Niece Complains That Service Dog Is Making Her Uncomfortable, Her Aunt Refuses To Get Rid Of It, Starts Family Drama
We all know that dogs are man’s best friend, but aside from all of the joy and companionship they bring us, they can also become essential members of our family. In the United States, there are currently at least 500,000 service dogs, constantly helping individuals with disabilities. Unfortunately, not everyone understands how vital these dogs can be, as one woman recently found out.
This woman shared a story on the “Am I the [Jerk]?” subreddit detailing how her family members that are staying with her temporarily have begun pressuring her to relocate her husband’s service dog for the time being. Below, you’ll find the full story that might make you extremely frustrated for the woman and her husband, as well as some of the replies heated readers have left on her post.
We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments, and feel free to share any of your personal stories, if you have experience with service dogs, as well. Then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article featuring drama that ensued after one relative was kind enough to take their family members in, you can find that story right here.
After being pressured by her relatives to relocate her husband’s service dog, this woman is wondering if she’s in the wrong
Image credits: My Photo Journeys
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska
Image credits: throwra445788779
Although you may not encounter one every day, service dogs are a vital part of many people with disabilities’ lives. They can take on many different roles, depending on the needs of their owners, but as the woman in this Reddit post stated, they are just as helpful as a human being. You may be familiar with guide dogs, who are used to help individuals who are blind or visually impaired, and hearing dogs, who help people that are deaf or hearing impaired, but there are a variety of other services that our furry friends can learn to help with.
For individuals with epilepsy, seizure alert dogs can be a godsend. They are trained to detect the signs that their owner might be having a seizure and know how to alert others for help and even position themselves in a way to help protect their owner. Diabetic alert dogs use their incredible sense of smell to detect when their owner’s blood sugar starts to drop dangerously low. And if it’s already become too low, the dogs know how to seek out help from others.
Allergy detection dogs can be great for children and adults with life-threatening allergies. Yet again, the dog’s outstanding sense of smell comes in handy, as it can be used to find traces of allergens in the air or in foods close enough to their owners to potentially cause harm. Sometimes, these dogs even accompany kids to school or adults to work to help detect allergies in less controlled environments, such as a school cafeteria or office lunchroom.
There are also mobility assistance dogs, which can do anything from pulling wheelchairs up ramps to pressing elevator buttons for people with impaired motor functions. But service dogs can be helpful for people without physical disabilities as well. Autism support dogs can provide companionship and support for individuals on the autism spectrum. These dogs can even help people maintain their well-being, navigate social situations and improve their communication skills.
If you see a service dog out in public, no matter how adorable they may look, resist the urge to look them in the eye or try to get their attention. They cannot be distracted from their main purpose, providing support and assistance to their owners. It is incredibly insensitive for the family members in this story to demand that their relative go without his trusted, service dog companion, even for a short time. If the dog bothers them so much, they can always find somewhere else to stay. We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments, and if you have a service dog, feel free to share how helpful it is for you.
Many readers have weighed in reassuring the woman that she has every right to stand her ground
Everybody keeps saying that it's a service dog and not a pet, but I wouldn't give away my pets in this situation either. They are my pets, my family members, I'm responsible for them. I'm not giving up them because my bratty teenage niece is "uncomfortable". Would she be more comfortable living on the streets?
You are right. The point is, that even if you don't get the pet owner perpective (let's be real:not everybody understands the importance of pets) at least they should understand the medical part.
I am not exactly a pet person, but I think neither case should be up to discussion in this situation. A 14year old´s egocentric notions should not even spark any of that discussion at all. The story between the lines seems to be two very nice caring people so used to be trampled over and humiliated by their family they got trouble to realize how wrong it is. The husband even considering moving out and the woman feeling like she might be the AH for not allowing it - is hard braking
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I get paid more than $200 to $400 per hour for working online. I heard about this job 3 months ago and after joining this I have earned easily $30k from this without having online working skills . Simply give it a shot on the accompanying site… Here is I started.…………>> Www.TopCityPay.com
Logged into say the same! My dogs > visitors. 🤷🏻♀️
I feel so badly for the homeowners, but they are going to have to stand up to their ugly hearted family members and put them in their place. I know it's so hard sometimes but it's the only way to have some peace in their own home. This man deserves to stay in his own home with his service dog and not be questioned or second guessed by anyone. Every family member who has a complaint about their lives are just disgusting. Yes, her brother and his family need to GTFO ASAP! They're sad, loathsome, vile, people who don't appreciate anything being done for them. People this rotten need to learn to take care of themselves. If she had previously been attacked by a dog, I might understand the reactions they're having, but no one has mentioned anything of that nature. I'd definitely give them notice asap. They don't deserve their kindness. I definitely wouldn't want them to take out any of their frustration on the dog either, who can't tell on them if they did. I'd be concerned for it's safety.
I glossed over this fact and focused on the service dog part, but you are absolutely right! As a pet sitter myself, I have turned down jobs that I was uncomfortable with but most jobs I do end up taking. I am an In-home pet sitter and mostly just watch dogs but I've worked with a variety of animals (cats, parrots, chickens, snakes, lizards, bunnies, rats, mice, an axolotl once, and off my job I have exp with other animals-ostrich, emu, horse, goat, pig, peacock {which ended up chasing me into a cactus}, and some other animals) and if someone entered my house and asked me to get rid of my animal....they'd be kicking bricks fast. Don't care if they're related to me. Tough cookies!
Exactly, you're a guest in the animal's home whether the animal is a service animal or a family pet. You don't ask any of your hosts to move out while you're there. If you're uncomfortable staying with them, it's you who goes elsewhere.
I'd love to know why they 'lost their home'--non-payment of rent? And as for uncomfortable, well, I'll bet the entitled brat doesn't lift a finger to help around the house, either.
Send brother and his family to animal shelter and see if anyone will adopt them
I used to be TERRIFIED of dogs. To the point that I would walk into the middle of heavy traffic to avoid being near them on a footpath. I wasn't uncomfortable, there was serious, genuine fear. If I was ever at someone's house and there was a pet dog, I would do my best to stay away.. and if the dog was too rambunctious and I wasn't in a position to leave myself (such as when I was in my teens and wholly reliant on my parents for transport), I only asked for the dog to be kept out of the room I was in. Let the dog have free reign over the rest of the house and/or garden. How did I develop such a fear? A cousin who did everything she could (but thankfully failed) to teach her dog to attack and bite me on command. Her dog was bigger than me when it stood on its hind legs, rambunctious, and I was under 10. It was scary to realise this was a possibility - that someone could train a dog to attack me on command.
How did I get over the fear and terror? A weekend at a boyfriends house. I went there expecting 5 dogs to be in the vicinity. He knew my fear, and promised to make sure they didn't panic me. When I got there, there were NINE dogs. His aunt had stopped hers off for minding that weekend. These were all different sizes. But it was the huge malamute that helped calm me. I was sitting down and one point. He moved to stand in front of me, calmly, so close I couldn't stand up. Couldn't budge him.after a while, I petted him gently. THEN he let me up. That was the only time he particularly bothered with me that weekend. But it helped hugely. He was as big, or bigger than the dog that started my fear.. and helped end the worst of it. I'm not wholly comfortable with dogs, but I don't run screaming, or into dangerous situations because of them anymore.
Maybe, because in the case of a pet, you can ask a friend to take care of the pet for SOME time, but a service animal is a needed support for the person. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should necessarily move your pet, because of your guests' wants, but some people would be more inclined to compromise in the case of a pet.
And that'd be like saying "your husband makes me uncomfortable, can he stay somewhere else while we're here?" Or "your side table/plant makes me uncomfortable, can you put them somewhere else?" It flat out doesn't make sense. You literally don't remove pieces of your life just for guests.
„Yelling about how I value a dog over my niece and her comfort“ „ He said that I was being unsupportive and cruel to my niece who's already been through enough“ Don‘t you „love“ it when people accuse others of things they themselves are actively doing, in order to get their way?
Amén
Personally, they came to stay at your home and should be thankful for that. Should they not like the accommodations, should they feel uncomfortable...they can leave! Go to a hotel! Your husband's wellbeing, his service dog stays. I have an emotional support dog, and I would NEVER remove her to accommodate someone coming into my home.
bUt ShEs A cHiLd. /s
One would assume the niece has a fully functional body. Oh, but the husband 'mostly stays home' so*he* can be inconvenienced--who's paying the bills there, anyway? The brother? His wife? The brat?
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 for not moving your dog. You are doing them a favor having them in your house. they should appreciate that.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
A SERVICE dog?! We're doing them a favor by having them in the house and they should appreciate that. Did I get that right? What the hell's wrong with you? Animals are just as important parts of the family, obviously not to you but to many they are. Have some f*****g respect. And to a service dog!!? Do you even know what that is?
Geez Shelby. Pump your brakes before you go blasting and swearing at someone in comments. Because you read Angelica’s comment completely wrong. She’s saying OP is doing her brother a favour by letting them stay there. Not the service dog. So to answer your question… no, you didn’t get that right.
She’s out of brake fluid and crashed.
I think it is how it's written. I believe she's talking to the ingrateful visitors, not op. Anyway, I took away one of her downvotes. She's for the dog and OP.
I read it again and yes, now I also think she is speaking from the sister’s point of view: “…we are doing them a favor by having them in the house…” I also removed my downvote. In this case, though, she should have left a comment rather than replying to someone else's...
Shelby is on all of our side to keep the service dog. She's upset because they are questioning the value of the service dog as well as its value as a pet to her disabled husband. And of course the obvious selfishness of the sister and her husband and kid's demands.
No, she's speaking to the commenter.
She means that the OP is doing her family a favour, I think
I think you may have misinterpreted the situation.
I hope so…
This comment has been deleted.
You absolutely didn't get it right. An OP is doing favor to her brother and his family, letting them stay in their house, and they have the nerve to ask her to get rid of their dog.
Shelby, you'd better delete your comment. Ok, you misinterpreted Angelicas comment, but you did not have to be so rude. You will only get downvoted which can lead to you getting permanently banned on BP.
my clapping hands for her NOT moving her dog turned into question marks. I am on the dog's side. I would but a shocked face for your cmment but it probably wouldn't post correctly. Even if the dog was not a service dog I would not move my dog. I like your pug picture
At this point you'd think these emoji "incompatibility" issues wouldn't be an issue anymore. And yet, here we are, still having the weird empty boxes and question marks.
I think, Shelby is ranting at the niece, not at Angelica
Kat… She’s not. It’s definitely at Angelica
?
Everybody keeps saying that it's a service dog and not a pet, but I wouldn't give away my pets in this situation either. They are my pets, my family members, I'm responsible for them. I'm not giving up them because my bratty teenage niece is "uncomfortable". Would she be more comfortable living on the streets?
You are right. The point is, that even if you don't get the pet owner perpective (let's be real:not everybody understands the importance of pets) at least they should understand the medical part.
I am not exactly a pet person, but I think neither case should be up to discussion in this situation. A 14year old´s egocentric notions should not even spark any of that discussion at all. The story between the lines seems to be two very nice caring people so used to be trampled over and humiliated by their family they got trouble to realize how wrong it is. The husband even considering moving out and the woman feeling like she might be the AH for not allowing it - is hard braking
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I get paid more than $200 to $400 per hour for working online. I heard about this job 3 months ago and after joining this I have earned easily $30k from this without having online working skills . Simply give it a shot on the accompanying site… Here is I started.…………>> Www.TopCityPay.com
Logged into say the same! My dogs > visitors. 🤷🏻♀️
I feel so badly for the homeowners, but they are going to have to stand up to their ugly hearted family members and put them in their place. I know it's so hard sometimes but it's the only way to have some peace in their own home. This man deserves to stay in his own home with his service dog and not be questioned or second guessed by anyone. Every family member who has a complaint about their lives are just disgusting. Yes, her brother and his family need to GTFO ASAP! They're sad, loathsome, vile, people who don't appreciate anything being done for them. People this rotten need to learn to take care of themselves. If she had previously been attacked by a dog, I might understand the reactions they're having, but no one has mentioned anything of that nature. I'd definitely give them notice asap. They don't deserve their kindness. I definitely wouldn't want them to take out any of their frustration on the dog either, who can't tell on them if they did. I'd be concerned for it's safety.
I glossed over this fact and focused on the service dog part, but you are absolutely right! As a pet sitter myself, I have turned down jobs that I was uncomfortable with but most jobs I do end up taking. I am an In-home pet sitter and mostly just watch dogs but I've worked with a variety of animals (cats, parrots, chickens, snakes, lizards, bunnies, rats, mice, an axolotl once, and off my job I have exp with other animals-ostrich, emu, horse, goat, pig, peacock {which ended up chasing me into a cactus}, and some other animals) and if someone entered my house and asked me to get rid of my animal....they'd be kicking bricks fast. Don't care if they're related to me. Tough cookies!
Exactly, you're a guest in the animal's home whether the animal is a service animal or a family pet. You don't ask any of your hosts to move out while you're there. If you're uncomfortable staying with them, it's you who goes elsewhere.
I'd love to know why they 'lost their home'--non-payment of rent? And as for uncomfortable, well, I'll bet the entitled brat doesn't lift a finger to help around the house, either.
Send brother and his family to animal shelter and see if anyone will adopt them
I used to be TERRIFIED of dogs. To the point that I would walk into the middle of heavy traffic to avoid being near them on a footpath. I wasn't uncomfortable, there was serious, genuine fear. If I was ever at someone's house and there was a pet dog, I would do my best to stay away.. and if the dog was too rambunctious and I wasn't in a position to leave myself (such as when I was in my teens and wholly reliant on my parents for transport), I only asked for the dog to be kept out of the room I was in. Let the dog have free reign over the rest of the house and/or garden. How did I develop such a fear? A cousin who did everything she could (but thankfully failed) to teach her dog to attack and bite me on command. Her dog was bigger than me when it stood on its hind legs, rambunctious, and I was under 10. It was scary to realise this was a possibility - that someone could train a dog to attack me on command.
How did I get over the fear and terror? A weekend at a boyfriends house. I went there expecting 5 dogs to be in the vicinity. He knew my fear, and promised to make sure they didn't panic me. When I got there, there were NINE dogs. His aunt had stopped hers off for minding that weekend. These were all different sizes. But it was the huge malamute that helped calm me. I was sitting down and one point. He moved to stand in front of me, calmly, so close I couldn't stand up. Couldn't budge him.after a while, I petted him gently. THEN he let me up. That was the only time he particularly bothered with me that weekend. But it helped hugely. He was as big, or bigger than the dog that started my fear.. and helped end the worst of it. I'm not wholly comfortable with dogs, but I don't run screaming, or into dangerous situations because of them anymore.
Maybe, because in the case of a pet, you can ask a friend to take care of the pet for SOME time, but a service animal is a needed support for the person. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should necessarily move your pet, because of your guests' wants, but some people would be more inclined to compromise in the case of a pet.
And that'd be like saying "your husband makes me uncomfortable, can he stay somewhere else while we're here?" Or "your side table/plant makes me uncomfortable, can you put them somewhere else?" It flat out doesn't make sense. You literally don't remove pieces of your life just for guests.
„Yelling about how I value a dog over my niece and her comfort“ „ He said that I was being unsupportive and cruel to my niece who's already been through enough“ Don‘t you „love“ it when people accuse others of things they themselves are actively doing, in order to get their way?
Amén
Personally, they came to stay at your home and should be thankful for that. Should they not like the accommodations, should they feel uncomfortable...they can leave! Go to a hotel! Your husband's wellbeing, his service dog stays. I have an emotional support dog, and I would NEVER remove her to accommodate someone coming into my home.
bUt ShEs A cHiLd. /s
One would assume the niece has a fully functional body. Oh, but the husband 'mostly stays home' so*he* can be inconvenienced--who's paying the bills there, anyway? The brother? His wife? The brat?
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 for not moving your dog. You are doing them a favor having them in your house. they should appreciate that.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
A SERVICE dog?! We're doing them a favor by having them in the house and they should appreciate that. Did I get that right? What the hell's wrong with you? Animals are just as important parts of the family, obviously not to you but to many they are. Have some f*****g respect. And to a service dog!!? Do you even know what that is?
Geez Shelby. Pump your brakes before you go blasting and swearing at someone in comments. Because you read Angelica’s comment completely wrong. She’s saying OP is doing her brother a favour by letting them stay there. Not the service dog. So to answer your question… no, you didn’t get that right.
She’s out of brake fluid and crashed.
I think it is how it's written. I believe she's talking to the ingrateful visitors, not op. Anyway, I took away one of her downvotes. She's for the dog and OP.
I read it again and yes, now I also think she is speaking from the sister’s point of view: “…we are doing them a favor by having them in the house…” I also removed my downvote. In this case, though, she should have left a comment rather than replying to someone else's...
Shelby is on all of our side to keep the service dog. She's upset because they are questioning the value of the service dog as well as its value as a pet to her disabled husband. And of course the obvious selfishness of the sister and her husband and kid's demands.
No, she's speaking to the commenter.
She means that the OP is doing her family a favour, I think
I think you may have misinterpreted the situation.
I hope so…
This comment has been deleted.
You absolutely didn't get it right. An OP is doing favor to her brother and his family, letting them stay in their house, and they have the nerve to ask her to get rid of their dog.
Shelby, you'd better delete your comment. Ok, you misinterpreted Angelicas comment, but you did not have to be so rude. You will only get downvoted which can lead to you getting permanently banned on BP.
my clapping hands for her NOT moving her dog turned into question marks. I am on the dog's side. I would but a shocked face for your cmment but it probably wouldn't post correctly. Even if the dog was not a service dog I would not move my dog. I like your pug picture
At this point you'd think these emoji "incompatibility" issues wouldn't be an issue anymore. And yet, here we are, still having the weird empty boxes and question marks.
I think, Shelby is ranting at the niece, not at Angelica
Kat… She’s not. It’s definitely at Angelica
?