25-year-old med student pet-sits an absurd amount of family pets while they go on vacation without her, and refuse to pay when they're back: 'I just know [my dad] would've paid the favorite sister without a second thought'

Author image for Ayala Sorotsky
Ayala Sorotsky • Writer and Editor
Aug 25, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

We know how demanding it is sometimes to be a pet pawrent. You're basically responsible for another life, another creature, but really - another family member. And when you need to be away, for vacation, for a business trip, or any other reason, you want to make sure your pets you leave at home are taken care of, and given lots of love and affection.

But that's not what this family in this story did. Did they make sure to bring a pet sitter to take care of their entire in-house zoo for the week they went away for vacation? Nope. They dumped it all on one of their daughters, an extremely busy med student who had a very important exam that exact week. And yes, you read that right - they not only dumped this important job on a person who had barely the time to do it, they also scheduled their vacation at a time when their student daughter couldn't make it. That was intentional.

It's not like the daughter didn't want to help - she did! She took care of an absurd amount of animals, one of whom was a sickly old dog who needed a vet visit that week (that she dutifully made). And the family? Refused to pay her what they'd pay a pet sitter. They don't only disrespect their pets, but they also disrespect their own hardworking daughter.

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  • 01
    AIO for being ped that my family isn't paying me for the pet sitting I did family/in-laws
    via Mdac21
  • 02
    I (25F) cared for all my family pets (1 incontinent special needs dog with. kidney disease and pneumonia, 4 birds, 3 guinea pigs, and 4 fish tanks with over 200 guppies combined)
    via Mdac21
  • 03
    for a week while my family went to Cancun without me. My mom was originally going to hire a pet sitter but my dad kinda volunteered me since I live at home
    via Mdac21
  • 04
    pet sitter sits with three dogs on the couch, taking care of them and loving them, hugging one of the dogs
    via svetikd

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 05
    (even though I work 12 hours a day most of the week as a medical student and this was the week of my final exam);
    via Mdac21
  • 06
    medical students in a practical exam on a dummie, while medical professor watches them perform
    via @simplefoto

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 07
    his exact words when he told my mom I should just do it were “I mean, even I don't believe she's that useless".
    via Mdac21
  • 08
    student in an exam, writing on a paper with books around her
    via RDNE Stock project from Pexels

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    (Bonus detail: my family could've planned the trip for when I was on vacation but my dad wanted to wait until my other sister, who he favors, was on vacation
    via Mdac21
  • 10
    even though he knew I'd be in school when the later trip would be. l.e. someone was gonna have to miss the trip and he fathered it be me).
    via Mdac21
  • 11
    Besides all those pets (of which only the 4 birds are usually my responsibility)
    via Mdac21
  • 12
    being a ton of work to care for on a good day, the senior doggo got super sick again (diarrhea, vomiting 12+ times a day, not eating)
    via Mdac21
  • 13
    and required twice daily antibiotics, appetite stimulants, and a special diet made. Now I did all of the stuff required for all of these animals and cared for
    via Mdac21
  • 14
    the dog dutifully even after spending 12 hours a day minimum at the hospital (I'm a medical student and this was the week of my final exam for surgery).
    via Mdac21
  • 15
    pet sitter about to take dogs on a walk, one of the dogs is very old
    via svetikd

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 16
    On one of the days, I almost lost a patient and I still did everything for the pets after a 14 hour long shift during which a
    via Mdac21
  • 17
    patient almost d d after a complicated case. I even tidied up the house before they arrived so things would be extra orderly on their return.
    via Mdac21
  • 18
    I had floated the idea of getting paid before my family went on the trip because they were originally going to hire a pet sitter before my dad
    via Mdac21
  • 19
    volunteered me. And I was like "sure, just pay me what you would've paid the other pet sitter.”
    via Mdac21
  • 20
    After the whole ordeal, I asked my family if I could get paid a bit extra given all the extra health things I did for the dog on top of the responsibilities I was expecting to have and my
    via Mdac21
  • 21
    dad hits me with "we're not paying you. You're part of the family, these are your pets too." When I stood up for myself, he switched to yelling/berating me for asking to get paid at all.
    via Mdac21
  • 22
    Eventually he barged into my room and said he could pay me for this but that he'd be nickel and dimming me for every other expense going forwards.
    via Mdac21
  • 23
    I went to my mom and she didn't want to get involved. I was furious (I'm talking tears of anger) because I just know he would've paid the favorite sister without a second thought if she'd asked.
    via Mdac21
  • 24
    My other sisters also ganged up on me and said that it "wasn't even that much work" and that "it's not like I was really doing anything else this week." I feel like I'm going insane. Am I overreacting??
    via Mdac21
  • 25
    two sisters in a middle of a fight, one sister tries to inquire the other, but the other sister turns her back to her and waves her off with a hand
    via @jmartinstock

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 26
    kodamagirl ⚫ Accept you will not get paid and make your plans to move out and be financially independent as soon as reasonable. As long as you are cohabiting and/or financially dependent you have no leverage to make them treat you fairly. I'm sorry you are in this position. ...
    via kodamagirl
  • 27
    Mdac21 OP ⚫ That's exactly it. They don't seem to realize that the only reason they're getting away with treating me like this is because I'm sucking it up to live rent-free and graduate with no debt. I don't think it's clicked for him that I'll be earning
    via Mdac21
  • 28
    money in less than two years and will have absolutely no reason to maintain contact with him if he keeps this up. Hope he doesn't want to meet his future grandkids because it's not looking good for him 23 ↑ 2
    via Mdac21
  • 29
    medical students in a class, learning from the medial professor about a medical model
    via SDI Productions

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 30
    No_Cilantro_PorFavor⚫ Do you live at home? Do they (financially) support you? If so, you should not expect to be paid. On the other hand if you are independent they should not
    via No_Cilantro_PorFavor
  • 31
    impose on you since you have such a busy schedule and you should be able to say no and they should understand that. On the other (other) hand, they took care of you (as any parent should do) and as a family member you should help them out.
    via No_Cilantro_PorFavor
  • 32
    Life is not perfect and all these shoulds are just it; Shoulds. PS. I personally do not believe in paying close family members (I mean very close like my kids/sisters/nephews and nieces and grand kids). But then, I'm old and with a Latin family background where family take care of family. 1
    via No_Cilantro_PorFavor

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Tags

feud family drama entitled parents drama pets students sisters reddit story family feud pet sitter favoritism parenting aio story entitled family sister payment money family vacation parents entitled people vacation
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