Many people dream of owning a dog.
Even though the experience of caring for a dog isn’t exactly what many might have imagined it would be.
For all the love, joy, and comfort dogs bring, some people simply aren’t prepared for the time and effort caring for dogs requires.
Not to mention the cost.
Such was the case for Redditor Fit_Disaster1594 whose partner was unexpectedly given their dream dog as a gift.
A gift, however, that the original poster (OP) knew they weren’t in a position to care for, resulting in their pleading with their partner to find the dog a new home.
Something the OP’s partner flatly refused, even after an incident that led the OP to tears.
Wondering if they were wrong to suggest rehoming their dog, the OP took to the subReddit “Am I The A**hole” (AITA), where they asked fellow Redditors:
“AITA for telling him to get rid of the dog after the dog ate all of my food?”
The OP explained how a dog came into their life when they simply weren’t prepared for it, and despite substantial evidence, their partner refused to accept this.
“We are both 26.”
“Just for background, I have been telling him to rehome the dog for months.”
“He brought the dog home 4 months ago.”
“His mother ‘gifted’ him the dog behind my back and I knew for an absolute fact that we were not in a spot financially to care for this animal.”
“He refused, saying he was already attached to the dog and she was ‘too cute’ to rehome and he felt like he couldn’t rehome the dog due to the amount of money his mother spent on the dog for him ($1200).”
“This is a dog breed he has been wanting for as long as I’ve known him.”
“Anyways, it started getting incredibly frustrating recently because the dog, who is 2 years old, has behavioral and medical issues and we are now in debt.”
“We are almost $200 overdrawn in our bank account due to an unexpected trip to the emergency vet.”
“I told him not to bring her and that she was fine- he brought her anyways.”
“$650 later and over drafting our account, the vet told him the dog was just high.”
“My husband’s buddy was over and smoking in front of the dog so she was stoned.”
“So he over-drafted our account knowing neither of us gets paid until next week to make sure his dog was okay.”
“We have no food in the house and now have no money for gas to get to work.”
“My boss was lenient enough to let me work from home but my husband has to be in the office.”
“His boss knows we are struggling and is super generous and actually bought both me and my husband food today.”
“They came to drop it off with me at noon.”
“When I tell you I was drooling thinking about eating for the first time in two days, it would be an understatement.”
“Just note that the dog has plenty of food.”
“So they bring the food over and come inside and put it on the table.”
“I go to hug my husband and his boss saying thank you and that dog got up on my table, knocked the food down, and wolfed it down in point two seconds flat.”
“I immediately started crying and telling him to get the dog out of here and I was done.”
“Oddly enough, his boss is on my side, not only because of the money but because he knows I’m spiraling from the stress of this.”
“My husband on the other hand is telling me I’m being overdramatic and not thinking clearly because I’m hungry and says not only am I ‘incredibly selfish and inconsiderate’ but he won’t rehome her.”
“AITA?”
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
The Reddit community wholeheartedly agreed that the OP was not the a**hole for urging their partner to rehome their dog.
Everyone agreed that it was unfair for the OP’s partner to put them under financial stress because of the dog, particularly as the OP didn’t agree to get the dog in the first place. A few wondered if the OP should rehome their partner as well.
“Rehome the dog and the hubby.”
“You haven’t eaten in two DAYS and he doesn’t care.”
“That shows you how low you are on his priority list.”
“NTA.”- TheDrunkScientist
“I know how to ease your financial burden: Lose the freaking husband!”
“Girl, you have gone hungry for two days and he doesn’t freaking care!”
“He lets you starve while he proudly watches as his dog jumps on the table and eats your food!”
“My god, this is just mental.”
“Why are you hesitating?”
“You deserve someone who loves you and cares about you.”
“NTA jeez, that shouldn’t even need to be said.”- waterfall_blue
“NTA.”
“Your husband has his priorities mixed up.”
“Stop having your check deposited into a shared account and get your name off of it.”
“Buy food for yourself, since husband seems to think the dog needs expensive dog food.”
“I buy a high-quality dog food at a reasonable cost.”
“If he continues to be stubborn, you may want to rethink this relationship.”
“He’s an a**hole for buying ridiculously priced dog food and allowing you to starve.”
“He is also an a**hole for getting the dog high and not realizing it, putting you into debt.”- Grouchy-Werewolf8281
“What the hell is wrong with your MIL?”
“You two could have really used that $1,200 for you know FOOD.”- yesnomaybe123
“NTA.”
“The real problem here is your husband, he refuses to listen to your feelings on this, refuses to understand your mental state and how much you are feeling burdened by this dog.”
“He’s also draining your finances.”
“Him and the dog should go.”- dwotw
“NTA.”
“Rehome the husband with the dog, if he won’t listen.”
“He’s treating you horribly.”
“He can love the dog and want to take care of the dog, but if it’s at the expense of other relationships in his life, then he’s going to lose those relationships.”- itsthebunhun
“NTA.”
“I am as crazy about animals as they come, but there is a point at which the humans have to be the priority, and you have gone so far beyond it that.”
“Well, that your husband is berating you for being too hungry to think clearly about the fact that your dog stole your first meal in days.”
“Leave him.”
“Standing Reddit joke or not, there is no other option in this case.”
“You will be able to eat regularly, and he will be much happier alone with his spoiled canine princess.”- Shoereader
“Rehome the husband.”
“He isn’t financially responsible and doesn’t listen to your concerns.”
“He is fine with you going hungry for days as long as the dog gets to eat.”
“He apparently didn’t train the dog not to snatch food off the table.”
“The dog is threatening your livelihood since there’s no money for gas.”
“If you didn’t have such nice bosses, you’d lose your jobs.”
“His parents will probably be delighted to have him and the dog back and you will be much better off on your own.”- Tribbles_Trouble
“NTA.”
“But if he’s like this with a dog I would honestly reevaluate your whole situation before you end up with a child by this man.”
“He doesn’t have any of his priorities in order and doesn’t care how it is mentally affecting you.”-Smarieveda
“NTA.”
“Rehome the husband.”- VioletPringle
“NTA.”
“Tell your husband to take himself and his dog to his mama’s house and stay there, since she started this whole mess.”- ShanonaMommy2006
“Rehome them both.”
“What more heinousness are you willing to put up with?”
“People do to you what you let them do to you.”
“The time for games is over, tell Shaggy and Scooby-Doo to hit the bricks.”
“NTA, but you’re going to be if you keep that irresponsible human and his impulse pet.”-LorianGunnersonSedna
“NTA.”
“Sorry, but no dog is worth going into debt over, having to go hungry, or not being able to work because you cannot pay for gas to actually get to work.”
“If I were in your husband, I would have been mortified that my boss dropped by to bring me food.”
“Your husband is not only absolutely irresponsible but he’s also clearly showing you that he prioritizes this dog over you, therefore you might want to reevaluate your marriage.”- Temporary-Deer-6942
Who hasn’t walked by a pet store, and seen a puppy staring at us with the most adorable eyes, leading us to want to take them home right away?
If only life were that easy.
Before we can walk in and take them home, we must also factor in whether or not we are capable of caring for a puppy.
Something the OP’s partner should have realized before accepting his mother’s gift.
Hopefully, he’ll realize keeping the dog isn’t tenable, especially if he wants his relationship to survive.