I was having lunch today and a lady walks in with a 100+ lb long haired dog that I believe was a Tibetan mastiff (not a service animal). She bypassed the counter and chose to sit right at a table next to me while her partner (I assume) ordered food.
Pretty sure she did that to avoid them seeing her, because the place has a strict no dogs inside allowed policy. I had just gotten my food and left it on the table to refill my drink. Upon returning, I noticed her dogs hair floating on not only my table, but also one got on my fries.
I politely said to her “I’m a dog person myself, but your dog is shedding onto my table / food and I’d appreciate if you’d sit outside or at least move to a different section.” She immediately became defensive, saying she was a paying customer and if I didn’t like it I could move.
We went back and forth for a few minutes, before I finally gave up trying to be rational and alerted a worker to the situation. She was promptly asked to leave but not before calling me every name in the book and accusing me of hating animals (mind you my own dog was in my car with the AC on while I ate for a quick 10 mins).
I told a few friends what happened, and they are mixed on whether I should have just switched tables vs causing a scene. I’m sorry but having a long haired dog shedding hair around food is incredibly unsanitary, hence why the rules exist to begin with. I didn’t feel this to be an unreasonable request.
So… AITA?
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I was having lunch today and a lady walks in with a 100+ lb long haired dog that I believe was a Tibetan mastiff (not a service animal). She bypassed the counter and chose to sit right at a table next to me while her partner (I assume) ordered food.
Pretty sure she did that to avoid them seeing her, because the place has a strict no dogs inside allowed policy. I had just gotten my food and left it on the table to refill my drink. Upon returning, I noticed her dogs hair floating on not only my table, but also one got on my fries.
I politely said to her “I’m a dog person myself, but your dog is shedding onto my table / food and I’d appreciate if you’d sit outside or at least move to a different section.” She immediately became defensive, saying she was a paying customer and if I didn’t like it I could move.
We went back and forth for a few minutes, before I finally gave up trying to be rational and alerted a worker to the situation. She was promptly asked to leave but not before calling me every name in the book and accusing me of hating animals (mind you my own dog was in my car with the AC on while I ate for a quick 10 mins).
I told a few friends what happened, and they are mixed on whether I should have just switched tables vs causing a scene. I’m sorry but having a long haired dog shedding hair around food is incredibly unsanitary, hence why the rules exist to begin with. I didn’t feel this to be an unreasonable request.
So… AITA?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> The action I took that I could be judged for was getting a lady and her dog removed from a fast food restaurant.  I might be the asshole by not simply moving tables and leaving her to eat her food, even if her dog was shedding maybe I should not have called her out on it and just let it be.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA. Dogs are great, but eating their hair is not.
NTA
If the business has a no dogs policy, you’re not in the wrong for letting the business know that someone is breaking policy. You can love dogs and still recognize that it’s a health and safety issue to have them in places like this.
NTA. I love dogs and usually am even fine with them in restaurants, but if their fur is visibly flying everywhere and onto my food.. hell no.
NTA restaurants have no-pet policies for a reason, and you didn’t just jump to reporting her — you asked politely first and she doubled down. Dog hair floating into your food is gross, and it’s not on you to move when she’s the one breaking the rules. She tried to skirt being noticed, got caught, and then made it about you “hating animals” which is just deflection. Honestly, the fact you left your own dog in the car with AC shows you actually respect both animals and health codes more than she does.
Did they replace your order?
NTA. You had every right to report her from the beginning, yet you tried to solve the situation in a friendly manner. She declined. What happened after that was completely on her.
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Absolutely NTA. She knew the rulesl, they were posted and her dog was shedding like crazy in your food. Not a good look for the restaurant. Sorry she had to be so beliegerent about it.
NTA and from those of us with severe allergies and asthma, thank you.
NTA – love my dog and will take em to as many pet friendly places as he’s allowed, but the entitlement of people nowadays just taking their animals in any damn store is bewildering.
So…it’s supposed to be a pet free zone. I love dogs, but my dog does not belong everywhere. You were well within your rights to say something.
I recently did similar. I was at a grocery store and a woman with her young kid were at self checkout. Kid has a small puppy on a leash ( looks like a fish on a fishing pole). It’s jumping on people and causing a serious tripping hazard. There were at least 3 workers watching this unfold. None of them said a thing.
After I left the store I sat in the parking lot and asked to speak to the manager. I explained what happened and asked what their policy was. She apologized, and acknowledged what happed. She never did tell me what the policy was. Crazy.
I was actually worried for the young puppy…probably too young to have its shots yet. No way should they have had it on the ground in public at that age.
Cause the scene. Every damn time. That woman made it more difficult for the staff person with allergies, the other customers, the cleaners. All for her sense of entitlement.
I probably would have only spoken with staff and ignored her altogether. It ain’t no service dog, it doesn’t belong inside a “no pets” zone.
NTA
Nta. These “take my dog everywhere I go” people need to be stopped.
NTA. She got kicked out. Yes, you drew attention to it, but it was the restaurant that kicked her out for violating their policies.
NTA True be it dog, cat, human hair found in or on food is gross, she should have followed the no dog rule herself not cuss you out, her dog should of remained in the car, or she should have just left the car with the windows down so far and AC on to be respectable. Just for the record I and nephew were having a early dinner out and we ordered fish & chips, very good on one piece second lucky me I open fish before biting into it as I bent it open there’s this long piece of blonde hair cooked in it, got waiters attention, mind you my hair is barely two inches, the manager was very nice asked what I wanted in place or different or money back, I ordered more fish but tore it apart fully before eating, me I like going there and knew it was whomever battered the fish. Needs to have hair up and all brushed from clothing before coming out to work, so all turned out good that day.
> I had just gotten my food and left it on the table to refill my drink. Upon returning, I noticed her dogs hair floating on not only my table, but also one got on my fries
This didn’t happen.
NTA. I love dogs. I hate to hear my dog crying when I leave, but she is safer and more comfortable napping at home than being dragged to stores or restaurants. She loves parks and sidewalks, but what’s in it for her to sit under a table while I eat?
She wasn’t a paying customer if she hasn’t bought anything yet
“I told a few friends what happened, and they are mixed on whether I should have just switched tables vs causing a scene.”
What is wrong with your friends?
No, you are NTA. She should have been bounced before she even sat her ass down.
F@ck her and people like her.
NTA for getting the lady and her dog removed. There are dog friendly outside restaurants and that’s where the lady and her dog should have gone. But I question why you and this lady can’t leave your dogs at home while you go out to eat and/or run errands. Do you really think your dog is happy in the car alone after seeing you disappear into a store or restaurant?
No absolutely you are NTA. I’m so f-king sick of dog owners acting like complete Aholes. Like have some decency people.
I’m confused how the workers didn’t see the dog. Tibetan Mastiffs are MASSIVE dogs
You were right. If someone’s dog hair gets in my food at a restaurant they should buy a new meal and move. The sheer audacity
NTA “I’m a paying customer.” Did she think everyone else was eating for free? Why is her money more valuable than everyone else’s?
Unrelated: I was a little disappointed because I thought you were going to say the dog ate your food while you were gone. Which, while annoying in person, would have been hilarious to read about.
I hate people that think everyone will happily make an exception to their pet because it’s special/ a family member etc.
NTA
NTA I love animals, I seriously considered being a vet. However, I am disgusted by this current attitude that people have that their animals absolutely must go everywhere with them. I seriously saw a guy with an iguana on his shoulder at the grocery store. I tried to be nice and tell him it wasn’t appropriate to have a lizard in a store because of some of the bacteria they shed but he said I should leave if I had a problem with Izzy. Something like snapped in me. I was like no, no sir get yourself and your salmonella infested lizard out of the grocery store. This is not appropriate and is a serious health hazard. He told me, I am not kidding, it is his emotional support iguana so it can stay. I told him that was ridiculous, I actually suffer from mental illness and understand that emotional support animals can help but those who have them do not whip out that label like others who just want their pet with them. Many more people need to not get food poisoning than he needs cuddles. Luckily someone had heard me say iguana, salmonella and health department and called someone who had the police and presumably the health department coming. I felt bad for the store except the guy said he went there all the time and no one said anything. I heard they did have to shut down for a time but seriously people die every year from salmonella.
NTA. Your food was already ruined by it. It wasn’t a hypothetical that the dog would be an issue at that point, it was a fact. You were absolutely justified in alerting the staff.
NTA- Dogs don’t belong in restaurants, grocery stores, Costco, shopping malls, stores, gyms, or playgrounds.