'You better put the dog back in the carrier': Naïve woman takes her dog out on a plane, a 35-year-old male passenger warns that is she doesn't put it back, he is going to make her regret it

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Jul 7, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

Having some plane etiquette, even in normal situations, seems to be a big ask for some people. Having plane etiquette with pets involved… even worse. Seriously, if you think "what could be so difficult about that?" then you don't know the half of it. We have seen the most ridiculous stories about animals on planes. We have seen everything from passengers attending flights with fake service dogs, to passengers being forced to change seats on a plane because of giant cats requiring the highest levels of comfort, all the way to one passenger trying to bring an emotional support lynx on a plane.  

So, okay, pet owners are not always the greatest passengers, but that doesn't mean that they have to be treated badly. Sometimes, innocent mistakes are made. That seems to be the case here. This woman took her small dog out of its crate, wanting to hold it on her lap so that it is more comfortable, and instead of simply talking to a flight attendant, this man started to make threats.  

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  • 01

    "[Am I wrong] for telling a lady to put her dog back in the carrier on the airplane?"

    "Put [the dog] away or this can be a bigger scene for you."
    via Unsplash / Kyle Larivee

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

  • 02
    I (35M) had to fly to LA this morning on Delta and I had an aisle seat. It was a smaller plane with 2 seats per side. No TV or Movies on this flight and I wasn't paying for WIFI, so just me and my music.
    via Unique_Excuse4780
  • 03
    Ten minutes into the flight, the lady (40's) across the aisle was moving around and trying to get in her personal item.
    via Unique_Excuse4780
  • 04
    She busts out a dog. In my head, I'm like What the F . I'm not dog friendly so I tell the lady firmly, you better put the dog back in the carrier.
    via Unique_Excuse4780
  • 05
    She says its cramped in the carrier, and the dog would rather be in her lap. I tell her to put it away or this can be a bigger scene for you.
    via Unique_Excuse4780
  • 06
    She reluctantly put it away. The rest of the flight she would baby talk the dog and call me the a_h_le. I complained to the flight attendants after the flight. AITA?
    via Unique_Excuse4780
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10525931520
    via Canva / JodiJacobson

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

  • Our verdict: everyone is wrong in this situation. No, this woman should not have taken out her dog on the plane. But also no, this man should not have spoken to her the way that he did. Threatening anyone, especially on a plane, especially over something relatively small, is unacceptable. 

  • 08
    catslady123 ESH because that lady should've kept her dog in the carrier (which is Delta's policy), and "you better put that dog back in the carrier" is just not how you talk to other people when you want them to do something for you out of the gate. Next time just call the flight crew and ask them to handle it.
    via catslady123
  • 09
    FewStill3958 NTA for asking her to follow the rules. YTA for being a about it. Ease up on the self righteousness and life will get a lot more pleasant for you generally.
    via FewStill3958
  • 10
    RutilatedGold YTA solely for your approach. What an insane way to speak to someone. You do sound like an ah le.
    via RutilatedGold
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10525931008
    via Canva / benedek

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

  • 12
    junvaro Agreed YTA because rude. Disagree with the other YTA comments below suggesting you should've done nothing. You're well within your legal rights and moral rights to prefer even well-behaved dogs remain caged for any number of reason.
    via junvar0
  • 13
    Opbombshellivy So you, a man, told a woman "This can be a bigger scene for you" after you "Firmly" told her what to do. Instead of calling a flight attendant. Instead of saying "hey i'm afraid of dogs even small ones, would you mind putting him away" and allowing her empathy to take over, you decided to use your perceived power in this world to inform someone they may be in danger if they don't do what you demand them to do?
    via Opbombshellivy
  • 14
    Think about this from any other perspective of someone who is larger than you telling you what to do right now without any kind of warning or previous conversation, and they are bigger than you, and they seem threatening. Does that seem like anah_le? Yes? YATA
    via Opbombshellivy
  • 15
    DemureDamsel122 Tf is wrong with you. You realize you can communicate with people without being a jerk, right? YTA for your unnecessary attitude.
    via DemureDamsel122
  • 16
    Cheezburger Image 10525931264
    via Canva / nadisja

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

  • Good. Everyone in the comments agrees with our verdict. There is a proper and improper way to go about things when you are in a public place and disagree with someone, and this was one hundred percent not the right way.

  • 17
    Specialist_Badger934 ESH. She should have kept the dog in its carrier, but there was no reason for you to get aggressive or threatening. A normal person would have called over a flight attendant and let them deal with it since it's, you know, their job.
    via Specialist_Badger934
  • 18
    BigBig Big Tree YTA. I tell her to put it away or this can be a bigger scene for you. I see that you say you meant involving flight attendants, but... you didn't say that.
    via BigBigBigTree
  • 19
    It's unclear what you were envisioning by "causing a bigger scene." It definitely sounds threatening. This is a garbage way to communicate with people unless you intended to sound threatening, in which case, you're still an a hole. I don't think you were wrong for wanting her to put the dog away, but if this is how you try to resolve conflicts you're clearly an a hole.
    via BigBigBigTree
  • 20
    mochafiend ESH. You're in the right but an a h le about it. I'm a pet owner who wishes I could put my dog in my lap but I won't because I follow the rules. The person on your flight gives us all a bad name, but neither of you come out looking great here.
    via mochafiend

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dogs cute dogs drama interesting passenger story airplane
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