"AITA for telling my roommate his 'pet' needs to go?"
Ok so I (23m) live w my roommate (24m) and he’s been keeping this squirrel in our apartment for like a month. Yes. A real squirrel. He found it outside and said it “looked sad.” At first I figured he was just helping it heal or whatever but nope, he’s decided it’s his “emotional support squirrel.”
He made a tiny collar for it out of a shoelace. It’s cute but it’s also…wild. It chewed through my phone charger and pooped behind the TV. I told him he’s gotta either release it or call a wildlife place because it’s starting to smell and I’m not trying to live in a zoo. He got all defensive saying I “don’t believe in compassion.”
I said compassion is fine but like, not in the living room bro. Now he’s barely talking to me and posting squirrel selfies on his story with captions like “some people don't understand love.” I honestly don't think I'm the ahole but maybe I could’ve handled it better. idk. AITA?
Here's what people had to say to OP:
CrimsonKnight_004 said:
NTA - That squirrel will never be happy there. He’s being cruel without realizing because he’s ignorant of what that squirrel actually needs. He’s actually being selfish, not compassionate at all.
That squirrel is not a pet and is likely feeling very stressed out. I’d call a wildlife service so they can take the squirrel and explain to your roommate why this is harmful, or if you don’t want to make the call yourself, talk to your landlord and they can take care of it.
Cuboidal_Hug said:
In most states, it’s illegal to keep a wild squirrel as a pet. Check the laws in your state.
genomerain said:
NTA. Keeping a wild animal after it's healed isn't compassionate. It would be compassionate to let it go free or to give it to the wildlife people who know better what a wild squirrel needs to live a fulfilled life. It's not going to live a fulfilled life stuck inside a people house.
If he actually thinks he has a bond with it then the squirrel can come and visit (in the garden, not the house). If it doesn't then he is wrong about the bond and it would still be cruel to keep it.
curiousbelgian said:
NTA. It’s a shared space and you get to veto new residents. Also it’s probably illegal to treat a wild animal like that, depending where you are.
lemon_charlie said:
NTA. For someone who thinks he's calling you out on lack of compassion, he's the one taking a wild animal out of its habitat and using his emotional health as an excuse to keep it.
Elegant_Anywhere_150 said:
NTA. It might be illegal for him to have it indoors as a pet, and it might also have disease that it could hurt you. Involve the landlord and animal control.
MINI UPDATE:
Mission “remove the damn squirrel” was a major success. I just opened all the doors and ran around the place chasing it until it eventually ran out of the door. This seems to be solved for now, I’ll keep updating this post with my roommate’s reaction.