'[He told me] he would help look for him': 23-year-old boyfriend of 3 years secretly takes his girlfriend's dog to be put to sleep, she finds out, saves the dog, then breaks up with him after exposing his lies

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Jul 21, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

After three years in a relationship, you think you would know the person that you are with. But we suppose that is not always the case. Now, the story you're about to read today is not the first example of that. We've seen relationships crumble over smaller things to do with dogs. From a breakup happening because a boyfriend skips a family dinner because he can't bring his dog, to a boyfriend calling his girlfriend dramatic for being concerned over her dog's well-being, all the way to a man giving his girlfriend's dog up for adoption behind her back. 

So, we've seen some shocking things before, yet somehow, this story beats all of them. By a mile. Never in our wildest dreams, would we think that a man who has been dating a dog owner for three whole years would suddenly decide to take her dog to a vet to have it be put to sleep. Yet that happened. Or, it almost happened, we suppose, because this woman managed to save her dog just in time.

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  • 01

    "My[23F] boyfriend [23M] of 3 years stealthily took my 11 year old dog to a vet 80km away to be put to sleep. It was only luck I found out and got him back. bf doesn't know I have my dog back but he comes back tomorrow night"

    "My BF doesn't know I know what he did nor that I have Sticksy back"
    via Unsplash / Simone Dalmeri - simone_dalmeri

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

  • 02
    My BF (Jay) left for a trip up the coast to help family on Friday morning. While I was at work Friday I got a phone call from one of my ex flatmates, Bob, who I lived with at uni. He thought he had my dog with him, and phoned me because someone had dropped him off to the vet surgery he worked at to be put to sleep.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 03
    Bob sent me pics and it was my Sticksy. I'd recognise him anywhere, I grew up with him and he was so close to me when I left home to study there were no questions about it, Sticksy stayed with me.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 04
    Bob kept Sticksy with him and I drove to pick him up as soon as I was out of work. Bob also showed me a phone recording he took of the vet's security camera screen, and there's no doubt in the world it's Jay dropping him off. He's even wearing the same clothes he left in this morning before I went to work.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 05
    Jay has texted me a few times today and I don't know why but I'm not confronting him about this. I'm actually scared I will utterly lose it at him. I'm running everything through my head on why he'd do this. We talked sometimes about moving north to be near his family, or overseas within a few years. I can't believe I'm trying to find reasons for him to do
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 06
    what he did or reasons for me to not rip him a new one and dump everything he owns out on the front lawn and set fire to it tonight. I'm half numb and half stunned beyond rational thought. Why can't I get functionally angry here?
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 07
    He texted me this morning like he normally does when he's away. I replied like normal though we're not big text talkers anyway. He asked me a couple of times if I was OK. Everything in the texts I'm trying to read into what the h..I he thinks he's hiding.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 08
    tl;dr: BF dropped my loved dog off to a vet to be put down without telling me. I am utterly infuriated to the point I'm frozen and thinking in circles. What the h I do I do? Can I call the police? Was that illegal? I don't ever want to see him again. I have no family here. I don't know which way to even begin to turn. BF doesn't arrive back until about 7 tomorrow night
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain

  • There is so much wrong with the things that happened here, we don't even know where to start. So, we'll start and end with this: thank goodness you got the dog back in time. Everything else is secondary. The dog did not deserve any of this, and we're just happy that he doesn't actually understand what was going to happen to him if his momma didn't save him in time. 

  • 09
    salt_and_linen Well that's terrifying. Do you have a place - a friend's maybe - where you and Sticksy can stay for a bit while you get this sorted out? And by this I mean "your new living situation" bc you really can't continue to live with the guy who just tried to kill your dog behind your back
    via salt_and_linen
  • 10
    OOP Thanks for your comment. I do, at least two coworkers would be OK with me contacting them. I want people around me when he comes back. I wish I could make sure he knows he's no longer welcome in this home nor can he come back and he's to go immediately, but I also know by bitter experience with a friend that kicking someone out of the dwelling they live is a long process.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 11

    "My bf out of the blue took my beloved old dog to a vet to be put to sleep secretly. Is what he did likely to be massively illegal? What steps can I take to protect myself before he returns tomorrow."

    Cheezburger Image 10532174336
    via Unsplash / Reba Spike

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

  • 12
    I have a dog, Sticksy, who's 11. Yesterday morning my bf left to go up the coast to see family. He doesn't return until sunday night.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 13
    By sheer luck and nothing else, an ex flatmate of mine working at a vet clinic 80km from me called me while I was at work and asked if a dog someone had brought in to be put to sleep was my Sticksy. It was. I had him hold Sticksy and I collected him friday. My flatmate showed me a recording he made of security video at the vet clinic and it's definitely my ex dropping sticksy off.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 14
    How illegal is this? I currently live in a flat that I rent, and my bf pays half but I'm the only one on the lease. I want him out asap, or I want to be out of this situation as soon as possible. What options do I not have? A friend of mine once tried to have a violent ex removed and it took months. I want to be out of this immediately.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 15
    Are my only options to move? How do I protect myself from what my bf (ex to me now though he doesn't know it yet) may do to the place I rent when I return. I presume my landlord couldn't kick him out if I leave right away. He's never shown any weird tendencies before so maybe I'm overthinking this. My bf doesn't know I know what he did nor that I have sticksy back.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 16
    Sorry for the scattergun of questions. I'm scatterbrained at the moment and he only returns in 20 hours or so and I don't ever want to see so much as a hair on his head again.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 17
    [deleted] Not legal advice: Keep your dog somewhere else. If he has access to him, who knows what else will happen.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 18
    iammosteph Seconded! Can you afford to board him or have a trusted family member watch him until is gone? this And I would call that vet to report what he did if your friend hasn't. It might not help you now but they should be aware.
    via iammosteph
  • 19
    hhhnnnnnggggggg ..and then ask where the dog is and see how much he's going to lie about it.
    via hhhnnnnnggggggg
  • 20
    OOP added in the comments of the 1st post Just got off the phone with my workmate. She's offered to come here overnight and she'll be here soon. We'll figure out what to do in the morning. I really appreciate all your posting. It only took reading a few to take myself out of this stupid stalled state of mind and move into action. It's after midnight here. I'm going to crash hard tonight.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 21
    Cheezburger Image 10532173824
    via Unsplash / Madalyn Cox - madalyncox

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

  • We think this story simply points to how important it is to have decent people in your life - people that you can count on to be there for you when you need help. Stay with them, and get as far away from that man as possible. He sounds like he has everything but good intentions. 

  • 22
    Edit and a quick update. A night's sleep with good people around me helped. I phoned a workmate to see if I could go stay there with sticksy, and she came over here for the night instead. We spoke, and we have a plan.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 23
    Thank you for the links to NSW laws, it looks like I might be in the clear with forcing my ex out. I am the renter, I am the only name on the lease, and we had no written agreement. From my understanding he is a boarder or lodger and can be removed quickly. I'll have to clarify of course but that gives me confidence. I was freaking out because I didn't know where to start last night.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 24
    My ex will be confronted with more people I know in the house backing me up. Sticksy is also in good health. He's eleven and a bit too fat and slower than he used to be but he's fine. These photos are from early november when we visited a property out of town. He started life as a farm dog and going back made his day.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 25
    He's not microchipped. I'm taking a personal leave day Monday and getting him chipped first thing.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 26
    update2 He came back. He lied. I was upset and looked it. we gave him enough rope to make excuse after changing excuse.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 27
    First he was shocked sticksy was gone, and would help look for him. Then he was shocked someone took him to a vet to be put down. Then when confronted with proof it was him, he claimed sticksy was hit by a car and he had to end his suffering. When confronted with a live happy sticksy he turned it around and it ended with him telling me he should have had me put down.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 28
    My coworker and her partner and I told him he was not welcome in the house any more and that they were moving in with me, and everyone in the house (and the neighbour we both get on well with who saw him return on Friday to take sticksy) now knows what kind of person he was.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain
  • 29
    He left of his own accord and took some of his stuff. I'm no closer to knowing for sure why he tried what he did. Sorry for jamming up legaladvice with this one, it wasn't much of a legal ending.
    via Direct-Caterpillar77, u/explodeybrain

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insane boyfriend dogs drama interesting girlfriend doggo happy ending story
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