'AITA for leaving my roommate at the airport?' 'She brought a surprise.'

"AITA for leaving my roommate at the airport because she brought a surprise pet with her?"

So my roommate (22F) and I (23F) have been living together for about a year, and things have been mostly fine. She went back home for a few weeks to visit her family, and I offered to pick her up from the airport when she got back. No big deal.

I get there, I’m waiting by the curb, and she rolls out with all her bags… and a puppy. Like, a full-on dog in a little carrier. I was just sitting there like “???” She never mentioned getting a dog. Never asked if I was okay with having one in the apartment (we rent, and our lease doesn’t allow pets).

I asked what was going on and she said, “Surprise! He’s our new baby!” with this huge smile like I was supposed to be excited. I just said, “Nope,” and drove off. Didn’t yell or make a scene. I just left.

Now she’s blowing up my phone saying I abandoned her at the airport and made her feel “unsafe” and “unsupported.” Our mutual friends are split, some say I overreacted, others are like “she really tried to sneak a whole animal into your shared space without asking?” I feel a little bad about how I handled it, but I also feel like… what else was I supposed to do? AITA?

Here's what people had to say to OP:

Waste-Shirt-5000 said:

ESH, she was for bringing a pet unannounced, you were for not having a conversation like an adult.

Myriamjean said:

NTA your lease doesn't allow pets that's all we need to know. Just one question: Was it during the day or at night? (because of all the unsafe thing).

0bsidian_meat said:

NTA. Getting a pet isn't something you surprise a roommate with. Especially with how she called it "our baby." She definitely expects you to raise it with her. Have you ever had any prior conversations about owning any pets together?

My2016Account said:

ESH. She's an arsehole for springing a pet into your shared space and endangering your lease. You're an areshole for abandoning both of them at the airport rather than taking them home and having a sensible, adult conversation. You both sound self-absorbed.

SnickerSnack492 said:

NTA. Idk how everyone in the comments has lost their mind. Taxi banks, uber, car rentals are a thing. You say Brooklyn so I'm assuming JFK - legit a fine airport and perfectly safe with TONS of transport options.

You didn't leave her stranded in a foreign country or anything. She changed the terms by bringing the dog, and you are 150% in the right to say nope. She's a dumbas and f'ed around, now she found out. If you let the dog in the car I guarantee you never would have gotten rid of it.

Absolutely NTA for not wanting the dog unannounced. But what is this “I felt unsafe” nonsense from the friend at the airport? How was she “unsafe?" Just get the bus/the metro/a cab back home, like anyone else would do.

Uubilicious_The_Wise said:

I think leaving her like that was a little harsh though there was not much option to do otherwise. However, not discussing the dog with you was far worse. I'll go NTA. Communication is vital when cohabiting with someone and your friend failed on that front.

International-Fee255 said:

NTA. Ya, you can't just appear with an animal an expect everyone to be delighted about it. What did she think would happen when the landlord found out even if you were into it?!