'AITA for kicking my sister and her baby out after what she did to my dog?' 'I had to teach him a lesson.'
"AITA for kicking my sister and her baby out after what she did to my dog?"
I (29M) have a golden retriever named Max. He’s three years old and the friendliest, most well-behaved dog you could ask for. Recently, my sister (25F) went through a rough breakup and needed a place to stay with her six-month-old baby. Of course, I let her move in rent-free, as she's family.
At first, everything was fine. But a few weeks ago, I came home to find Max acting strange. He was hiding under the table, shaking, and wouldn’t come when I called him. This was completely out of character for him.
I asked my sister if she knew what happened, and she just shrugged, saying, “Oh, I had to teach him a lesson.” That immediately set off alarm bells, so I pushed for more details. Eventually, she admitted that Max had been barking while the baby was napping, so she locked him in the bathroom with the lights off for hours to “make him understand.”
We had such an argument over this. I told her that she does not get to discipline my dog, and that even if she did, that was a terrible way to treat a dog or any other living creature. She said it was fine, and that Max was "just a dog." We went back and forth, and I eventually just told her that if she didn't anything like that again, she's out.
A few weeks after that, I was just chatting with my neighbor as neighbors do, and he told me that he could hear shouting sometimes from my sister in my house, and my dog yelping "as if in pain."
I confronted her with this, and she told me that sometimes she "firmly pats" Max to get him to stop doing things, like barking or going up to the baby. So basically, she hits Max when I'm not around. I was furious. I told her she had 24 hours to pack her things and leave.
That’s when she lost it, saying she had nowhere else to go and accusing me of choosing a dog over my own sister. Now our parents are calling nonstop, saying I should be more understanding because she’s a stressed-out single mom. Also, she ended up staying with our mother. I love my sister, but Max is my family too, and I won’t tolerate anyone mistreating him. Am I the ahole for kicking her out?
Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:
LovelyOpals said:
NTA. Dogs should not be treated like that. Good for you for kicking her out.
Eva-Dragon said:
NTA. And the first person who tells you otherwise is the first person who just volunteered to house your sister. And I can guarantee you that there will be plenty of people. "It's just a dog/animal" or "but family." And you respond with "well thank you for agreeing to open your house for sister since you feel that way." They'll right up.
xanthrax00 said:
NTA. If she’s treating your innocent and well behaved dog like that I’d hate to see how she’d react to her own child when they reach their terrible twos. Even if she has patience for her child’s behavior I doubt she’d give the same respect to other people’s children if left alone with them.
HUNGWHITEBOI25 said:
NTA but good news: your parents have just volunteered to house your entitled sister. Anyone hurts my dog they’d be on the streets.
MossMyHeart said:
NTA, she’s doing more than patting and locking him up if your dog is hiding and shaking. Also your neighbor hears him screaming from inside- that’s what yelping is, he’s screaming in pain and terror. Glad you got that psycho away from him. I hope the baby is safe. Take him to the vet and get him checked over, give your sister the bill. I would also consider filling a report for animal abuse.
Oleanderkiss said:
Her being stressed out isn't a free pass. When will people get that. She doesn't have a right to abuse your dog. Nta your sister needs to grow up and take accountability for the face that she got her self kicked out by behaving like a psychopath.
RJack151 said:
NTA. Tell your family that you will be reporting your sister for animal abuse. And when she is arrested, the police will give her a place to stay. And she is never allowed in your home.