“[Am I The Jerk] For Kicking My Best Friend And Her Kids Out Of My House?”

Imagine going on vacation, sipping on cocktails, and thinking your pets are in safe hands only to open your home security cameras and find an uninvited guest’s dog taking over your couch.

Today’s Original Poster (OP) trusted her friend to house-sit while she went out of town for a few days. What started as a kind gesture quickly spiraled into a nightmare which did not only put her pets in danger but also strained their long-time friendship.

More info: Reddit

Most people rely on friends, family, or sitters to step in and look after their home, and just cross their fingers that everything runs smoothly

Woman sitting with two children by the window while her dogs are locked up during a house sit incident.

Image credits: prostooleh / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The author asked her friend, recently struggling with housing, to house-sit and care for her two dogs and cats while she was away

Text excerpt about a friend house sitting, locking up dogs for hours while her own dogs roam free.

Text on a white background describing two dogs: one anxious and dog aggressive, the other chill and lazy, as part of a house sit story.

Text block describing Kelsey moving back with her parents after a breakup, sharing one bedroom with her kids.

Text excerpt about a friend agreeing to house sit to bring normalcy after feeling unwelcome at parents' house.

Text excerpt about house sitting before a trip highlighting concerns over who will house sit the dogs.

Text message discussing dog anxiety and a dog sitter's poor treatment while house sitting.

Image credit: Folklore_breeze

A tabby cat and a German Shepherd dog resting together on a light gray couch inside a home.

Image credits: pixel-shot.com / Freepik (not the actual photo)

During the stay, the friend secretly brought her own dog into the home, despite knowing one of the dogs was aggressive toward other dogs

Text excerpt about a friend agreeing to house sit and locking up dogs while hers roam free.

Text describing a house sitter locking up a woman’s dogs for hours while letting her own dogs roam free during a trip.

Text message complaint about a friend bringing her dog without permission while house sitting and locking up other dogs.

Text on a plain background stating someone put kids, herself, and animals in danger but apologized afterwards.

Text excerpt about reviewing camera footage after a friend agrees to house sit but mistreats dogs by locking some up.

Text showing dog owner upset after friend house sits, locking up dogs for hours without food or water while her dog roamed free.

Image credit: Folklore_breeze

Home security camera on wooden shelf monitoring house during dog sitting and pet care duties indoors.

Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Security cameras later revealed the friend had been locking her dogs in a bedroom for hours without food or water while allowing her own dog to roam freely

Text message explaining disbelief that friend's house sitting involved locking up dogs and treating them like punishment.

Text describing someone recounting a friend locking up her dogs outside while letting her own dogs roam freely during house sitting.

Text excerpt showing a woman’s message about being disappointed and asking a friend to leave after locking up her dogs while house sitting.

Text describing a friend who agreed to house sit but locked up woman's dogs for hours while her own dogs roamed free.

Text on a white background showing a question asking if the writer is the a******e in a moral dilemma.

Text excerpt discussing a friend house sitting, locking up woman's dogs while hers roam freely.

Image credit: Folklore_breeze

Shocked and upset, she asked her friend to leave, but later questioned if she had been too harsh

The OP asked her friend to house-sit while she went away for five days. It seemed like a win-win, especially as her friend had recently split from her fiancé and was living in a cramped room with her two kids. That way, the friend could enjoy some normalcy, while the OP’s two dogs had familiar company.

The friend assured her multiple times that she was up for the task, and things looked fine at first until a text revealed that the OP’s anxious shepherd mix had been nipping at the friend and her toddler. She found it a bit odd considering the dogs had been fine with the friend before, however, she brushed it off as the dog just being anxious because she wasn’t there.

On day three, curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to check her indoor camera feed. It was then she saw her friend’s son cuddling on the couch but with her own dog. This upset the OP, especially because her dog was known to be aggressive toward other dogs. When confronted, the friend apologized.

However, as if that wasn’t bad enough, reviewing past footage made things worse. The OP discovered that her own dogs had been locked in her bedroom for 8+ hours a day with no food or water, while the friend’s dog had full run of the house. Some evenings, her dogs were banished outside while the guest dog stayed cozy indoors. Furious, she texted her friend to leave her house.

Young woman sitting on floor, looking shocked while holding smartphone, illustrating friend house sit dog conflict story.

Image credits: benzoix / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Puparazzi Pet Care highlights that responsible pet-sitting involves much more than just keeping pets company, as sitters are expected to provide the correct portions of food and ensure that fresh water is available. Daily exercise, such as walks or playtime, and grooming tasks, including brushing or cleaning paws, are also essential.

Sitters should communicate consistently with the owner regarding their pets, providing updates and reporting any emergencies, as Trusted Housesitters note. They also explain that respecting the home, privacy, and established rules is essential, including avoiding off-limits areas and not using personal property without permission.

The OP’s friend crossed boundaries, but she still found herself wondering if she was wrong for asking the friend to leave her house. The Vessel states that second-guessing isn’t inherently negative, as it can encourage reflection and learning from past choices. However, when one finds themselves wondering if they were wrong for setting boundaries, it erodes confidence in their judgment.

To reduce the harmful effects of constant second-guessing, it helps to trust one’s instincts, make decisions while accepting that outcomes may be imperfect, and focus on understanding the core conflict behind a dilemma. By balancing reflection with action, individuals can learn from mistakes without letting doubt undermine their ability to make confident, reasonable choices.

Netizens insisted that the OP was not at fault for asking her friend to leave. They emphasized that the friend’s behavior was reckless and irresponsible, putting both her own children and the homeowner’s pets at risk. They also noted that the friend’s behavior demonstrated she was not a good friend and could not be trusted in any situation involving the pets or the home.

What do you think about this situation? Do you think asking her to leave immediately was too harsh, or was it the only reasonable choice? We would love to know your thoughts!

Netizens affirmed that the author wasn’t wrong for asking her friend to leave the house, especially after the friend had neglected her pets

Reddit comments discussing a friend who locked up woman's dogs while her own dogs roamed free during house sit.

Reddit discussion about friend who house sits and locks up woman's dogs while letting hers roam free.

Reddit comments discussing a house sit disaster where dogs were locked up and friend got kicked out.

Reddit conversation about friend agreeing to house sit but locking up woman's dogs while hers roam free.

Online forum discussion about a friend locking up dogs for hours while their own dogs roam free during house sitting.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation discussing a friend locking up dogs while her own roam free.

Screenshot of a discussion about a friend’s dog care, focusing on dog aggression and house sitting responsibilities.

Alt text: Screenshot of a Reddit conversation discussing a friend locking dogs up while letting hers roam free during house sitting.

Text conversation about doodle rescues being difficult dogs to train and a friend's dog lacking manners and intelligence.

Commenter discusses differences between American Bully and Pit Bull breeds, emphasizing breed distinctions and mixes.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment saying NTA and calling the friend a selfish idiot in a house sitting dispute.

Reddit user comments on friend who house sat, locked up dogs while hers roamed free, leading to conflict and eviction.

User comment about house sitting dispute, expressing anger over pets locked up while others roam free inside a home.

Comment discussing friend who house sits, locks up dogs for hours, and neglects others while letting her own roam free.

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!