Man Invites Friend's Family For Holidays, Turns Them Away When They Arrive With Two Dogs

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kalila courban
Jan 2, 2022 1:00 PM EST

Hi friends! It's been a long holiday season and we are starting to whine down from all the festivities. There has unfortunately been no shortage of holiday pet drama this year, like every other year before. We encourage everone to do some thinking for future reference- think about how you can best prepare for your pets' wellbeing next holiday season and the next time you travel. It's certainly preferable to avoid any awkward conversations, such like the one OP had with his friend after an tense reunion involving Christmas, travel, and dogs. 

We are all for taking your pets along on trips and holiday vacations, but at least ask the host first if this is something that he or she can be ammenable to. Bringing two dogs along to a friend's place, and a frined who does not have pets at that, without asking first is not okay. And we totally respect OP's decision to turn his friends away because of this. 

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  • 01
    Smile - Posted by u/ThreeHoursAway 3 days ago AITA for turning away guests who flew in for Christmas because they didn't tell me they'd be bringing a dog?
    via ThreeHoursAway

    In short, no. OP you are in the clear as far as we are concerned. 

  • 02
    Font - An old friend's Christmas plans fell through so I invited him to come spend it with us since I happened to have plenty of extra space this year. He said "Is it alright if I bring my whole family?" I said no problem, knowing from Facebook and past conversations that his whole family was just a wife and two kids, and we had the room and food to accommodate them.
    via ThreeHoursAway

    It was so kind of OP to extend a warm invitation to his friends after their Christmas plans fell through, and even kinder to welcome the whole family with open arms. Little did they know what 'the whole family' really meant.

  • 03
    Font - When they showed up they had two dogs with them. They hadn't mentioned bringing the dogs and I was really taken aback. I asked him why he didn't tell me about the dogs and he said he'd told me he was bringing the whole family and I knew he had two dogs.
    via ThreeHoursAway

    Come on guys. It's common courtesy to talk to your host first before coming and coordinating details, especially two very big important details that are also dogs. This was rude and inconsiderate on the part of the guests. 

  • 04
    Font - I told him I didn't think "whole family" implied he was flying the pets down with him and I was sorry but I couldn't have them in the house. On top of the fact that I'm not super comfortable with animals whose training I'm not familiar with coming in my house to stay several days, my wife is really not a dog person and I couldn't in good faith just spring this on her, she was already doing me a favor by allowing me to invite friends of mine for the holidays.
    via ThreeHoursAway
  • 05
    Font - So I told them I was sorry but they couldn't stay in our house. That they could spend the holiday but would have to find somewhere else to stay over and to keep the dogs during the day. They were furious and said I was basically asshole and a moron and ruined their holiday etc etc etc.
    via ThreeHoursAway
  • 06
    Font - I reached out after 24 hours had passed hoping once heads had cooled we could discuss it and make amends but now it's been several days and I still haven't heard from him. I feel badly about how it all transpired and could use some outside perspective. AITA?
    via ThreeHoursAway
  • 07
    Font - Lovegivingadvice 3 days ago Certified Proctologist [29] NTA. No one (and I am a pet owner) thinks the whole family includes the animals. You clarify that before booking a trip. Your friends are behaving like morons if they truly believe that that would be a normal interpretation
    via Lovegivingadvice
  • 08
    Font - stroppo · 3 days ago · edited 3 days ago Partassipant [1] NTA. Bringing a dog is a huge imposition, even if the folks you stay with have a pet. Maybe the pet doesn't get along with strange dogs; maybe you rent and there's a prohibition on how many animals you can have; lots of reasons. Edit to add: Plus...showing up w/a pet unannounced. Some folks w/pets don't mind taking their friends pets in too, but it's always been worked out in advance; you don't just spring it on them. 1.8k Reply Gi
    via stroppo
  • 09
    Rectangle - Classy_Bi_Bitch · 3 days ago NTA My dog is a service dog, I bring her EVERYVWHERE... I still ask if she can come or if I need to find accommodations. Sure she's mega trained but she's still a dog, she sheds, she needs to go out and run... I understand people not wanting to deal with a dog in their home
    via Classy_Bi_Bitch
  • 10
    Font - JuliaX1984 · 3 days ago · edited 3 days ago Partassipant [1] I would never bring the cat anywhere without permission, let alone spend the night. NTA If their logic really was that their dogs are as good as humans, they would have given you instructions in advance to ensure their babies were well accomodated, and you would have said "Wait, you're bringing the dogs?" This was clearly a "once we get there, he won't dare say no" trap. Kudos for not falling for it.
    via JuliaX1984
  • 11
    Font - LadyGreyIcedTea · 3 days ago Partassipant [2] My whole family is me, my husband, and 3 dogs and I would never assume my dogs were invited in the OP's situation. The only homes we ever bring the dogs to are my mom's and my in-laws. We do have friends who live a flight's distance away who would 100% welcome our dogs but I would still specifically ask them first before putting my dogs on an airplane (they wouldn't fly well so it's a moot point anyway). The friend definitely tried to pull a f
    via .LadyGreyIcedTea
  • 12
    Font - bunnybunnybiscuit · 3 days ago · edited 3 days ago Certified Proctologist [21] NTA. It is basic common sense to ask about bringing the dogs first. It would not be remotely obvious to 99% of people that 'the whole family' includes the dogs. Honestly, he probably phrased it that way on purpose because he wanted to bring the dogs and didn't want to give you the opportunity to say no. If they weren't the case he'd at least have been apologetic about not being clear. This is as ridiculous as i
    via bunnybunnybiscuit

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petsitting christmas dogs aita holiday season thread pets discussion doggos services argument Travel Reddit holidays
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