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Niece Complains That Service Dog Is Making Her Uncomfortable, Her Aunt Refuses To Get Rid Of It, Starts Family Drama
Niece Complains That Service Dog Is Making Her Uncomfortable, Her Aunt Refuses To Get Rid Of It, Starts Family Drama
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Niece Complains That Service Dog Is Making Her Uncomfortable, Her Aunt Refuses To Get Rid Of It, Starts Family Drama

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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.

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    After being pressured by her relatives to relocate her husband’s service dog, this woman is wondering if she’s in the wrong

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    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.

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    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. 

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    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. 

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    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


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    Adelaide May Ross

    Adelaide May Ross

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about three years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

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    Adelaide May Ross

    Adelaide May Ross

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about three years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

    Rasa Žilinskaitė

    Rasa Žilinskaitė

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    Rasa is a photo editor at Bored Panda, they have a college degree in photography and are currently studying sewing. Ever since childhood Rasa was interested in visual arts, including painting, photography, knitting and so on. When not at work or studying they like to knitting, cooking and spending quality time with their cats.

    Read less »

    Rasa Žilinskaitė

    Rasa Žilinskaitė

    Author, Community member

    Rasa is a photo editor at Bored Panda, they have a college degree in photography and are currently studying sewing. Ever since childhood Rasa was interested in visual arts, including painting, photography, knitting and so on. When not at work or studying they like to knitting, cooking and spending quality time with their cats.

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

    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?

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

    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.

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

    „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?

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

    👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 for not moving your dog. You are doing them a favor having them in your house. they should appreciate that.

    Shelby Minchew
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    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?

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

    Imagine this: you're about to end up homeless, your sister is gracious enough to save you and let's you move in and you a...e have the audacity to demand her to get rid of her sick/ disabled husband's very much needed assistance dog for no valid reason. Gosh, shut up and be grateful for the help you are provided or go and live on the streets or in a shelter.

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

    Right? I've been homeless and stayed in places with people I couldn't stand, but you better believe I kept my mouth shut and pretended I loved every minute of it until I could do something different bc I was grateful to be there regardless.

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

    Fúck that kid. Nothing left to say

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

    Try teaching fúcking entitled kids and parents like this. They are in every class now. Teachers -- thanks for your service (it's, "domestic peace corps").

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

    I'd relocate the niece, tbh.

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

    BWWAHAHAHAHA (evil laugh) You are so right.

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

    I need an update from the OP. I hope she told her brother & his ungrateful a*s family to GTFO

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

    Right? I'm dying to know what happened next. Did she tell them to get out? Did they leave quietly? Doubt it. And what about the dog makes her "uncomfortable"? I have so many questions.....

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

    The dog is not just a dog, he is medical equipment. You don't get rid of someone's medical equipment. I don't know what this girl's problem is but she needs to grow up and her parents need to stop trying to cater to her. She is a guest in someone else's home and doesn't get to make decisions about what goes on in the house. If they are this unhappy, then they need to find somewhere else to stay.

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

    Absolutely the husband and dog stay. For all the reasons everyone has said. The brother and his family are being ungrateful and beyond entitled. They knew the dog was there before they came to stay, but gladly accepted the help. They are all kinds of sketchy. They need to go asap!

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

    It's a service dog, ffs, not a pet. And it's a member of the immediate family who lives there. They want the disabled man who's house it is, and his dog to go stay elsewhere simply because the spoiled teenager says so? Seriously. The peop,e ate already imposing by staying there. Now they see no problem makig one of the people who is got enough to let them syst there, leave. What tf is won with the people. The wife is right, it's their home. The teen needs to stick it up and deal with the fact that it's not her place and she has no right to ask that of them. Her parents are self absorbed jack-azzes and are raising another one. KICK THEM OUT!

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

    Does not matter. My pets would not be kicked out because some mooching twat wad "uncomfortable " with them. My home is their home. I rescued them and would not dump them for a stupid reason like that.

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

    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?

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

    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.

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

    „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?

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

    👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 for not moving your dog. You are doing them a favor having them in your house. they should appreciate that.

    Shelby Minchew
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    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?

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

    Imagine this: you're about to end up homeless, your sister is gracious enough to save you and let's you move in and you a...e have the audacity to demand her to get rid of her sick/ disabled husband's very much needed assistance dog for no valid reason. Gosh, shut up and be grateful for the help you are provided or go and live on the streets or in a shelter.

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

    Right? I've been homeless and stayed in places with people I couldn't stand, but you better believe I kept my mouth shut and pretended I loved every minute of it until I could do something different bc I was grateful to be there regardless.

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

    Fúck that kid. Nothing left to say

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

    Try teaching fúcking entitled kids and parents like this. They are in every class now. Teachers -- thanks for your service (it's, "domestic peace corps").

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

    I'd relocate the niece, tbh.

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

    BWWAHAHAHAHA (evil laugh) You are so right.

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

    I need an update from the OP. I hope she told her brother & his ungrateful a*s family to GTFO

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

    Right? I'm dying to know what happened next. Did she tell them to get out? Did they leave quietly? Doubt it. And what about the dog makes her "uncomfortable"? I have so many questions.....

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

    The dog is not just a dog, he is medical equipment. You don't get rid of someone's medical equipment. I don't know what this girl's problem is but she needs to grow up and her parents need to stop trying to cater to her. She is a guest in someone else's home and doesn't get to make decisions about what goes on in the house. If they are this unhappy, then they need to find somewhere else to stay.

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

    Absolutely the husband and dog stay. For all the reasons everyone has said. The brother and his family are being ungrateful and beyond entitled. They knew the dog was there before they came to stay, but gladly accepted the help. They are all kinds of sketchy. They need to go asap!

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

    It's a service dog, ffs, not a pet. And it's a member of the immediate family who lives there. They want the disabled man who's house it is, and his dog to go stay elsewhere simply because the spoiled teenager says so? Seriously. The peop,e ate already imposing by staying there. Now they see no problem makig one of the people who is got enough to let them syst there, leave. What tf is won with the people. The wife is right, it's their home. The teen needs to stick it up and deal with the fact that it's not her place and she has no right to ask that of them. Her parents are self absorbed jack-azzes and are raising another one. KICK THEM OUT!

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

    Does not matter. My pets would not be kicked out because some mooching twat wad "uncomfortable " with them. My home is their home. I rescued them and would not dump them for a stupid reason like that.

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
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