I’ll keep this short to save time. So I recently hosted a party and invited some friends over to my house. One of these friends doesn’t like dogs (he’s not allergic, he just doesn’t like them), and knowing this, I put my dog in a room and notified my friends not to open the door because the dog would get out.
For whatever reason, my other friends thought it would be funny to prank the friend who’s scared of dogs by letting it out of the room and walk around. At this time I’d gone to Walmart to pick up a new board game because not everyone had arrived yet, and wasn’t aware of this. I think what they did was wrong, but I think it’s worse that my friend locked my dog outside out of spite without telling me. She’s a house dog, so she hates going outside except when we’re on walks. Additionally, it was raining on that day, so she was completely soaked by the time the party ended and I realized she was gone (hours later).
When I heard the story from everyone I told my friend he should’ve just put her back in her room and said he would no longer be allowed back in my home for future hangouts. Nobody else in the group interfered, no doubt because they had a part in it, but they also weren’t the ones who locked my dog outside of its own home without permission. AITA for “singling him out” or is this justified?
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I’ll keep this short to save time. So I recently hosted a party and invited some friends over to my house. One of these friends doesn’t like dogs (he’s not allergic, he just doesn’t like them), and knowing this, I put my dog in a room and notified my friends not to open the door because the dog would get out.
For whatever reason, my other friends thought it would be funny to prank the friend who’s scared of dogs by letting it out of the room and walk around. At this time I’d gone to the Walmart to pick up a new board game because not everyone had arrived yet, and wasn’t aware of this. I think what they did was wrong, but I think it’s worse that my friend locked my dog outside out of spite without telling me. She’s a house dog, so she hates going outside except when we’re on walks. Additionally, it was raining on that day, so she was completely soaked by the time the party ended and I realized she was gone (hours later).
When I heard the story from everyone I told my friend he should’ve just put her back in her room and said he would no longer be allowed back in my home for future hangouts. Nobody else in the group interfered, no doubt because they had a part in it, but they also weren’t the ones who locked my dog outside of its own home without permission. AITA for “singling him out” or is this justified?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> 1: I told my friend he wouldn’t be invited to future hangouts (specifically those taking place at my house)
2: This might make me TA because he technically wasn’t the only person at fault in this situation, yet he’s the only one who decided to lock my dog outside
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
None of those people would step foot in my house again. My house is my dog’s house, too.
YTA if you singled him out. None of it would have happened if your other “friends” hadn’t opened the door. They should all be held accountable. Grow up.
NTA-I wouldn’t let any of them back in my house. My dog lives here, they don’t.
YTA. Yes, you are singling this guy out. He was the victim. As he was the one that the others played the prank on. Yet I don’t see you holding them accountable for anything. Since none of this would’ve happened if they hadn’t played the prank.
ESH (except the dog of course).
Every single one of those people, except for you, knew your dog was locked outside and didn’t tell you. You should be angry at both the friend who locked her outside and didn’t tell you, AND the friends who let her out of the room in the first place because their idea of a “prank” is to a) let your animal loose without your permission, b) try to force someone who is afraid of that animal to be around it, and c) not do anything to solve the problem afterward and knowingly leave your animal outside in the rain as a result of their own actions, when they could have brought her back in and put her back in the room. Singling out the friend who is afraid of dogs is wrong.
YTA for not punishing the “friends” who let her out in the first place. And those so-called “friends” never told you she was outside. So why single the one guy afraid of dogs out when they all cared so little about you and your dog that NO ONE told you she was out there.
ESH
Your friends thought it would be funny to do something they know your other friend wouldn’t like (why did they wait until you were gone? They probably knew you wouldn’t approve…) and THEY didn’t return the dog to the room where it was (when they are the ones who started it) and just stood by while he let the dog outside in the rain. Additionally, none of them told you upon your return so that you could put the dog back into the room. But the friend you singled out didn’t ask for the dog to be let out to be walking around with them. If you’re going to be mad at the one friend, you need to be mad at all of them. No one did right by the dog in the end.
YTA for singling him out. Your other “friends” are the ones who kind of terrorized him with the dog. You say he doesn’t like dogs and yeah, a lot of people have trauma regarding dogs. So while it was absolutely wrong of him to put her outside, so were your other friends. They must have known he put her out, too. Why not hold them accountable for using your dog against him? It’s all effed up and what is really needed is a whole come to Jesus moment with everyone that you shouldn’t need to have, but circumstances require it if you’re to trust your friends around your dog or…like trust them at all.
Tell them all that your dog is not to be used against other people. That this wasn’t funny and that you expect an apology and a promise not to do this ever again from every single one of them.
But also you…check on your dog maybe once during the party. Make sure he’s okay.
YTA. You left your dog in a room during a party and then left the house while guests were there. That set up the situation where things went sideways. Yes, your friend shouldn’t have locked your dog outside, but you put both your dog and your guests in a bad spot by not being present and expecting everyone else to manage it. It’s your responsibility to keep your dog safe, and instead she was stuck outside in the rain for hours.
You’re not the jerk here, no. There is no calm and maximum turmoil energy when someone else’s dog is left outside in the rain. Your friend clearly crossed a line, your reaction is 100% justified. Dogs are family, not props at a party.
Are your friends all f***ing three years old?? Anyone who uses an animal as a prank is a complete asshat! Grow the hell up!!
ESH – the rest of your so-called friends may not have been the person who locked your dog outside, but they also didn’t a) get the dog back in to safety, b) tell you that your dog was outside in the rain, c) apologise to the guy they were bullying, or d) apologise to you for weaponising your dog as a “prank” in a way that endangered her health.
In other words, buddy, all of your friends are assholes.
ETA. Your friend who “just doesn’t like them” is probably afraid of them.
So your friends ATA for not taking his fear seriously or at least respecting the fact that he doesn’t like them and using your pet to “prank” him, which could have ended horribly.
He ITA for putting your dog outside and in the rain instead of back in the bedroom. To be fair, your dog was probably afraid to have all those people there without you and was more willing to go outside to try and find you than back in the room alone.
YTA for singling one friend out, when they all did wrong. People who don’t like dogs are usually genuinely afraid of them and your friends were willing to put your dog possibly in harm’s way for a “prank.”
I’d get new friends, none of them see respectful of you, your dog, or the rules you place in your home.
Every single person in this scenario is an asshole. ESH
ESH. These people are not your friends. They all, collectively disrespected you…in your own home, mind you…and your dog paid the price.
Plus, you are singling your one friend out, your friend whom all your other “friends” treated so poorly.
I would seriously look at every person in that group more closely.
YTA for locking your dog in a room by himself, leaving the house entirely with a bunch of strangers in it, including one who openly hates dogs and then when you got back not bothering to check in on your dog even once for several hours. You failed your dog. This was entirely your fault.
YTA. They all had a part in it. They started it. He didn’t put the dog outside until your other friends released the dog into his space.
YTA. Your friends basically traumatized this guy, and your blaming him?? Why didn’t anyone else put the dog back inside and back in the room?
Atleast this friend had a reason for being irrational, they have an irrationality toward dog. Your other friends though? They don’t care about you nor the dog or them
ESH, your “friends” disrespected your home, your dog, another friend essentially being bullies and you would let them back in your house as well? You are only blaming the victim of the prank.
You’re asking 2 different questions between your title and your last sentence.
For your final sentence, YTA. If your friend is actually ‘scared’ of dogs (due to a trauma incident, perhaps?) AND IF YOUR FRIENDS KNEW IT, then they’re TA for releasing her, knowing that your friend would be scared. Regardless, they should’ve also been banned for letting her out. I wouldn’t host ANY of those people in my house again.
For your original question, NTA. You would, rightly, be upset.
I suspect that you already know YTA, which is why you worded your title that way.
Yta. The one(s) you should be mad at are the ones who let the dog out of the room to prank the one friend
Yes YTA. They are the ones that let it out of the room to start. They deserve the same punishment.
So, not one of these friends put the dog back in the room or notified you that your dog was outside in the rain? They ALL suck!
No. He is not your friend 😈🔥🔥🔥☠️
NTA, but every single one of your friends are. They tormented your dog-averse friend, then not only didn’t stop them putting the dog outside, none of them told you it had happened. I’d be mad at all of them.
NTA. I agree that your friend should be locked out of your home from now on. If they can’t put up with dogs, then they have no business entering a dog’s home.
ETA
I would hold all of them just as accountable, they were the ones that opened the room door and let the dog out. OK they didn’t lock the dog outside but they knew so were just as guilty.
I do think YTA for locking your dog in a roo. For hours without so much as a 30 second check in.
I think youre feeling guilty because you know YOU fked up.
Iv held parties before in my teenage years and I would have removed the dog for a night if that was not possible then I wouldn’t have hosted.
YTA and so are your friends. You started by saying your friend doesn’t “like” dogs and then said they are “scared” of dogs. Those are completely different things. Phobias are real. If you have arachnophobia and your friend had a pet Tarantula and your other friends opened the cage and let the pet free and you smacked and killed it should the friend blame the asshole friends who opened the cage or the friend who had a genuine freak out reaction and acted in self defense? Your friends who played the prank were responsible for bringing the dog back in. Why were they sitting on their ass the whole time? You punish the one person who had a genuine reason for staying away from your dog and let the assholes who try to scare a person that’s already scared of dogs scott free? And you asking if you acted like an asshole or not? Yes you are the grade A asshole. You owe this friend an apology and tell the prankster asshole friends that they should all apologize to this friend as well and they are the ones who aren’t welcome.
ESH
Your anger should be equally directed at the prankers and enablers, not just your cynophobic friend.
Fk ALL of your ‘friends’
ESH. You’re holding one person responsible for the actions of the group. The people who let your dog out of your room were the ones who put the dog in danger of being put out, using the dog as a prop to make someone else uncomfortable. The friend who put the dog outside belongs in the doghouse for sure, but so does everyone else.
ESH. the dog wouldnt have been stuck outside if your other friends hadnt let her out of the room to bully the friend youre solely punishing. they suck for bullying your friend, your friend sucks for locking your dog outside, and they all suck for not telling you she was out there all night, but you suck for punishing the one friend who was partially the victim in this situation. id reconsider inviting any of them over in the future, or hanging out at all.
NTA- But your friends sure are. Find better people to hang out with. I can’t imagine anyone in my friend group witnessing this and being okay with any part of it. Letting the dog out just to scare someone? Assholes. Locking the dog out in the rain? Asshole. Not one person saying a word about it? Assholes. Every single one of them.
YTA for letting hours go by without checking to see if your dog needed to go potty. I mean, we say our pets are like family, but I wouldn’t put a member of my family in a room for hours without checking to see if they needed anything. Everyone, except the dog, was a bit of an asshole.
INFO: Why are you mad at just this friend? Are the others allowed back into your home?
ESH. Literally everyone, though you the least. It’s not worse that your friend locked the dog outside, assuming that the dog wouldn’t escape the premises. It’s worse that your shitty friends let the dog out to scare someone who is afraid of dogs. That’s like pretending that you’re going to throw someone who is afraid of heights off a cliff. Yikes!
To be sure, the friend who locked the dog outside should have left the premises and called you immediately to explain what happened, not be mean to the dog, who is the only non-AH here. He definitely fucked up. But he was scared and took matters into his own hands. I’d forgive that if you explain why that was wrong and he’s apologetic. Then he should be allowed back. I would ditch the friendships of all those involved in letting the dog out and scaring your poor friend.
ESH
I don’t understand why you aren’t equally as upset with the people who released the dog from the safe place you had put the dog into. I mean, this all started with their bad behavior.
YTA
You are punishing the victim of a “prank” instead of punishing TAs who did the prank. You should be furious at your so called friends for using your dog to try and scare your friend. And then after the prank they didn’t put your dog back!
Very,Very soft TA to the friend who put your dog outside, they should have let you know once you got back. But punishing them makes absolutley no sense is extremely misdirected
A normal person with a fear of dogs would leave a situation where a dog was present.
They wouldn’t abuse your dog by locking it out in the rain.
NTA, and I would consider pressing charges
you’re the only person in this situation who doesn’t suck. I guess you could’ve held everyone accountable, but coming home to your dog locked out in the rain is infuriating. don’t really blame you for your reaction
I’m sorry, but your friends are not good people. They interfered with the care and wellbeing of your dog. They let it out of a secure room in order to taunt someone else. Then, your dog was placed outside in the rain. And No One Told You??
There was more than one person responsible for interfering with your dog; it’s hard for me to understand why you would excuse one idiot for letting your dog out of the room while punishing another idiot for letting your dog outside — while all the other idiots (including you) didn’t bring the dog back indoors!
ESH
So he’s scared of dogs but was able to lead it outside and lock the door? NTA – dump this chump.
dont let any of them come over again would be my solution
ESH. Your friends for “pranking” the other friend and not eother putting your dog back or telling you it’s outside, the scared friend for putting the dog outside and not telling you what happened, and you for singling that friend out when everyone was shitty that night.
ESH – you need to be equally mad at the rest of your “friends” who bullied this person and then said nothing. Your dog was at risk here because people decided they should just get thrown outside. None of these people should be allowed back in your house.
So wait, does the friend not like dogs or are they afraid of them? Because you say they just don’t like dogs, but then you turn around and say “the friend thought it would be funny to prank the one that IS AFRAID OF DOGS.” If that one friend is actually afraid of dogs, that group is just a bunch of bullies for PURPOSEFULLY terrifying him. And they probably just did the first thing they could to get the dog away from them without hurting it.
But even if said friend only just doesn’t like them, the GROUP are the assholes. THEY are the ones that put your other friend AND your dog in this position. The fact that you aren’t more incensed over the fact that THEY used your dog in a way to make your other friend either terrified at most and uncomfortable in the least is boggling to me. The single friend would’ve never had the opportunity, want nor means to lock the dog out without the groups interference.
The group are the ones that disregarded your rules about not opening the door and letting the dog out. The fact that you’re more upset about the one friend just letting her outside versus the whole group is kinda gross. The group never should’ve opened the door, and the group should’ve told you were the dog was, since it was by their actions that the dog ended up outside.
If the single friend had opened the door on their own, and THEN made the dog go outside, yes they would be the asshole but as it stands, you and the group are the bigger assholes in this.
All he had to do was ask for your help. At any time. He kept his mouth shut.
The same is true for all of your former friends.
You need better people in your life.
YTA for not cutting off the rest of the offenders.
ESH
The friends who let the dog out of the room knew they weren’t supposed to and did so purposefully to be mean. What a bunch of AHs. Even you admin they did wrong, but they are welcome in your home while the victim of their cruelty is being excluded.
The friend who put the dog outside out of spite is also an AH because that’s also cruel and you are right to point out that the dog could have just been put back in the room.
It took you hours to notice the dog was outside and NONE of these people told you at any point that the dog was outside when you returned home, even though those who started the prank and the victim all were aware of what happened while you were gone. Everyone of them is again an AH.
You are absolutely singling out one person when there are many people at fault here, which is where you are the AH.
ESH, but the biggest asshole is the friends who let the dog out in the first place.
I would be PISSED and no one involved would ever be invited back.
The fact that your friends – all your friends – thought it fine to leave your dog outside exposed to the elements is wild. Not one person spoke up to you about the dog?
HUGE red flag.
It seems your friends all are fine with animal cruelty so I would find new friends.
Nta but i wouldn’t let anyone hang out at my house they were all atleast aware and did nothing. Get better friends sorry
Esh.
Aint no saints here but the dog.
First off, your friends suck. They let your dog out to terrorize her.
Next, if the dog doesnt like to go outside … get put outside by a person who is scared of dogs?
Not one of them mentioned where the dog was or why.
What if that dog had hurt some one or gotten hurt? Would they have taken responsibility… my gut feeling is no.
All of them are banned from the house
NTA – and this comes from someone who also hates dogs.
You simply don’t lock someone else’s dog out of their house. That is a massive overstep.
If he can’t handle your dog, he simply shouldn’t come to your house.
YTA – your friends suck but so do you.
By your words you locked your dogs in a room and didn’t bother to check on him/her until the end of the night. If you had done some checks you’d have noticed your dog was outside uch sooner.
Your dog is the only NTA