Pet Owner Hires Local Teen To Look After His Pets, Comes Home To Find His Cat Missing, Decides Not To Pay Irresponsible Teenager. AITA?

Author image for Blake Seidel
Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Mar 18, 2023 3:00 PM EDT

There comes a time in all of our lives when we graduate from the neighborhood teen who cuts the lawns, babysits, etc, to the one paying the teenager to do these things for us. This AITA author hired his neighbor's teenager to watch his pets while him and his family were away for a few days. In the first couple of days, the teen lost the house keys, so they gave him the garage door code so he could enter and exit easily. That seemed like a great idea, until the teen left the garage door opened…and the cat got out.

After returning home, the family was shocked to find their cat missing. The teen lied, saying he had seen the cat previously that morning. The family has security cameras around the entrance of the house, and they saw the cat exit the open garage door in the morning, the previous day. Don't worry, the cat came back a few days later, but it's the principle of the thing that matters here. First, the teen lost the keys, so now they have to redo all the locks on the house, and they lost the cat. Would you pay them for not doing their job? Is the author an AH?

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  • 01
    Font - We hired our neighbor's 16 year old son to take care of our dog and cat while we were out of town. He was supposed to let the dog out twice a day and keep an eye on the food and water. The cat is an indoor cat and he was to feed her. Two days in he lost our key so I had to give him the garage code so he could get in. We got home after 4 days and the cat was no where to be found. I called him and asked when the last time was he saw the cat, he told me that morning. Well we knew the cat was
    via u/DntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice

    We would be absolutely LIVID if we came home to find out our cat was missing. Doesn't matter if it was a teenager or an adult, we trusted someone to look after our loved ones, our beloved pets, and something happened to them….there would be hell to pay!

  • 02
    Font - When I told him the cat was gone he did come over and offer to go look for her and took off in his car. We saw him come back on our camera with a grocery store bag, so not sure if he actually went looking for her or not like he claimed. We left the door open over night and she did come home and is fine. There was a good chance she couldn't have, as we live 1 street over from open space where a pack of coyotes frequent and she is only 8lbs so a lot of other animals could have gotten her to
    via u/DntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice
  • 03
    Font - Here's the main part: we decided not to pay him. It's a pay what you want agreement and given that we now need to rekey the house and he lost our cat we didn't feel that he took his responsibilities seriously. And the bigger the mistake the bigger the consequence. You may say, well any job would have to still pay you. Yes, but they also can deduct or charge you the cost of damages which in this case will be more than what we would have paid him and we aren't asking for it, just not paying
    via u/DntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice

    Usually, we're not on the side of employers withholding payment, but this kid didn't do his job. Not only did he not do his job, but he also cost the family money by having to make new keys and locks for the house. What would you do?

  • 04
    Font - camellia_s 5 mo. ago Asshole Aficionado [10] Wow okay i didn't ever think I'd say this to an employer withholding wages but — NTA. You paid him to: -hang onto your key: X -keep an eye on your cat: X -feed and take out the dog: maybe? 1 out of 3 = bad. But the real kicker for me is it seems like from what you shared he lost the cat at some point earlier and rather than immediately telling you and starting a search, he lied to you. Just not even on the same planet as acceptable. I'm SO reli
    via u/camellia_s
  • 05
    Font - acegirl1985 5 mo. ago Right?! Like how much more could he have screwed up without actively trying? He lost the key lost the cat (it sounds like for most of the time he was supposed to be pet sitting)- it's a miracle the dog was okay. Thankfully the cat was okay and made it home safely but this could have ended horribly. NTA.
    via u/acegirl1985
  • 06
    Font - wordsmythy 5 mo. ago S Certified Proctologist [28] NTA. You're lucky you got your cat back; it would've been better off if you'd left it alone with an auto feeder. I think it's fair to say, "Look, it pains me to say this, but you did a terrible job looking after the cat, you lost the cat, you lost our key so we now have to rekey the lock for security. That's gonna cost more than what your pay would've been. So let's just call it even and hope we both learned something." If he protests, te
    via u/wordsmythy
  • 07
    Font - Graygan 5 mo. ago Partassipant [1] Yes and no... Overall, NTA... I'd suggest making up an itemized bill listing the responsibilities and expected pay. Then list the deductions for damages and non-completion of contracted work. He did not feed the cat for two days at a minimum and you can prove that. So deduct. He lost your key and you have to re-key the home. Deduct.
    via u/Graygan
  • 08
    Font - If he ends up owing you money, ask how he's going to pay or ask if he'd like to just write this down as a learning experience and you agree to call it even. Either way, never hire him again. Suggest that maybe he get a job at a fast food place. You can also look into hiring animal sitters online. There are several very good services that are not too expensive and run background checks.
    via u/Graygan
  • 09
    Font - DntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice OP 5 mo. ago We have friends that can take care of our animals for free, but wanted to help out a teen neighbor to make some money. It's an unfortunate situation, but he was careless as he left the door open while the dog went out and went and did stuff. We assume the cat got out then, but she isn't a runner so it's surprising he didn't notice her outside.
    via u/DntMkeMeUseMyHRVoice
  • 10
    Font - ShortFort345 mo. ago NTA - he lost your key and your cat. What was his reaction to not getting paid - just curious
    via u/ShortFort345
  • 11
    Font - OrganizationSharp398 · 5 mo. ago Asshole Enthusiast [5] NTA- those are two big things. He lost the animal he was responsible for and lied about when that happened AND he lost your house key...... How did the cat get out? Through the garage while he was there and he didn't notice?!
    via u/OrganizationSharp398
  • 12
    Font - Literally_Taken · 5 mo. ago Asshole Enthusiast [9] He failed spectacularly, and then he lied about it. Did you review your costs with him and/or his parents? It's hard to imagine anyone who knows the full story wouldn't understand that your cost exceeded his expected wage. If people aren't seeing you side, it's probably because you're saying you didn't pay him. Instead, say your damages exceeded his expected wage. People will be more comfortable with that. ΝΤΑ
    via u/Literally_Taken
  • 13
    Mammal - ndgjj 5 mo. ago NTA, tell him the full costs and that you've decided to do him a favour by limiting it to what you wouldve paid him.
    via u/ndgjj
  • 14
    Font - ranbootookmygender 5 mo. ago nta. normally I wouldn't agree w withholding pay but considering how she could have been hurt or killed, esp being an indoor cat, it's absolutely reasonable here. i would be heartbroken if my cat got out. I'd be surprised if you didn't get furious w him tbh. and I'm the samw age, but I know better than to let this happen, and so does my 12 year old brother. so it's definitely not excusable bc he's young
    via u/ranbootookmygender
  • 15
    Font - dresses_212_10028 5 mo. ago Asshole Enthusiast [8] NTA. He was going to be paid for a job he didn't complete. Add that to the net of the cost of redoing your front door lock, he's likely lucky he doesn't owe you. He lied to you, too - you have the footage to prove it. Absolutely not $0.01
    via u/dresses_212_10028
  • 16
    Font - barrito87 5 mo. ago Seems fair enough. I'm sure replacing the locks around the house is going to cost you way more than what you owed him anyway. NTA.
    via u/barrito87
  • 17
    Font - Beefy MonkeyBrains 5 mo. ago Partassipant [3] NTA. He had a very simple job and failed, twice.
    via u/Beefy MonkeyBrains
  • 18
    Font - zacke81 5 mo. ago Partassipant [3] Nta he needs to learn their are conquences. In a job if you still or damage product the company takes it out of Pau or you have to pay it back. He lost the cat and didn't even notice he. Didn't do the job and lost something irreplaceable. I hope you found your cat.
    via u/zacke81
  • 19
    Font - leftoverrpizzza · 5 mo. ago NTA. I babysat starting at 12 years old and was more responsible to CHILDREN than this 16 year old was responsible to animals. They seem like they e never had any kind of responsibility and haven't taken any of your concerns prior to their crappy service seriously. I think this kid has had terrible parenting and needs employment only with a manager above them to make sure they actually do their job requirements.
    via u/leftoverrpizzza

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