AITA For adopting my neighbors dog?
A user on Reddit experienced a significant dispute with their neighbors when they adopted a dog they often noticed roaming freely in the vicinity. The dog was apprehended by animal services and, when nobody came forward to claim it, was made available for adoption.
The user on Reddit, convinced that their family offered a superior environment for the dog and bothered by their neighbors’ history, chose to adopt the pet. The neighbors are now enraged, alleging that the dog was stolen, even though the adoption followed all legal procedures. As the situation escalates, the user is starting to doubt their decision. Read on for the complete narrative.
‘ AITA For adopting my neighbors dog?’
My neighbors, who are generally inconsiderate people that live next to me, had a dog that they would always let roam around without a leash while they were at work, despite the fact that we live in an urban area. The dog has recently disappeared, and they even came to my house and blamed me for taking it.
I felt extremely insulted. I had no idea about the dog’s whereabouts. I am aware that the dog consistently displayed friendliness towards my children and relatives. It had previously been hit by a vehicle, resulting in a lasting injury to its leg, yet it remained good-natured. Fast forward approximately two weeks, and we located the dog at a local animal shelter.
A road maintenance team discovered the dog on our street and contacted animal control, assuming it was lost. Despite city regulations mandating collars and tags, the dog lacked both, including a microchip. We chose to investigate further.
The dog had been in hold waiting to be claimed and had just been released for adoption because no one had claimed him. We went ahead and adopted him making him legally ours, partly because we like the dog and felt we would be better owners. Partly because we are petty and wanted to get under their skin.
It worked.
They are angrier than when we first found out the dog was at the pound, and they’re blaming us for taking him. We wouldn’t return the dog. They contacted law enforcement. We demonstrated that they had left the dog behind, and we had properly adopted him from the shelter.
They then began to backtrack in an attempt to dodge penalties, suggesting they might be wrong, but ultimately their actions have only deteriorated. While this was honestly predictable, I’m aware that as long as their conduct worsens, it’s because they can’t stop thinking about me. I’m curious, would I be the a**hole if I adopted the dog?
Take a look at the comments from fellow users:
Aggressive_Cattle320 − NTA. I was honestly expecting this to be a different story, where someone decided to “adopt” a dog they really had no right to. We’ve had a few of those posts in the past. But this one was different and very easy to judge.
This dog was found wandering and is kept for a certain period before being declared legally abandoned and ready for adoption. The dog was available for adoption and no longer under their ownership. Devoted owners who misplace a pet typically visit every shelter and pound they can find repeatedly, tirelessly searching for their companion.
Given you discovered the dog at a nearby rescue, it suggests his people didn’t make the effort to contact them or search for him. He’s yours permanently now. His original family lost him through carelessness. Now, he’s in a secure and caring environment.
That’s what’s best for him. Ignore those people; they forfeited their claim to him. As an animal enthusiast, I appreciate you giving him the caring home and family he should have.
Electrical_News_6458 − Yup! But I sort of think that was your aim. Living your dream
ARTiger20 − Why is this not in petty revenge?
OGBarbi − My former neighbor had the cutest puppy. She would chain it up in the backyard and it would scream and cry for hours She would actually yell at it and scream at it. And I swear I heard her hit it one time and it yelped. I called animal control about many of these incidents and sent them over there for a welfare check.
They arrived and stated the dog was in good health. We could see that it was underweight. To fast forward, it escapes and approaches. When I lift it, I notice it’s just skin and bones. I can feel each rib, and what’s worse, its skin is riddled with small scabs, resembling canine tooth punctures.
I put him in my vehicle and drove away from the town. I gave him cat food from a gas station and some tuna. I drove the dog far away from the area to a shelter in a large city that was hundreds of miles away, and I am confident that he was able to find a much more suitable home. Occasionally, you have to take matters into your own hands to save an animal.
Kris82868 − Info. Am I understanding this correctly-Did you go to a local shelter looking to adopt a dog and found him there? Seems the neighbors had the opportunity to check shelters before he was released for adoption unless I am missing something.
Purple_Ambition_317 − NTA. You are within your rights. However I think you best be prepared for things to get worse with your neighbours. People like that have no insight and blame everyone else for their own mistakes.
_TiberiusPrime_ − 100% NTA. You gave a dog a much better life.
LobsterLovingLlama − NTA but never let the dog hang out in the yard unattended
ilikesalad − NTA – please give that dog the best time of their life. Also, be aware your neighbors may try to steal doggo back or even try to harm him.
mom-of-35 − Please make sure you chip the. dog. It seems like the dog is used to wondering. You want to get him back if he gets lost. Make sure you keep an eye on it when it is in your yard in case they want to take it back.
Was the Redditor right to take in the dog when nobody claimed it, or should they have tried harder to let the neighbors know before taking it in? What would you do if you were in the same boat? Let us know what you think!
