innit
Given they can personally be sued for manslaughter if the trip goes wrong they treat these very seriously

All risk should be mentioned to parents if only to cover your arse from the over sensitive souls suing you

If you really want to kick up a fuss ask to see the risk assessment for the trip.

FWIW they were an absolute pain in the arse to do you had to think of everything possible that could happen and I do think the school should have mentioned it to you

Personally I think there is no more risk from a dog than from say abseiling but i would expect to tell parents of either and they would be on my RA

A trip or a proper exchange, Drac? Staying in a non-paid foreign family and then having their kid to stay. I voluntarily accompany 30 kids to Germany each year and then organise activities for the German kids when they coem to France, but Madame has given up trying to organise an exchange with a school in England. Parents are too protective and teachers too frightened of what they will be accused of.

Then those that don’t will keep away or learn dogs are actually nice.

That’s your opinion, shouldn’t have to force it on someone else.

Look, I wouldn’t particularly be outraged about this, and I wouldn’t complain, but this smacks of the old ‘oh it’s just common sense’ argument. Just because dog owners and dog lovers like having dogs around, doesn’t mean it should be taken for granted.

but this smacks of the old ‘oh it’s just common sense’ argument.

And what a terrible argument that is, when everyone knows just how overrated “commonsense” is.

Having read Junkyard’s post I understand why teachers in England no longer want to organise anything outside school for kids. “risk assessment … personally sued for manslaughter” (charged with manslaughter surely). Barmy island.

40% of households in the UK have dogs. They’re everywhere and largely unavoidable. Knowing how to behave around dogs is an important life skill that all children should learn, like crossing the road, basic hygiene and swimming. I think schools are a good place to learn these things.

It reveals that 53 children and six adults have died on school trips since 1985. In the last 10 years the rate has risen slightly, with 33 deaths reported.

that is the figure to 2007 FWIW

Yes personally charged ie the teachers not the school

40% of households in the UK have dogsdone drugs. They’re everywhere and largely unavoidable. Knowing how to behave around dogsdrugs is an important life skill

Still think the parents should decide that and not the school though i dont disagree- i used that to show it was up tp parents to decide though it should not be taken too seriously as an analogy

To the OP: Perhaps you may find it useful to identify when and where you gained your fear of dogs.

Seriously.

The OP owns a dog.