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16 Y.O. Loses His Neighbor’s Cat That He Was Supposed To Pet Sit, His Mom Is Upset About The Neighbors Refusing To Pay For His Work
16 Y.O. Loses His Neighbor’s Cat That He Was Supposed To Pet Sit, His Mom Is Upset About The Neighbors Refusing To Pay For His Work
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16 Y.O. Loses His Neighbor’s Cat That He Was Supposed To Pet Sit, His Mom Is Upset About The Neighbors Refusing To Pay For His Work

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All work must be paid – this is one of the basic principles on which the world economy rests. A person invests strength, time, skills and energy in their work, and in return, they definitely must receive a predetermined amount of money, otherwise, in principle, the meaning of any work is lost.

On the other hand, the employer always has the right to count on a conscientious and qualified performance of this work – because otherwise the money will actually be thrown away. This is also a fundamental principle of economics, and it is not recommended to violate it. But many workers, hired and not only, unfortunately, ignore this particular principle…

Let’s say like one of the heroes of this story, recently told by the user ntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice in the AITA Reddit community. The original post got over 3.8K upvotes and nearly 500 different comments in less than two weeks, so it’s safe to say that people were interested in it. So, let’s figure out what’s what here…

More info: Reddit

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    The author of the post was leaving town for several days so they asked their neighbors’ 16-Y.O. son to petsit their cat and dog

    Image credits: Nicki Dugan Pogue (not the actual image)

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    Image credits: u/DntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice

    The authors of the post were away from home for some time, so they asked the 16-year-old son of their neighbors to look after their pets – a dog and a cat. The work, frankly, was not very difficult – it was only necessary to feed the animals daily, give them water, and also walk the dog. The cat, as the owners told the teenager, was an indoor cat, so the main task here was, on the contrary, not to let her out on the street.

    Image credits: u/DntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice

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    The boy turned out to be unlucky as he lost the house key and then the cat ran away

    The problems began as early as the second day, when the boy said that he had lost the key to the house, which had been left for him. They had to tell him the garage code so he could get into the house. However, now there was a new risk – as long as the garage was open, the cat could escape into the street. Which, in fact, appeared to have happened when the owners returned home two more days later.

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    Image credits: Iain Farrell (not the actual image)

    The hapless petsitter said he last saw the cat in the morning of the same day, but the Original Poster checked the security cameras and saw the animal outside the house at about 5:30, before the garage doors were reported to open. Accordingly, the cat ran away at least a day before, and the boy lied. For the first time, that is.

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    Image credits: u/DntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice

    The owners checked the security cameras and found out that the boy lied to them, and then discovered another lie when he told them he’d find the lost cat

    The teenager promised to urgently find the lost cat and left. In fact, this turned out to be his second lie – after all, after some time, the author of the post just saw him with a grocery bag – so he, obviously, had not gone to look for anyone.

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    Image credits: u/DntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice

    The owners began to get very worried – after all, not far from their house there was a place where coyotes gathered, and the cat was very small, so it could well have been attacked. However, very soon she came home herself, so the owners were incredibly happy.

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    Image credits: u/DntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice

    Finally the cat came home herself, yet the owners decided to refuse to pay the boy

    And then the question arose – is it worth paying the petsitter at all? Now not only will they have to change the locks in the whole house, but also, the employers had to endure many unpleasant hours in search of their pet. In the end, the owners decided not to pay the boy at all – after all, he actually did not do his job, and caused a lot of problems for his employers in addition.

    By the way, in order to prevent such cases, pet-sitters are strongly recommended to insure their services. Yes, it costs money, but it guarantees protection in any unforeseen situation. “Not having insurance coverage if a situation did arise would likely result in legal action by your client and could lead to financial ruin from your company,” experts at petsit.com say.

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    Image credits: Jean-Francous Gornet (not the actual image)

    Most people in the comments agreed with their decision and backed the pet owners

    We must say that in general, people in the comments supported this decision, stating that it would probably be worth creating a special list of items that the guy was supposed to complete, and specifying the fee separately for each of them. Accordingly, after all, he should have received some kind of payment, because, at least, he fed and watered the dog.

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    Some other commenters noted that the author of the post should probably have honestly explained the situation to the teenager and said that he would not receive anything, and that this story should be a lesson for him anyway. If the guy started to get indignant, then they would have to tell them what they know about his two lies, and that it is better to agree after all. Be that as it may, it remains to be hoped that in the future, the teenager will be more responsible for his upcoming jobs.

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    As always, we look forward to your comments, and in addition, if you have experienced the same or a similar situation, then please tell us your story in the comments on this post.

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    Oleg Tarasenko

    Oleg Tarasenko

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

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    Oleg Tarasenko

    Oleg Tarasenko

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    I am a visual editor here. In my free time I enjoy the vibrant worlds of art galleries, exhibitions, and soulful concerts. Yet, amidst life's hustle and bustle, I find solace in nature's embrace, cherishing tranquil moments with beloved friends. Deep within, I hold a dream close - to embark on a global journey in an RV, accompanied by my faithful canine companion. Together, we'll wander through diverse cultures, weaving precious memories under the starry night sky, fulfilling the wanderlust that stirs my soul.

    Read less »

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I am a visual editor here. In my free time I enjoy the vibrant worlds of art galleries, exhibitions, and soulful concerts. Yet, amidst life's hustle and bustle, I find solace in nature's embrace, cherishing tranquil moments with beloved friends. Deep within, I hold a dream close - to embark on a global journey in an RV, accompanied by my faithful canine companion. Together, we'll wander through diverse cultures, weaving precious memories under the starry night sky, fulfilling the wanderlust that stirs my soul.

    What do you think ?
    Terran
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    NTA. He actually managed to lose the cat for fvcks sake! The boy basically had one job and failed in epic proportions.

    Jellicle bat
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    NTA- THE PURPOSE OF A CAT SITTER IS TO MAKE SURE THE CAT IS OKAY. AN INDOOR CAT OUTSIDE FOR 2 DAYS IS NOT OKAY

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    K- THULU
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If he lost my cat, I wouldn't even pay for his hospital bill...... Glad the cat came back, though...

    Mike Soigne
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Hospital bill...". 😏 Glad you said what I was thinking, too. 👍🏻

    Load More Replies...
    LH25
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The mom isn't doing her kid any favors. Yes, we all make mistakes. And there are consequences for those mistakes. That poor cat could easily have been killed.

    Stacy Bender
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Considering the mother's response when she was told, I'm not surprised the kid has absolutely no working ethics. This is like blaming the teacher because "Perfect little Johnny" didn't do his homework. I did like the itemized bill suggestion. That way if anyone asks, you can show them how much the irresponsible kid cost you. From what it sounds like, these people where lucky the house didn't get robbed.

    Kathryn Baylis
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Losing the cat, and making her fend for herself outside for up to two days is bad enough—-he’s just lucky she survived and came back home—-but where TF did he lose the house keys? That opens the house up to all kinds of dangers. He could’ve had friends come over there—-potential damage and loss. It may have been stolen from him by someone who knew whose house it is—-also potential damage and loss. It could’ve been stolen from someone who has something against the family—-again, potential damage, loss, AND danger to the family when they got home. Hell, since his mother was pissed off at him not getting paid because he caused more expense than he was going to get paid, I wouldn’t be surprised if SHE took the key, so she could snoop around and possibly even take something the next time these folks are out of town. Finding out the stolen key now won’t work could’ve pissed her off even more. I would break all ties with this neighbor, and hire a professional or trusted friend next time.

    Babs McGurk
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    None of what this young person was asked to do was rocket science. All the tasks were actually quite simple. He was unable to live up to his end of the bargain, and actually lost house keys and a freakin' CAT in the process! Of course you shouldn't pay him.

    Hphizzle
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Even without the cat getting out, the kid should have been asked to pay for new locks. They essentially just took that money out of his paycheck, and didn’t ask him for more.

    Casey McAlister
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That poor kitty, living on the streets for two days must be a huge stress for an indoor cat. He doesn't deserve any money, he essentially failed the task he was hired for. I'd probably let the lost key slide(provided he pays for a new lock), but such negligence to an animal is unacceptable.

    4848532
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My friend's cousin was camper sitting and managed to lose my friend's elderly pug. As well, she didn't seem concerned about it at all and sat on the couch as my friend panicked and began searching. The cousin didn't even let my friend know about this until hours after the fact. The pug was never found, and we suspect was lost in the woods, had an asthma attack, and likely died.

    Load More Comments
    Terran
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    NTA. He actually managed to lose the cat for fvcks sake! The boy basically had one job and failed in epic proportions.

    Jellicle bat
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    NTA- THE PURPOSE OF A CAT SITTER IS TO MAKE SURE THE CAT IS OKAY. AN INDOOR CAT OUTSIDE FOR 2 DAYS IS NOT OKAY

    ADVERTISEMENT
    K- THULU
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If he lost my cat, I wouldn't even pay for his hospital bill...... Glad the cat came back, though...

    Mike Soigne
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Hospital bill...". 😏 Glad you said what I was thinking, too. 👍🏻

    Load More Replies...
    LH25
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The mom isn't doing her kid any favors. Yes, we all make mistakes. And there are consequences for those mistakes. That poor cat could easily have been killed.

    Stacy Bender
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Considering the mother's response when she was told, I'm not surprised the kid has absolutely no working ethics. This is like blaming the teacher because "Perfect little Johnny" didn't do his homework. I did like the itemized bill suggestion. That way if anyone asks, you can show them how much the irresponsible kid cost you. From what it sounds like, these people where lucky the house didn't get robbed.

    Kathryn Baylis
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Losing the cat, and making her fend for herself outside for up to two days is bad enough—-he’s just lucky she survived and came back home—-but where TF did he lose the house keys? That opens the house up to all kinds of dangers. He could’ve had friends come over there—-potential damage and loss. It may have been stolen from him by someone who knew whose house it is—-also potential damage and loss. It could’ve been stolen from someone who has something against the family—-again, potential damage, loss, AND danger to the family when they got home. Hell, since his mother was pissed off at him not getting paid because he caused more expense than he was going to get paid, I wouldn’t be surprised if SHE took the key, so she could snoop around and possibly even take something the next time these folks are out of town. Finding out the stolen key now won’t work could’ve pissed her off even more. I would break all ties with this neighbor, and hire a professional or trusted friend next time.

    Babs McGurk
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    None of what this young person was asked to do was rocket science. All the tasks were actually quite simple. He was unable to live up to his end of the bargain, and actually lost house keys and a freakin' CAT in the process! Of course you shouldn't pay him.

    Hphizzle
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Even without the cat getting out, the kid should have been asked to pay for new locks. They essentially just took that money out of his paycheck, and didn’t ask him for more.

    Casey McAlister
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That poor kitty, living on the streets for two days must be a huge stress for an indoor cat. He doesn't deserve any money, he essentially failed the task he was hired for. I'd probably let the lost key slide(provided he pays for a new lock), but such negligence to an animal is unacceptable.

    4848532
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My friend's cousin was camper sitting and managed to lose my friend's elderly pug. As well, she didn't seem concerned about it at all and sat on the couch as my friend panicked and began searching. The cousin didn't even let my friend know about this until hours after the fact. The pug was never found, and we suspect was lost in the woods, had an asthma attack, and likely died.

    Load More Comments
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