Getting a family pet is often a big conversation in a lot of homes, and it can take time for everyone to agree. One dad recently shared on Reddit that after a lot of back-and-forth, he agreed to get a dog for his kids.
Unfortunately, the dad felt like it was necessary to give the dog away after only five months. Why? He says his kids are irresponsible.
He admits to not liking animals.
"I don't like animals in general," the dad began. "In fact, they freak me out, but this has nothing to do with that. Due to my dislike of animals, I was against the idea of getting a dog but my wife and my sons 14 and 10 really wanted a dog. My wife said that this will teach the kids responsibility and stuff. Eventually, I caved in and agreed to get the dog. The agreement was that the three of them would be solely responsible for the dog and I would just pay for the expenses."
He says the kids weren't really taking care of the dog.
"We've had the dog for 5 months and I started noticing things," he continued. "The kids aren't playing with the dog other than weekends and even then, for an hour or two. When I ask about the last time they took the dog for a walk, silence. My wife keeps making excuses that they are new dog owners and kids, so mistakes are to be expected to which I counter that she isn't picking up their slack either."
And the dog isn't being fed enough.
"Then I started noticing that the dog is eating a lot during dinner time, and we have a lot of dog food left. I also saw that he's being chewing on things more often. I found out that he's not been getting lunch and gets breakfast irregularly. This really infuriated me. Despite my aversion to him, he is still a living being and I have a healthy respect for animals."
His wife is really upset.
"Since one of the arguments my wife said was that the kids will understand what it's like to be a parent and how it will teach them to be responsible for another life, I acted like CPS and gave the dog to my in-laws who love him."
He doesn't want to get the dog back.
"My wife and kids are now furious at me and demand I get the dog back, but I am ready to die on this hill. I've given my kids 3 months to show me they have what it takes to be responsible for the dog. They've already failed a few times in the first 2 weeks. My wife and a lot of people think I'm being far too harsh, and this is cruel to take the kids' dog away. I disagree but the fact that my wife has been sleeping in a different room and my kids not talking to me has been affecting me. They think I am making excuses to get rid of the dog and if there was a problem I should've just helped out."
Some people are on his side.
"You’re making them accountable, but like CPS, they should have the opportunity to get guardianship back. Clearly define what the expectations are," a commenter said.
"Also a dog does not need lunch. Breakfast and dinner, yes."
Another person puts it this way: Kids aren't pet owners. Adults are.
A second commenter wrote, "CHILDREN CANNOT BE PET OWNERS. Sure, they can help out and you can teach responsibility and they can love them. But at the end of the day that is YOUR pet. Any parent who gets their child a pet needs to understand that!!!
"You did the right thing by giving the dog to a family that loves and cares for them. No reason for the dog to have a bad life."
In the end, animals are a responsibility.
A third person chimed in, "Made the right decision, the fact that the dog wasn’t getting fed or walked enough is good enough of a reason to give the dog to a new home. Dogs are a huge responsibility, just get them a fish and have them prove they can be responsible by starting out small."
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