18-year-old reports friend who owns 5 cats and 3 dogs to animal control due to neglect, the friend finds out who reported her and freaks out, and all their mutual friends take her side: 'I did what I thought was right'

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Jul 3, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Friends are important. Staying friends through hard times is even more important. But there is a limit to what you should accept from a friend, and it is okay to choose who you want to be friends with in the first place. And if your friend is someone who is neglecting their cats and dogs, if your friend is someone who hurts cats, whether on purpose or not, and if that friend is unwilling to change and treat their pets better after you talk to them about it… then maybe that's not a real friend. 

A friend like that - someone who is neglecting and possibly harming a cat - is someone that you absolutely should report to animal control. The fact that the person in this story - who one hundred percent did the right thing - is even questioning it is sad. And the fact that their "friends" are taking the pet owner's side is even sadder. 

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  • 01

    "[Am I wrong] for reporting my friend to animal control and getting her cats taken away?"

    None of the cats are up to date on vaccines, the dogs are left basement...
    via Unsplash / Chewy - chewy

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    I 18f, have a a friend also 18f who we'll call Amanda. Amanda and I have been friends for over a year and a half now, we were introduced by a friend who I wasn't very close with. Amanda has 8 pets, 5 cats and three dogs which goes over the legal limit of pets you can have in lowa where we live.
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 03
    None of the cats are up to date on vaccines, 3 of them are entirely unvaccinated and not fixed. One of the unfixed cats is a female cat who's old enough to get pregnant. 3 of the cats are unregistered and covered in fleas.
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 04
    Amanda also has 3 dogs, a pitbull mix, and two of those small white dogs but I don't know the specific breeds. The pitbull stays in a cage in a dirty room during a majority of the day and sometimes all day without food or water and when she does go outside she's out there all day even in extreme weather.
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 05
    Amanda also rarely changes the litter boxes when she's told to, her house and clothes smell like cat pee.
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 06
    The smaller dogs are left in the basement where her parents live and never go outside ever, they stay down there and urinate and defecate on the floor.
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 07
    One of the dogs is going blind and deaf and is in so much pain and so weak that putting him down would unfortunately be a better mercy than living scared and unmedicated.
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 08
    I reported the conditions to the ARL because my therapist said that it would be better if I said something rather than nothing.
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 09
    Amanda texted me freaking out and saying that animal control said they have to get rid of the cats and they told her it was me who reported it which isn't possible because when I called they didn't ask for any of my information or even my name.
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 10
    Currently our friends aren't even texting me back and I think they've all taken her side even though I did what I thought was right, AITAH?
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10523628544
    via Unsplash / Marcin Szmigiel - kjuri

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Oftentimes, in situations like this, we generally support talking to the friend first, trying to get them to change the way that they are treating their pets. But we think that you were beyond that solution in this situation. Eight pets at constant risk… you had to do something, and we are glad that you did. 

  • 12
    Which_Incident_9283 • 1d ago NTA at all!! How would she feel left alone in a cage with no food or water. Or being covered in fleas? Or being with an owner who obviously doesn't care about them at all!!
    via Which_Incident_9283
  • 13
    Calling animal control was the absolute right thing to do! As for her statement that animal control took her it was you that called, obviously you know that's not true. For one, you said they never even asked for your name and second, they NEVER release the name of the reporting party. It's for that person's protection against retaliation! Honestly, I was hoping that you were going to say that they took all the animals right then and there.
    via Which_Incident_9283
  • 14
    Apart-Hovercraft1881 OP 1d ago If they saw the dogs they likely did take them but she really only cares about the cats unfortunately so it's possible she didn't mention it but I unfortunately don't know
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 15
    Cheezburger Image 10523628032
    via Unsplash / Madalyn Cox - madalyncox

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • We know that it's difficult to lose friends - and yes, we think the friendship with this friend is indeed lost - but you definitely did the right thing here. Honestly, we're not sure that we would even want to be friends with someone who treats animals like this. Make sure the pups are okay, and then, get out of this situation. That would probably be best for everyone - including you. 

  • 16
    • Tigger7894 1d ago This isn't real. They would not have given the name of who reported until it was closer to trial. Edit- I have a NFH who likes to report other neighbors. It's always unfounded and we never hear who reported us, even though we know because the neighbor brags.
    via Tigger7894
  • 17
    Apart-Hovercraft1881 OP • 1d ago I tried explaining to her that they wouldn't have given a name but she kept insisting that it was me and then said that only I would have known that they were unregistered
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 18
    Cheezburger Image 10523628288
    via Unsplash / Bri Tucker

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 19
    ConsiderationFew7599 . 1d ago NTA. Call back and get the dogs taken, too. I'll cross my fingers they get some sort of animal cruelty charges and are blacklisted from places like shelters so they at least can't adopt any more animals in the future.
    via ConsiderationFew7599
  • 20
    Apart-Hovercraft1881 OP 1d ago Alright, I'll try doing that and hope the dogs do get taken as well
    via Apart-Hovercraft1881
  • 21
    Away-Elephant-4323 • 1d ago You did what was right, it would've been different if they actually were cared for! but they weren't getting cared for especially being that many!
    via Away-Elephant-4323
  • 22
    twiceasmuch3 • 1d ago Easiest no I've ever said. NOT THE A HLE
    via twiceasmuch3

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cat drama interesting friends animal control story Cats report
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