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A pet dog is like a member of the family. Having to give one up a beloved pet is one of the hardest things you can do — so it’s hard to believe that anyone could make someone abandon their dog for no good reason.
But that was the case for one conflicted Reddit user, who turned to the internet for advice after his mom forced him to give up his beloved dog… but his refusal to give in has been cheered as the right thing to do.
The story comes from the Reddit forum r/AmItheAsshole, where users share stories asking if they were in the wrong. A post by a 17-year-old known by the username u/rejc7929 quickly became one of the most-talked-about topics.
The teen says his dad died two years ago in a work accident, and his mom is now engaged to a man named Anthony, who moved in with the family.
The problem is that Anthony is allergic to dogs… and mom suddenly insisted that the family dog Dax would have to go.
“My mom told me we had to get rid of Dax my dog,” u/rejc7929 wrote. “Like not even as a question just straight up said that’s what we’re gonna do.”
It was especially devastating news because Dax had been a loyal companion for years, even through the hardest times. Dax is also a reminder of his late dad.
“Dax was my dad’s dog that he rescued from a shelter when he was still a puppy and we had him since I was 11,” the teen wrote. “So he means a lot to me.”
Sadly, the mother continued to insist on giving up Dax, even when they couldn’t find anyone to take him in. She was prepared to bring their dog to a shelter.
Finally, the teen’s grandpa—his late father’s father—agreed to take in Dax to spare him from the shelter, but he lived an hour away and couldn’t fully care for the dog.
So, u/rejc7929 came up with a solution: he would move in with the grandpa to care for Dax. It would work out, he says, because his classes are remote and he is graduating in June.
His mom, however, took offense to this idea, saying he needed to be with his family, and that her son was “choosing to be with my [his] instead of with them.”
The teen disagreed: “Dax is my family and she made me get rid of him just like that,” u/rejc7929 wrote. “My grandpa’s my family too.”
u/rejc7929 has since moved in with his grandpa and is happy being with Dax, but is still conflicted over his feud with his mother. He asked Reddit if he was wrong for “choosing my dog over my mom.”
However, nearly everyone on the forum took his side.
“What your mom is doing is horrible,” the top comment reads. “She’s trying to force a new ‘family’ on you without your consent. Stay with your grandpa and keep the dog.”
“You are a kind, devoted, animal loving, guy,” another wrote. “Your mom has kind of lost her way, so even though she’s your mom, she’s not really looking out for your best interests right now.”
You didn’t choose your dog over her,” another comment reads, “she chose her husband over you and your furry friend.”
It’s great to hear that this teen refused to give up his beloved dog, even if it meant causing a rift with his mother.
But dogs are family, too, and shouldn’t be thrown away like that. We hope this teen and his dog are doing well and that this family finds a solution where they can all be happy.
Do you agree that he did the right thing? Share this story with your thoughts.
