Greenwich Park dog owner berated by school worker

Teresa Clive, a 36-year-old payroll manager, stated she had a 'scary' and 'infuriating' encounter in Greenwich Park on 29 August. She claims a school worker aggressively demanded she put her pocket bully, Storm, on a lead. The worker reportedly referred to the dog as an 'XL Bully' and a 'murder dog', and called Clive and her companion 'local nutters'.

Clive, from Greenwich, South-East London, described Storm as a 'super friendly' and 'well-trained' dog. She stated that pocket bullies are not banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, which specifically prohibits XL Bullies. While park rules generally expect owners to keep dogs under control, leashes are not always mandatory.

Confrontation in the park

According to Clive, the incident occurred while the park was relatively quiet. She said she and her dogs were standing back to avoid interrupting a group taking photos. The school worker then approached them, becoming aggressive and demanding the dogs be leashed. Clive told MyLondon that if the worker had asked politely, she would have complied, but his demanding and 'arrogant' approach angered her.

Footage of the exchange shows the worker telling nearby children that Clive's dog was an 'illegal breed' and a 'murder dog', warning them 'before the murder dogs get you'. He also claimed 'everybody else has them on a lead' and threatened to fetch 'the old bill', meaning the police. Clive stated that telling children her dog was a 'murder dog' was 'unsettling'.

The worker was also heard mocking the pair for recording the incident and shouting 'make me famous'. Clive and her friend reportedly called the worker 'fat' and 'stupid' during the confrontation. The worker eventually left, saying 'whatever, have a nice life'.

Clive believes a dog's temperament is determined by its upbringing and handling, not its breed. She noted that while she sometimes encounters people who are wary of her dog, a simple conversation usually resolves misunderstandings. She has approached Greenwich Park and the school for comment.