Some people seem to think that the rules just don’t apply to them. Whether that’s something as small as the dress code in a fancy restaurant or as big as following mask mandates during COVID-19. When this woman’s dog ruined a duo’s beach picnic, she probably thought she’d get off with a simple “whoops.” However, she was held financially accountable instead.
Beach Picnic Gone Wrong
In a now-deleted viral video with more than 811,000 views, content creator Miah (@tinyspac3bigheart) shared the confrontation she had with a woman at the beach.
“Their off-leash dog ruined our food and they walked away,” the text overlay on the video read.
Based on the video, it seems this woman’s large dog was running or playing near where Miah and her friend had a picnic set up. His movements kicked up sand that got in their food, bags, and possibly on their person.
This seemed to go on for a bit before the dog’s owner finally grabbed the dog and got him to stop.
“Sorry, uh yeah,” the woman said, holding her dog. “I don’t know what to say, it is a dog beach.”
Miah added footage from the beach. It shows several signs by the entrance clearly saying that dogs are not allowed on the beach.
While Miah suggested to the woman that she should work on training her dog to recall, the woman said, “She’s just a puppy.” And when she pointed out that dogs aren’t even allowed in the picnic area, the woman responded with “Really?”
“I do apologize, I mean I don’t know what else to do,” the woman said.
Miah told her that they’d like compensation for their ruined meal.
“How sandy was your food,” the woman’s friend asked, stepping in.
“Non edible,” Miah replied.
“Non-edible at all?” the friend asked.
They Pay for Some of it
Now we have to agree with commenters here, if there’s any amount of sand on our food, we’re not inclined to eat it.
Miah pointed out that they’d DoorDashed salad and precut pineapple and mango. While Miah and her friend spent about $30 on the food, they only asked for $15 back “because stuff happens yk.”
The woman, who we then see is named Katie Rose Rice on her Venmo, did send the $15.
Here’s where things get weird. The pair came back and asked if they could have the sandy food. Miah said they could after she was done documenting it, but they didn’t want to wait, so they left, adding in a snippy, “Well, I hope that you really enjoy that $15.”
An Already Difficult Situation
To add insult to injury, Miah, who is 21, is currently homeless after a series of unfortunate events involving abuse at home and a breakup leading to tens of thousands of dollars of debt and poor credit (which makes it harder to find a place to live).
Miah is currently living out of her car and has a GoFundMe up to help with some of her expenses.
Is the Woman Cancelled?
Since the woman’s full name, Rose, was visible in the video, commenters were able to track down her business, Garden of the Universe (she has another site called Woven Herbs with the same origin story), which sells herbal medicines and tea.
But people are split on whether she and her business should be exposed and cancelled.
“Why are you exposing her business like she did anything wrong? she was VERY kind and paid for the food,” a person said.
“VERY kind? She literally walked away then said ‘idk what u want me to do’ when confronted. She only paid when they asked for fair compensation,” another wrote.
“So u wanna ruin her business over this? Wow” a commenter added.
In an email response, Rose said the following:
“I acknowledge that I made a mistake and take responsibility for it. What has been concerning is how a heavily edited, single-sided clip escalated into widespread harassment and serious safety concerns. The exposure of my personal information without consent has had a significant psychological impact and has added so much stress to an already-difficult time in my life. I think this post reflects a broader pattern of online abuse and pile-ons, which are microcosms of our self-perpetuating mental health epidemic.”
Why Dogs Are Banned From Many Beaches
Many beaches prohibit dogs for public health and environmental reasons.
According to The Orange Times, dogs are banned from many beaches for three main reasons: wildlife protection, public health concerns, and damage to beach facilities.
The wildlife impact is particularly significant. Research shows that dogs—regardless of size or temperament—are perceived by wildlife as predators, causing birds and other animals to abandon areas even after the dog has left. A 2016 scientific review concluded that “people with dogs – on leash or off – are much more detrimental to wildlife than people without dogs.”
An expert described an incident where a single off-leash dog caused an entire colony of 300 least terns (a type of bird) to abandon their nesting site, resulting in only four chicks surviving instead of potentially hundreds.
Not All That Harmless
Even seemingly harmless activities like letting dogs chase birds on the beach can be damaging. The American Kennel Club explains that these encounters cause stress responses in native animals, with migrating shorebirds using unnecessary energy to avoid dogs, energy they need to survive long journeys.
The public health concerns are equally serious. Dog waste creates contamination risks even when owners attempt to clean up, as complete removal is nearly impossible. According to the Centers for Disease Control, organisms like hookworm (frequently present in dog waste) can infect humans. The Seattle Animal Shelter points out that even diligent pet owners inevitably leave behind some fecal matter. Plus, there’s no effective way to clean up urine from sand or grass. This is particularly concerning in areas where children play barefoot or dig in the sand.
Dogs also cause physical damage to beaches and recreational areas. Their clawed feet tear up grass on playfields, creating muddy “runways” over time. They dig holes that become tripping hazards, damage playground equipment through chewing and scratching. They can also turn artificial turf and baseball infields into mud pits through constant wear.
The Mary Sue reached out to Miah via TikTok direct message and comment.
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Stacy Fernandez
Stacy Fernández is a freelance writer, project manager, and communications specialist. She’s worked at the Texas Tribune, the Dallas Morning News, and run social for the Education Trust New York.
