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Teen Tells Brother He ‘Deserved’ To Get Dumped After He Mocked Him For Grieving Late Dog

Sad teen sitting on the stairs.
kate_sept2004/GettyImages

Losing a pet can be a devastating experience.

The same can be said for heartbreak from love.

Losing a loved one can leave a person shattered.

Sometimes, all of that pain and anger leads people to lash out.

A Redditor wanted to discuss his experience and get some feedback, so naturally, he came to the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subreddit.

He asked:

“AITA for Telling My Older Brother He Deserved to Be Dumped After He Made Fun of Me for Crying?”

The Original Poster (OP) explained:

“Hey Reddit, I’m a 15-year-old guy, and this week has been one of the hardest of my life.”

“My dog, Romeo, passed away unexpectedly a few days ago.”

“He wasn’t just a dog, a lot of people get what I mean, he was my B[est] F[riend], and the closest thing to me since I was 3.”

“Got me?”

“I didn’t think it would hit me this hard, but it did.”

“Now, here’s the thing, my older brother (20 M[ale]) is the stereotypical ‘tough guy.'”

“Super popular, full of confidence, high school musical type of s**t.”

“But he also has a bad habit of dismissing anything that doesn’t fit into his worldview.”

“We’ve never been THAT close, he thinks I’m too sensitive, and I think he’s a bit of an a**, but I genuinely thought he’d understand how much Romeo meant to me.”

“I mean, even if he didn’t care about Romeo, he could have at least respected that I did, right?”

“You guessed it, he didn’t 🙏🏻🙏🏻.”

“Yesterday, I was sitting in the living room, looking through old photos of Romeo on my phone and to be honest I was crying.”

“I thought I was alone.”

“Then my brother walked in, took one look at me, and started laughing menacingly (literally it sounded like the flamingo from One Piece).”

“He said things like: ‘You really cryin’ over a dog? and ‘man up, it’s just an animal.'”

“I tried to ignore him at first and asked him to stop, but that just seemed to make him more of an a**hole.”

“He kept going, saying things like, ‘What’s next? you gonna hold a funeral for him?’ and even pretended to cry in a mocking way.”

“I don’t know what changed in me, but I snapped.”

“I was hurt, angry, and just so fed up with how shi**y he was being.”

“I remembered that not long ago, his G[irl]F[riend] of two years had broken up with him.”

“Ever since, he’s been moping around the house, blasting sad breakup songs, and talking to anyone who’ll listen about how ‘heartbroken’ he is.”

“So I looked him dead in the eye and said, ‘At least my ‘just an animal loved me, your girl clearly didn’t love you the way she cheated on you. At least my dog died loving me, your girl is still alive and doesn’t love you.'”

“He froze, completely silent.”

“Then his face went red, and he stormed out of the room without saying a word.”

“Fast forward to later, my parents heard about what happened (thanks to him, of course) and told me I was out of line.”

“They said I went too far and that I should apologize because what I said was cruel.”

“But here’s the thing, I don’t feel like I owe him an apology.”

“He mocked me while I was grieving, dismissed my feelings, and only stopped when I hit him where it hurt.”

“I know what I said was harsh.”

“I know it wasn’t the nicest thing I could’ve said.”

“But honestly? He started it.”

“I wouldn’t have gone there if he’d just shown me a shred of emotion or even left me alone.”

“Now my parents are pressuring me to ‘make things right’ with him, but I don’t see why I should have to apologize when he was the one who started being shi**ty first.”

The OP was left to wonder:

“So AITA?”

Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:

  • NTA – Not The A**hole
  • YTA – You’re The A**hole
  • NAH – No A**holes Here
  • ESH – Everyone Sucks Here

Many Redditors declared OP was NOT the A**hole.

“NTA. Ask your parents where they are when he starts teasing you.”

“Tell them no.”

“A 20-year-old who makes fun of a sibling for crying over a pet is heartless.”

“It also makes me wonder if he has a mental illness.”

“He may be a psychopath or sociopath.”

“I suggest you stay away from him.”

“He has some serious problems.”

“I cried like a baby when my pet died.”

“Tell your parents he’s 20, not 2 and he needs to apologize.”

“Go L[ow] C[ontact] with him when you move out of the house.” ~ Any_Dragonfruit4130

“There was a dog that didn’t belong to us, but we looked after him regularly for 8 years.”

“Just over a year ago, we were looking after him when he suddenly became sick and we rushed him to the vet.”

“They found a pre-existing condition and unfortunately he had to be put down.”

“Yeah, I ugly cried and he wasn’t even our dog.”

“Not officially, anyway, but his owners used to call us his second family.”

“He was the most beautiful dog ever, and even now I’m tearing up.” ~ regus0307

“Your parents should be worried about HIS behavior, that lack of empathy would seriously worry me as a parent.”

“Or maybe your parents encouraged him to be that way?”

“Either way he absolutely deserved what you said.”

“And no you’re NTA.” ~ SlipNational7212

“NTA. Your parents allow him to bully you, and you finally hit back, verbally.”

“He sure can dish it out and is incapable of taking it.”

“Ask them when they will make him make things right for making fun of you for grieving your dog.”

“If he keeps it up, double down on him for being a 20-year-old who still goes crying to mommy and daddy when he can’t bully someone.” ~ mark_b_real

“NTA not at all.”

“I know a lot of ‘manly men’ who cried when losing a pet.”

“Heck, my best friend and her husband came to meet me at the emergency vet when I had to rush my girl there and then had to let her go.”

“He had tears rolling down his face when he hugged my pup for the last time and was still crying as we left the vet.”

“What you said was harsh but your brother sounds like he really needed that kick in the pants.”

“Empathy, including empathy for people in pain and for animals, is considered a good trait – one very attractive to women – and he seems to be lacking in it.” ~ pottymouthpup

“Let me jump on the same bandwagon of being a very grown-up male adult who has balled over every pet my family and I have lost.”

“And there are a number of renowned celebrity ‘tough guys’ who had a hard time dealing with the loss of their long-time pets.”

“OP’s brother is an AH and parents are not too far behind as well.”

“I would also guess the older brother is the golden child in the family.”

“NTA… not even close.” ~ chudan_dorik

“OP, NTA. And just to reassure you, my father, who was born in 1950, ugly cried when we had to put down our cat.”

“Emotions are natural and needed.”

“Crying is a natural release.”

“My father is the typical ‘get up and shake it off’ kind, but he still understands that showing emotions is a good and needed thing.” ~ Corsetbrat

“I lost my favorite cat a few years ago.”

“I’m a 64-year-old lady.”

“I still cry over the loss of Shadow.”

“I can look out my back French doors and picture her walking around the yard with my husband, her tail straight up, leading him to where she wanted to go.”

“It’s a terrible loss, I’m tearing up right now for your loss.”

“It’ll get easier, but I don’t think it ever goes away.”

“Hopefully, we’ll see them again someday.”

“Now I’m just bawling.”

“May God bless you and make your pain easier to bear.”

“Also, your brother is a big a**hole.”

“My husband lost his favorite a while back and it still makes him tear up from time to time.” ~ Shadow4summer

“Do not apologize.”

“He went to your parents like a punk because his older, more mature a** couldn’t handle getting served some humble pie.”

“He will get over it and will learn not to play with you like that again.”

“After all, before he went to your parents he went to cry his eyes out.”

“NTA, one of the oldest rules, do onto others as you would have them do onto you.”

“But double-barrels are fully authorized if they do onto you first.” ~ Zealousideal-Post-48

“I am going with a NTA.”

“Yes, it was harsh, but it sounds like your older brother pushed you to this point, especially how callous he was being.”

“Also, very hypocritical.”

“He can grieve over his failed relationship, but you can’t cry over a beloved member of the family??”

“That’s rich.”

“My fur baby passed a few years ago, and I know if someone treated me the way he did, I would have an outburst, too.”

“Stand your ground.”

“If you want, do ‘an apology’ like ‘I am so sorry for saying this to you even though you mocked my pain and sorrow, saying dogs don’t matter. I am sorry that you faked crying when you invaded my personal space to make fun of me and dismiss me. I am sorry that your feelings seem to matter more or something similar.”

“This calls him out.”

“Honestly, he’s 20, he’s an adult, you are a minor.”

“His behavior is appalling.”

“Your parent’s lack of awareness is also.” ~ AVeryBrownGirlNerd

“NTA. Grown men cry.”

“Grown men especially cry over dogs.”

“I’m assuming that this dog was your family’s dog, and not just yours.”

“So he should have feelings about it too.”

“The fact that he doesn’t is concerning.”

“What you said was harsh, but there comes a point where when someone is attacking you, you have to fight back.”

“He deserved what you said and he needed to hear it.”

“Your brother is a 20-year-old adult.”

“You’re a 15-year-old kid.”

“He should be WAY beyond how he’s treating you.”

“He should be the one taking the high road, and he didn’t.”

“He attacked you, he f**ked around and found out, and now he knows that you won’t take his s**t anymore.”

“Good for you.”

“Sometimes that’s the only way to handle a bully.” ~ Money-Possibility606

“NTA. Your reply was awesome.”

“I’m not a ‘tough guy,’ but I don’t really cry.”

“I ruptured my ACL and went to work every day for 6 months with it like that before having surgery.”

“I didn’t shed a tear.”

“I’ve broken bones, separated my should, etc, and never cried about it.”

“When my first dog died, I was bawling like a baby.”

“My wife said she saw me cry more in the following 2-3 weeks than she had in the entire 15 years we had been together at that point.”

“I still cried when our 2nd and 3rd dogs died.”

“I’m sure I will when our puppy eventually dies.” ~ Mikey3800

“NTA. Your brother took a potshot at you because he wants someone else to hurt as much as he does.”

“You matched his energy and reminded him of what a poor partner he is.”

“It was the truth.”

“If anything, he owes you a sincere apology because he was the instigator, and you were minding your own business.” ~ Srvntgrrl_789

“NTA. You’re a justified AH but my judgment is NTA.”

“What you tried to describe is that your brother is not a tough guy, but he heavily believes in toxic masculinity. “

“You’re grieving your pet (and as someone who treats pets as family members) it isn’t ‘some animal.'”

“God forbid y’all lose a loved one, does he expect you to not show emotion?”

“Your brother sounds like a nightmare to deal with.”

“It is 2025, time for that toxic masculinity mindset to stay in the past.”

“It is ok to cry, OP.”

“When I lost my mom (25 M by the way) I was bawling my eyes out in the hospital she passed away in (may she rest in peace).”

“I did it in front of everyone in that hospital.”

“You’re human OP, it’s ok to cry.” ~ DJ_Too_Supreme_AITA

“NTA. You’re the child.”

“He’s the adult.”

“He dismissed your feelings and said cruel things.”

“You reciprocated.”

“Let your parents read this so they can understand how much they suck.”

“I am sorry for your loss.”

“In life, I find that a bond with a pet is so strong.”

“There’s a lovely expression about how we only have them for part of our life and they have us for all of their life.”

“Don’t ever let anyone dictate how you should grieve.”

“The same applies to your brother.”

“He is grieving the loss of his relationship.”

“But you don’t owe him an apology unless he offers you a sincere one first.”

“I cannot believe parents are pushing for a grieving child to be the bigger man.”

“They clearly failed with your brother.” ~ hello_reddit1234

“I’m a 52 M and my English Mastiff died when I was 45 and I cried for weeks.”

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“And yeah, he s**ts all over his little brother, he deserves the verbal dick punch.”

“NTA at all.” ~ JimmyRickyBobbyBilly

“NTA. Normally I’d say it was too much, but he kicked you in the gut when you were at your lowest.”

“There’s no such thing as ‘just a dog.'”

“It sounds like your parents enable your brother’s assholish behavior.”

“You should probably just not speak to him at all if you can help it.” ~ Ambitious_Hold_5435

“Definitely NTA. He had it coming.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Animals give us unconditional love, something that’s not as easy to find in our fellow humans.” ~ FleeshaLoo

“NTA. Don’t dish out what you can’t take.”

“I’m sorry about your dog; it’s not just an animal; he was a friend.”

“I wish that was understood more.” ~ ZelaAmaryills

“NTA. Some people need to touch the hot plate to find out if the stove is on.”

“Your brother is one of them.” ~ borisslovechild

“NTA. And I’m very sorry for your loss.”

“Dogs are the greatest friends.” ~ ClassicCityMatt

“NTA. He hit first.” ~ Kind-Economy-8616

OP came back with an update…

“Long story short, I think my parents had a talk with him, and if not, he just came to his senses.”

“He came and knocked on my door and when I opened it, he gave me the biggest hug he’s ever given me in such a long time, it was much needed for both of us.”

“He apologized and told me how he realized how much of an a**hole he was being and that he has changed a lot for the worse and has just realized it.”

“I apologized as well for reminding him of his girlfriend (and roasting the s**t out of him).”

“We legitimately had some bonding time where we kept apologizing and played FIFA and just talked EVERYTHING out.”

“And we both agreed to try to be better with each other AND our parents and just try to become the best versions of ourselves.”

“I was genuinely so flabbergasted that he actually did that because I haven’t seen my brother show emotions in a long time.”

“But these two days have somehow changed him, and I’m not complaining.”

“Thank you so much, everyone, for the advice.”

“I really appreciate it and I’m so grateful for everyone who cared to read and comment, reading these positive comments made my week and made me know how I was right AND wrong and what I can do to improve myself.”

“Again, thank you guys🫶🏻🫶🏻.”

“We ARE gonna make a funeral for Romeo.”

I am so glad that this story has a happy ending.

Though Reddit believes you were in the right OP, it’s great that you and your brother could get to a better place.

If only all situations fueled by anger and sadness could be resolved this way.

The world could be a much happier place.

Sorry about your loss.

RIP Romeo.