Woman Drops $4,000 For Pet-Free Family Vacation, SIL Tries To Sneak Her Dog Into Airbnb, Woman Cancels And Leaves SIL Stranded
There’s a million-billion things that could go wrong on vacation. No matter how much you try, there will always be something that is off because Murphy’s Law or any other supernatural force hates it when we have nice things.
And it was no different for this woman, who went on vacation with her family. And one family member decided to completely ignore a key rule that their Airbnb had—no pets allowed. Despite this, she brought her dog along with her.
Needless to say, that didn’t go well as someone’s holiday was totally ruined. Not everyone’s, mind you. Only someone’s.
More Info: Reddit
There’s a million-billion things that could go wrong on vacation, and now ‘bringing your dog despite a no pet rule’ also makes the list
Image source: Sheila Sund (not the actual photo)
Reddit user u/Rich_Butterscotch850 has recently shared a story on the Am I The A-Hole subreddit of how her sister-in-law tried to effectively ruin the family vacation by refusing to comply with that one single rule their accommodation had. And that was no pets.
The story goes that OP booked an Airbnb for herself, her husband, her sister-in-law and her husband. Their 1-week stay in Tampa, Florida amounted to $4,000, which OP had taken upon herself to cover. You see, OP and her hubby are well-off, so they figured they’d cover the vacation cost so everyone could enjoy themselves without worry.
A Redditor recently shared how their sister-in-law ignored the Airbnb’s no pet rule and had their vacation cut short because of it
Image source: Rich_Butterscotch850
OP and the husband decided to take a plane there because it would have otherwise been a 15-hour drive by car. That did not bother the sister-in-law, though, because it turned out to be cheaper for them, so they did just that.
It is important to note at this point that the Airbnb they were staying at did not allow pets.
So, OP and her SO arrived, SIL and her hubby were already in the driveway, awaiting their arrival. The sister asked if they had the keys—they did, picked them up on the way from the airport. “Oh, good, give them to me quick so I can get Brute inside without being seen.”
Wait, what?
Despite being fully aware of it, OP’s sister-in-law brought her dog to an Airbnb that did not allow for pets, but OP decided she was having none of it
Image source: Rich_Butterscotch850
OP stopped dead in her tracks, asking what gives—in a much more aggressive tone—expecting that this was perhaps some sick joke. It wasn’t. The sister-in-law kept explaining that she couldn’t find anyone to look after him and trying to guilt-trip OP with how he’s old and “house broken.”
All the while, the Redditor’s husband was sitting in the background, shaking his head, dumbfounded by what was unraveling in front of him. OP herself was surprised by how anyone could ignore an Airbnb rule and not think of the consequences.
So, OP sat in her car and drove to the Airbnb host. There, she got a refund, dropped off the keys and explained the situation. While the host was appreciative of the honesty and kind enough to let the two stay, OP declined, saying the place was just too big for them. Instead, they got an inexpensive hotel for $1,800, instead of the initial $4,000 for the Airbnb.
So, OP got back in the car, went to the host, got the deposit back, and booked a cheaper place just for herself and her hubby, stranding the SIL and her husband
Image source: Paul Joseph (not the actual photo)
During this time, the sister was constantly calling OP, saying she couldn’t afford to stay there, and she didn’t bring anything with her. OP, however, chose to ignore all of it because, in her eyes, the sister made an attempt to ruin their whole trip. A trip she herself paid for in full, no less.
Even the mother-in-law started getting involved, pleading to at least give the sister some money for food, but OP was having none of it, and told her they could go home.
And the community was all in support of OP. For the most part, many pointed out that it is the sister-in-law’s own fault—not only because of failure to find a dog-sitter, but also because folks shouldn’t go on vacation if they can’t afford them at all. So, if anything, she only has herself to blame.
And folks online were all in support of OP, saying that she did the right thing because if her sister-in-law wanted to win stupid prizes, she chose the right game to play
Others noted that it’s people like the sister-in-law who give a bad name to traveling dog owners. If they themselves see houses that don’t allow for pets, they don’t rent them, explaining that what the sister-in-law did was selfish.
Yet others also pointed out that often no-pet rentals have the rule for a reason. For one, there is always a danger of the pet causing damage to the property, but more importantly, hosts and renters with allergies have a hard time being in their own premises because of the allergens that dogs leave.
All in all, nearly 20,000 upvotes and 15 Reddit awards later, the community’s verdict was that OP is not the jerk here. Sister-in-law had one rule, she done goofed up, end of story.
You can check out the story in all of its contextual glory here. Or you can check out some of our other Reddit stories here, here, or here (yes, it’s an article roulette, you’re welcome). But before you do that, share your thoughts on who’s the jerk in this situation, or your vacation mishaps that almost led to the whole vacation being ruined, in the comment section below!
Puhlease. The sooner the demise of Air B&B the better. It is a scourge thats destroys communities. Not. A. Fan.
Load More Replies...Our Airbnb is no pets, as we don't know if the next person is allergic. How selfish and potentially fatal.
While I'm a massive animal lover, I don't like SIL's attitude. If she couldn't find a sitter, she should have stayed home. Also, I'm wondering how hard she looked for a sitter/boarder? The sense of entitlement is making me wonder. I'm sure he's a very well behaved dog, but most people have valid reasons for not allowing pets. If I'm looking for a place to live and the ad says "no pets", I move on, I don't try to skirt the system. SIL sounds like a spoiled brat and I feel kind of bad for the dog.
I'd be surprised if she tried at all to get a dog sitter. She just expected to be able to walk all over OP and assumed there was nothing she could/ would do about it. Definitely NTA. SiL is a huge AH though.
Load More Replies...My question is if the SIL did not have money for food on that day how was she going to feed her husband and dog for the rest of the vacation?
Damage from the pets and potential allergies are perfectly reasonable reasons why pets might not be allowed-- in any setting. It's up to the discretion of the owner of that place (Airbnb / business / etc). She lied to her SIL, and probably never actually intended to find a pet-sitter for her dog.
My one cat hates dogs. If I were to rent out my home as AirBNB with the clear request of no dogs, if they sneaked in their dog, my cat would afterwards pee all over everything that smells like dog. People have reasons for not allowing certain pets when they rent out their own home.
I'm allergic to dogs. I love them but I can't breathe with the dander. If a place says no pets it's for a good reason to open the space up to more people to stay. Also some say no smoking inside only outdoors. That doesn't mean open a window. That sil is lucky she only had to go back home. Don't answer her. She f****d up an needs to learn a lesson. I feel bad for the dog going through all that tho.
Beside all the other considerations, it's a legal contract. You rent an AirBnB, you have terms and conditions attached to that agreement. And I'm sure there would be penalties for breaking the contract (including, maybe, getting banned from using the service).
We’ll she taught her sil and in laws not to mess with her. I suspect that will pay dividends for years!
I have some doubt that the sister-in-law treats her dog all that well. To care for a pet properly requires self-disciple and sacrifice. She doesn't even know the meaning of those words. And while I can't state it as a fact, I'm pretty sure that she made absolutely no attempt to find a dog sitter.
As much as I like dogs, if a place has a no dogs rule, potential clients should abide by it. Allergies to fur are one thing, and you never know if the owner or future renter could be allergic. Then there are issues if the dog is properly house trained or rambunctious enough to have the zoomies and possibly damage something inside the AirBNB. And if they legit could not find a sitter or kennel to hold the dog during the stay, and not inform the OP, then OP acted accordingly. NTA.
I take my dog everywhere. I'm going to a wedding in September and my dog is coming with. (Not to the actual wedding, just for the trip) Husband and I are going halfsies on a set of connecting rooms at a pet friendly hotel with his parents. We're paying the pet deposit and our own expenses. If I can't afford to go somewhere, I don't go. If my dog can't go, I don't go. My pup is well behaved and will sleep the 3 hours we're gone for the ceremony and party and she makes a great excuse to leave (respectfully) early! Lol
NTA. And that's speaking as someone who is right now on a beach holiday just with her 12yo dog (dog-friendly hotel, of course)... SIL asked for it, MIL missed her chance to raise her daughter and should at least keep it to herself now. SIL is lucky the Airbnb was still refundable, otherwise she should have been the one paying for it. Blockity, block, block, both of them, until they grow up. Hope the Airbnb owner managed to find someone else.
You know, if she brought the dog BECAUSE she found a nice dog hotel in the area, then OK. She could vacation AND visit her dog as much as she wanted. That would be the only way this scenario could’ve worked. But for her to bald-faced lie about leaving her senior dog at home with a sitter, and then announce she was going to sneak him into the AirBnB that prohibits pets, isn’t just crossing the line, it’s flying a jet over it and not landing for another thousand miles. Plus, if he’s a senior dog, no matter how house-trained he is, old fellows have accidents, something you don’t want to pay extra for in an AirBnB, ffs. Lastly, if she couldn’t afford a place to stay on her own, or food to get her by, then obviously she was planning on mooching off the OP and her husband all week anyway, no more SIL on vacations, OP. End of discussion—-but hubby absolutely must be solidly on your side here, even if the family tries to pressure the two of you, especially him, to relent.
I'm still baffled about paying 4K for a week. And of course about the entitlement of SIL. If somebody pays for your vacation you better follow some simple rules and also...be grateful and not an a*s
Why are they even planning a vacation together? Have they even talked about the housing before booking? I don't have a dog but if I did and planned to go away with family and they just booked a non-dog friendly accomodation, I would not be happy. Of course, I would just mention that before and tell them if the (old) dog can't come then unfortunately this is not working for me.
I think that's a really good point, and maybe OP knew that her SIL wouldn't go if she couldn't bring her dog.
Load More Replies...Why couldn't she find a dog sitter in Tampa, and then proceed with the vacation? Methinks if they didn't have money for food, they didn't have money for a dog sitter at home. Or were to cheap to pay. Dog owners who expect everyone else to accomodate their dogs and assume they're welcome everywhere drive me crazy.
NTA. If she had allowed the dog to be smuggled into the house & the AirBnB owner found out the owner could have left nasty reviews and made it difficult for OP to rent places in the future.
NTA. I always wonder how business deal with support animal issues. I know when I was working for a retail store we weren't even allowed to ask for the paperwork regarding the support animal. If they told us it was, we had to let it in. There are people who manage to get support pigs on planes and such. I understand wanting a pet with you and certainly if you're blind or the animal is trained to help with detecting blood/sugar issues, absolutely allow the animal but some people really take advantage of this just to have the pet with them and they clearly aren't going to die without the animal while on vacation. What rights do those people who are allergic have? Or how about the workers who are stuck cleaning up the poop in the middle of the floor the animal made and the owner refuses to clean?
SIL is a classic F* you i will do what i want type. Those types will never understand that. She deserved to be "stranded"....although If she brought her own transportation, how in the F* is that stranded?
I like dogs... If my lease allowed, I would have two small dogs (to keep each other company when I'm not home). But if I had the dogs, and was in a situation like this, if I can not find a sitter, there are reliable kennels that are reasonably inexpensive (talk to your vet).
I have a friend like this - thinks we, the restaurant, everyone around, are all super stoked and happy to have her Frenchie in our presence. I get REALLY annoyed with it
I bet her SIL didn't even bother looking for a dog sitter or a doggy hotel. If they can't afford snacks, they DEFINITELY couldn't afford to pay a sitter for a week. I feel like her plan was to sneak the dog along the entire time. Or else why hide it from the OP by claiming ur driving cuz it's cheaper. Her SIL was just trying to get over on her like basically once the dog was there, there was nothing anyone could do...she guessed wrong 🤣
If it'd been, say, a Seeing Eye dog, or some kind of medical alert dog (seizures, blood sugar, etc) then OP would be pretty cruel to say "No dogs!" But from the story, it's pretty clear that Sister thinks the dog is her "baby" and should be allowed anywhere Sister wants to take it, regardless of what the Airbnb landlord thinks. Eff that noise. OP, you did the right thing, and your sister's a b*tch. And a dumb one, too.
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Did the SIL seriously not have enough money or credit cards to buy a few meals and/or gas for the car? If so, how the hey did she expect to drive home? I love dogs (although I've never had one), but if I had one and the rule was "no dogs", I think I'd go by the rule, especially if it's a rental for which I'm not paying. The nerve of the SIL is amazing. NTA by any definition.
1) Why the mama didn't keep the dog? 2) She didn't have NO money??? What kinda magic carpet she fly for 15 hours? Because gas in California...bay-bee!!
NTA! She planned the whole time to bring the dog. She lied! She thought she could force you to sneak the dog. Your brother is not innocent either!! He should have told her no and told you her plans. They are selfish users. How nice of you to pay for a nice vacation and then they both lie and deceive you and try to force you to to accept that. You did the right thing!
Well, unpopular opinion but if you have a dog it is family. It would be like leaving out a child. OK I wouldn't sneak one in, rules are rules, but did OP deliberately book somewhere that didn't allow dogs so her SIL wouldn't come? Or to p**s her off? Why invite them if they resent spending money on them? Sounds like a nasty power play to me. So sorry, she is an a*****e.
Dogs will win with me any day and any time, it's not the dog's fault he/she was adopted by a family full of AH!!!! SIL AH, OP AH too.
Puhlease. The sooner the demise of Air B&B the better. It is a scourge thats destroys communities. Not. A. Fan.
Load More Replies...Our Airbnb is no pets, as we don't know if the next person is allergic. How selfish and potentially fatal.
While I'm a massive animal lover, I don't like SIL's attitude. If she couldn't find a sitter, she should have stayed home. Also, I'm wondering how hard she looked for a sitter/boarder? The sense of entitlement is making me wonder. I'm sure he's a very well behaved dog, but most people have valid reasons for not allowing pets. If I'm looking for a place to live and the ad says "no pets", I move on, I don't try to skirt the system. SIL sounds like a spoiled brat and I feel kind of bad for the dog.
I'd be surprised if she tried at all to get a dog sitter. She just expected to be able to walk all over OP and assumed there was nothing she could/ would do about it. Definitely NTA. SiL is a huge AH though.
Load More Replies...My question is if the SIL did not have money for food on that day how was she going to feed her husband and dog for the rest of the vacation?
Damage from the pets and potential allergies are perfectly reasonable reasons why pets might not be allowed-- in any setting. It's up to the discretion of the owner of that place (Airbnb / business / etc). She lied to her SIL, and probably never actually intended to find a pet-sitter for her dog.
My one cat hates dogs. If I were to rent out my home as AirBNB with the clear request of no dogs, if they sneaked in their dog, my cat would afterwards pee all over everything that smells like dog. People have reasons for not allowing certain pets when they rent out their own home.
I'm allergic to dogs. I love them but I can't breathe with the dander. If a place says no pets it's for a good reason to open the space up to more people to stay. Also some say no smoking inside only outdoors. That doesn't mean open a window. That sil is lucky she only had to go back home. Don't answer her. She f****d up an needs to learn a lesson. I feel bad for the dog going through all that tho.
Beside all the other considerations, it's a legal contract. You rent an AirBnB, you have terms and conditions attached to that agreement. And I'm sure there would be penalties for breaking the contract (including, maybe, getting banned from using the service).
We’ll she taught her sil and in laws not to mess with her. I suspect that will pay dividends for years!
I have some doubt that the sister-in-law treats her dog all that well. To care for a pet properly requires self-disciple and sacrifice. She doesn't even know the meaning of those words. And while I can't state it as a fact, I'm pretty sure that she made absolutely no attempt to find a dog sitter.
As much as I like dogs, if a place has a no dogs rule, potential clients should abide by it. Allergies to fur are one thing, and you never know if the owner or future renter could be allergic. Then there are issues if the dog is properly house trained or rambunctious enough to have the zoomies and possibly damage something inside the AirBNB. And if they legit could not find a sitter or kennel to hold the dog during the stay, and not inform the OP, then OP acted accordingly. NTA.
I take my dog everywhere. I'm going to a wedding in September and my dog is coming with. (Not to the actual wedding, just for the trip) Husband and I are going halfsies on a set of connecting rooms at a pet friendly hotel with his parents. We're paying the pet deposit and our own expenses. If I can't afford to go somewhere, I don't go. If my dog can't go, I don't go. My pup is well behaved and will sleep the 3 hours we're gone for the ceremony and party and she makes a great excuse to leave (respectfully) early! Lol
NTA. And that's speaking as someone who is right now on a beach holiday just with her 12yo dog (dog-friendly hotel, of course)... SIL asked for it, MIL missed her chance to raise her daughter and should at least keep it to herself now. SIL is lucky the Airbnb was still refundable, otherwise she should have been the one paying for it. Blockity, block, block, both of them, until they grow up. Hope the Airbnb owner managed to find someone else.
You know, if she brought the dog BECAUSE she found a nice dog hotel in the area, then OK. She could vacation AND visit her dog as much as she wanted. That would be the only way this scenario could’ve worked. But for her to bald-faced lie about leaving her senior dog at home with a sitter, and then announce she was going to sneak him into the AirBnB that prohibits pets, isn’t just crossing the line, it’s flying a jet over it and not landing for another thousand miles. Plus, if he’s a senior dog, no matter how house-trained he is, old fellows have accidents, something you don’t want to pay extra for in an AirBnB, ffs. Lastly, if she couldn’t afford a place to stay on her own, or food to get her by, then obviously she was planning on mooching off the OP and her husband all week anyway, no more SIL on vacations, OP. End of discussion—-but hubby absolutely must be solidly on your side here, even if the family tries to pressure the two of you, especially him, to relent.
I'm still baffled about paying 4K for a week. And of course about the entitlement of SIL. If somebody pays for your vacation you better follow some simple rules and also...be grateful and not an a*s
Why are they even planning a vacation together? Have they even talked about the housing before booking? I don't have a dog but if I did and planned to go away with family and they just booked a non-dog friendly accomodation, I would not be happy. Of course, I would just mention that before and tell them if the (old) dog can't come then unfortunately this is not working for me.
I think that's a really good point, and maybe OP knew that her SIL wouldn't go if she couldn't bring her dog.
Load More Replies...Why couldn't she find a dog sitter in Tampa, and then proceed with the vacation? Methinks if they didn't have money for food, they didn't have money for a dog sitter at home. Or were to cheap to pay. Dog owners who expect everyone else to accomodate their dogs and assume they're welcome everywhere drive me crazy.
NTA. If she had allowed the dog to be smuggled into the house & the AirBnB owner found out the owner could have left nasty reviews and made it difficult for OP to rent places in the future.
NTA. I always wonder how business deal with support animal issues. I know when I was working for a retail store we weren't even allowed to ask for the paperwork regarding the support animal. If they told us it was, we had to let it in. There are people who manage to get support pigs on planes and such. I understand wanting a pet with you and certainly if you're blind or the animal is trained to help with detecting blood/sugar issues, absolutely allow the animal but some people really take advantage of this just to have the pet with them and they clearly aren't going to die without the animal while on vacation. What rights do those people who are allergic have? Or how about the workers who are stuck cleaning up the poop in the middle of the floor the animal made and the owner refuses to clean?
SIL is a classic F* you i will do what i want type. Those types will never understand that. She deserved to be "stranded"....although If she brought her own transportation, how in the F* is that stranded?
I like dogs... If my lease allowed, I would have two small dogs (to keep each other company when I'm not home). But if I had the dogs, and was in a situation like this, if I can not find a sitter, there are reliable kennels that are reasonably inexpensive (talk to your vet).
I have a friend like this - thinks we, the restaurant, everyone around, are all super stoked and happy to have her Frenchie in our presence. I get REALLY annoyed with it
I bet her SIL didn't even bother looking for a dog sitter or a doggy hotel. If they can't afford snacks, they DEFINITELY couldn't afford to pay a sitter for a week. I feel like her plan was to sneak the dog along the entire time. Or else why hide it from the OP by claiming ur driving cuz it's cheaper. Her SIL was just trying to get over on her like basically once the dog was there, there was nothing anyone could do...she guessed wrong 🤣
If it'd been, say, a Seeing Eye dog, or some kind of medical alert dog (seizures, blood sugar, etc) then OP would be pretty cruel to say "No dogs!" But from the story, it's pretty clear that Sister thinks the dog is her "baby" and should be allowed anywhere Sister wants to take it, regardless of what the Airbnb landlord thinks. Eff that noise. OP, you did the right thing, and your sister's a b*tch. And a dumb one, too.
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Did the SIL seriously not have enough money or credit cards to buy a few meals and/or gas for the car? If so, how the hey did she expect to drive home? I love dogs (although I've never had one), but if I had one and the rule was "no dogs", I think I'd go by the rule, especially if it's a rental for which I'm not paying. The nerve of the SIL is amazing. NTA by any definition.
1) Why the mama didn't keep the dog? 2) She didn't have NO money??? What kinda magic carpet she fly for 15 hours? Because gas in California...bay-bee!!
NTA! She planned the whole time to bring the dog. She lied! She thought she could force you to sneak the dog. Your brother is not innocent either!! He should have told her no and told you her plans. They are selfish users. How nice of you to pay for a nice vacation and then they both lie and deceive you and try to force you to to accept that. You did the right thing!
Well, unpopular opinion but if you have a dog it is family. It would be like leaving out a child. OK I wouldn't sneak one in, rules are rules, but did OP deliberately book somewhere that didn't allow dogs so her SIL wouldn't come? Or to p**s her off? Why invite them if they resent spending money on them? Sounds like a nasty power play to me. So sorry, she is an a*****e.
Dogs will win with me any day and any time, it's not the dog's fault he/she was adopted by a family full of AH!!!! SIL AH, OP AH too.
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