Severely Allergic Teen Forced To Live With Sister's Service Dog

Author image for Ellie Dunn
Ellie Dunn
Jan 9, 2022 5:00 PM EST

Here at I Can Has Cheezburger, we have witnessed the power that service dogs can have when it comes to changing lives. From the human and service dog duo Jack and Alison to the dog who saved a baby's life, we have learned to not underestimate the power of a highly trained dog. Today we have a story about a severely epileptic teenager who cannot cope without severe and potentially harmful medication. Her doctor recommended that this girl get a service dog, which ends up being a great idea that really positively benefits this girl. The only problem? Her sister is severely allergic to dogs and can barely stand to be in the same room.

After years of being forced to live in the same house as a dog she is severely allergic to, the teenager leaves her family behind to go off to college. She avoids visiting the home with a dog she is allergic to most of the time, until her mom's wedding approaches and she refuses to go. Is she being an a-hole by refusing to attend? What would you do in this kind of situation? Scroll down to hear the whole story:

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  • 01
    Font - AITA for refusing to go to my mothers wedding because my sister and her service dog will be there?
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue

    Hmm, we wonder where this is going. There has to be a lot of drama in a family for a child to not go to their parent's wedding, but the fact that this woman's sister and her service dog are there too raises some questions about the back story. Let's keep reading and find out exactly what happened…

  • 02
    Font - My(20f) sister(18f) has quite severe epilepsy. She has taken medication but for some extra protection a few years ago(when I was 15) my parents and her doctor decided it would be best if she got a dog that could warn her when she would have "episodes". They also said some of the side effects of the medication were not ideal.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue
  • 03
    Font - I, however, am severely allergic to dogs. Most dogs I cannot be around. However, my grandmother had a purebred poodle that I never had any reaction to. So I asked that the dog they get be a poodle so that I can live in the house without being miserable.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue

    Whaat? That's awful that the thing that can really help this woman's sister is something that she's allergic too. It sounds like she's mainly allergic to dog fur and dander, which poodles don't have, so hopefully the family can find a poodle for the sister to have. These days there are so many hypoallergenic breeds. Portuguese water dogs, Bichon Frise, Aussie doodles, hopefully the family can find a dog that everyone can love. 

  • 04
    Font - They did look into it but they found no groups near us that bred purebred poodles for service work, so they got an "F1B goldendoodle" that's 25% poodle and 75% golden retriever. My father was against the dog and wanted to at least wait until I had gone to college but my mother and the doctor insisted so we got the dog.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue
  • 05
    Font - The dog still caused an allergic reaction, because of the golden retriever. And there was no allergy medicine that completely worked and had no drowsiness side effects, and since I had school and work and sports I couldn't take it.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue
  • 06
    Smile - When my parents got divorced it was still an issue because the dog was at both houses.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue
  • 07
    Font - When I went to college I tried to avoid going home because I would have to be around the dog, and when I did I only went to my dads house.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue
  • 08
    Font - My mother is getting married again in April. She invited me and my sister. I was surprised she wanted to me to go since she said she was keeping it small but she said she really wanted me there.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue
  • 09
    Hair - However, my sister and her dog are going to be there so I politely declined and I made plans for that day.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue
  • 10
    Font - My mother is very upset and says she wants me to just take medicine to get over it and that I'm being unreasonable.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue
  • 11
    Font - I don't think I am because I don't want to go and don't think I should have to take medicine to be at the wedding of someone who doesn't care about my medical needs but she thinks I should just suck it up.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue
  • 12
    Human body - Other family members think I'm being ridiculous as well and trying to hurt my mother by refusing to go.
    via u/unsatisfactory_blue
  • 13
    Font - walnutwithteeth · NAH. The dog isn't there as a pet. Her doctor confirmed that getting one was required due the severity of her epilepsy. You can't be around the dog because of your allergies and have said as much. It seems like a no-win situation whatever you choose. The only way you may be TA is if you can take medication that would help for a couple of hours and are choosing not to out of principle rather than an issue with side-effects or similar.
    via u/walnutwithteeth
  • 14
    Font - jdessy With OP's comments throughout the post, it DOES seem like she COULD take medication, but is being petty about the dog because she feels her family didn't prioritize her allergies over her sister's service dog...even though OP clearly states that her family tried to find a dog to suit OP's allergies AND her sister's doctor recommended not waiting to get the dog until OP was in college.
    via u/jdessy
  • 15
    Font - fallen_star_2319 It sounds like OP's allergies are to dog fur, but not dog hair. Especially with not reacting to a poodle, which is a breed that has hair, not fur. Sad thing is, there are a good number of breeds that they could have gotten instead that hair hair and not fur, but not all of them would be available as trained service dogs off the bat. And given the severity and past, I honestly wouldn't call OP an asshole for not wanting to be around the sister and her service dog at all. T
    via u/fallen_star_2319
  • 16
    Font - HiddenDestiny251 OP's final years in her childhood home were made miserable and the parent who tried to stand up for her was overruled. She can't take the medicine without a side effect of severe drowsiness which would have ruined her future. It was misery or misery for her and her mother's response was 'sucks to be you'. Sure, it's not her sister's fault, but they literally prioritised the sister's convenience over hers. They could have looked further afield for a poodle but decided on a
    via u/HiddenDestiny251
  • 17
    Font - metalmoriar This isn't about the dog. You lived with the dog for more than 3 years without more than mild discomfort. If I'm wrong feel free to correct me, but I'm sure that if you were hospitalized or given an epi pen for the dog allergy, you would have said so, instead of just being given over-the-counter antihistamines. Your allergy is not that severe, and you're making a stand because you feel you should be catered to and not your sister, while she is the one with actual medical needs
    via u/metalmoriar
  • 18
    Font - BingBong036 I'd just like to point out that just because her allergy didn't land her in the hospital, it doesn't mean it's not a bad reaction. In addition to standard allergic reactions (itchy throat, watery eyes, runny nose, etc.) dander can impact asthma, eczema, etc. I don't want to extrapolate too far from info provided in the OP, but this is the one of many posts I've seen recently where the comments are "well you didn't die/end up in the hospital, so it's clearly not that bad". I ca
    via u/BingBong036
  • 19
    Font - Sparky_Zell It never ceases to amaze me how disconnected people become when it comes to allergies against cats and dogs, but especially dogs. So many of these people would label someone TA in stories when one person has a food allergy and their partner that does not live with them consumes said food. Even when it's not life threatening. But as soon as it's an allergy to dogs, all of a sudden the person with the allergies is a selfish entitled AH. Personally as soon as I come into contact
    via u/Sparky_Zell

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dogs aita drama am i the asshole relationships service dogs doggo wedding Reddit dramatic
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