AITA for locking my sister out of my house after she ignored my dog’s allergy?

r/

Using a throway just in case cuz I know she uses this app. So, my sister (30F) came to visit me (28F) for the weekend. I have a dog with a really bad allergy. If he eats or even smells certain foods, he gets super sick and needs urgent care.

I told her more than once not to feed him or bring any snacks around him. She said she’d be careful.

But on the second day, I caught her sneaking peanut butter cookies into the living room where my dog was hanging out. I told her to stop, but she just brushed it off like it wasn’t a big deal. A few hours later, my dog started breaking out in hives and swelling up.

I had to rush him to the vet and it ended up costing a lot. When I called her out, she acted like I was overreacting and said “It’s just a dog.”

After that, I locked her out of the house for a few hours so things could cool down. Now she’s refusing to talk to me and says I’m controlling.

So, AITA for locking her out when she put my dog’s health at risk?

Comments

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    Using a throway just in case cuz I know she uses this app. So, my sister (30F) came to visit me (28F) for the weekend. I have a dog with a really bad allergy. If he eats or even smells certain foods, he gets super sick and needs urgent care.

    I told her more than once not to feed him or bring any snacks around him. She said she’d be careful.

    But on the second day, I caught her sneaking peanut butter cookies into the living room where my dog was hanging out. I told her to stop, but she just brushed it off like it wasn’t a big deal. A few hours later, my dog started breaking out in hives and swelling up.

    I had to rush him to the vet and it ended up costing a lot. When I called her out, she acted like I was overreacting and said “It’s just a dog.”

    After that, I locked her out of the house for a few hours so things could cool down. Now she’s refusing to talk to me and says I’m controlling.

    So, AITA for locking her out when she put my dog’s health at risk?

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  2. Judgement_Bot_AITA Avatar

    Welcome to /r/AmITheAsshole. Please view our voting guide here, and remember to use only one judgement in your comment.

    OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:

    > I locked my sister out of the house after she ignored repeated warnings about my dog’s severe allergy and brought food that made him very sick. While I felt her actions endangered my dog’s health, locking her out might have been an extreme reaction that escalated the situation instead of resolving it calmly. I can see how she might feel I overreacted or was too controlling by taking that step.

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    Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.

  3. CSurvivor9 Avatar

    NTA. She can kill your dog. Keep her away and send her the bill for the vet.

  4. RoastingRedRobin Avatar

    NTA

    I’d charge her for the vet bill tbh for putting your dog at risk. What a selfish person

  5. SpotlessEternalMind Avatar

    NTA. She’s a guest in your house. Your house, your rules.
    Her actions should have consequences:

    1. She pays the vet bill.
    2. She won’t be welcome in your house again – it’s a boundary.

    She should be happy you only ignore her for a few hours.

  6. iamanolidiot Avatar

    How about putting the dog outside or in a locked room where your HUMAN sister can’t bother him? YTA

  7. AltruisticSecond_ Avatar

    NTA she doesn’t respect you nor your dogs life.

  8. cherryemmaa Avatar

    NTA. She endangered your dog, dismissed it like it was nothing, then played victim. She earned that lockout

  9. peakerforlife Avatar

    NTA. She blatantly ignored your rule and wasn’t even apologetic when it had the expected result. I hope she won’t be welcome in your house, or around your pet, again. She has no respect for your rules, or the life of your pet.

  10. hotmomma5150 Avatar

    NTA. I would never let her back in. She doesn’t appreciate you and your dog. She was purposely trying to harm the dog.

  11. YaraSway Avatar

    NTA. “Just a dog” could’ve just died. She ignored clear boundaries and put a living being in danger she’s lucky all you did was lock her out.

  12. rxsenow Avatar

    NTA, you specifically told her about your dog’s allergies and she chose to ignore them, putting your dog’s health or even life at risk. Definitely not controlling for wanting to keep your fur baby safe, OP. You should’ve given your sister the vet bill. Regardless, you did the right thing.

  13. angel9_writes Avatar

    She owes you the vet bill.

    NTA.

  14. PotentialCoyote4921 Avatar

    Why didn’t you kick her out? She was selfish and disregarded important health information about your dog and put him/her at risk. Then it costs you time and money at the vet, all so she can eat some cookies. She showed a clear disrespect for your home rules and for your animals well being. Your Nta for locking out but seriously you shoulda kicked her out.

  15. rainbow987654 Avatar

    NTA and don’t ever let her back in either.

  16. Single-Painter6956 Avatar

    NTA! But your sister surely is! I would lock her out of my house forever and sue her for the vet bills.

  17. diabeticweird0 Avatar

    Why are there peanut butter cookies in your house if your dog can’t smell them?

    Locking her out for a few hours is very weird. I’m not sure what you were trying to accomplish except to piss her off. Letting her back in endangered your dog again.

    I’d tell her she isn’t welcome at my home anymore and send her a venmo request for the vet bill.

    ESH but your sister sucks more

  18. igwbuffalo Avatar

    NTA, dog is in its own home that should be safe. Kick sister out and don’t let her back in. She’s gotta find a new place to stay if she’s visiting since she has shown she won’t respect your home or your pet.

  19. Hellya-SoLoud Avatar

    It’s your house, you get to control who goes there particularly when she poisoned your dog on purpose and doesn’t care. I’d send her the vet bill too. NTA.

  20. Solid_Butterfly3922 Avatar

    YTA, but only for making this ridiculous post; not for locking her out. As if anyone is going to side with the dog-hating sister…🙄

  21. GarbleGarbleMRsonnen Avatar

    NTA you have rules at your home and she should follow them

  22. Witchywoman1976 Avatar

    OP, you are NOT TAH but your sister is big time.

  23. darchangel89a Avatar

    Nta. Kick her out and ban her from your home

  24. Wingnutmcmoo Avatar

    NTA…I mean the whole crux of the John Wick series is that someone harmed his dog so I think you are having a more common human reaction than her.

    But yeah I’d never allow her back in the house. I also wouldn’t allow her around kids alone at that point because she’s shown that she doesn’t care about others safety or feelings to the point where she will put thier lives in danger and act like it was nothing.

    If she was apologetic than that is one thing but her doubling down on being terrible would cement her in my head forever as a human not to be trusted with anything.

  25. Freya1957 Avatar

    NTA. I would have permanently banned her from your house. Your dog deserves to live in a safe place.

  26. Lark504 Avatar

    NTA. She endangered your dog’s life despite you having warned her repeatedly. And who tf says, “It’s just a dog”??? Anyone pulls that shit with me, y’all are gonna see me on the news the next day.

  27. Wandering_aimlessly9 Avatar

    Nta. I’m going to totally support you in kicking her out. I’m wondering though if there is a treatment you can do at home. (Do dogs have epi pens?) I ask bc I have a disease called mast cell activation syndrome. It sucks. For a good while I was using epi pens 1-2 times a week. Obviously I can’t go to the ER that often bc it’s pointless. My doctors had me on a “regiment”. When I had an anaphylactic reaction I’d stab myself with an epi pen, then take liquid Benadryl, 20 mg of steroids (which I would do a taper on over the next few days), I would take a double dose of Zyrtec and a double dose of Pepcid. I only had to go to the ER if I needed a second epi pen for longer larger doses. I don’t know the answer so I’m asking. But is there something that could be set up for your dog like this?

  28. WanderingGnostic Avatar

    NTA. Kick her to the curb, take her to small claims court, and if you live in the correct jurisdiction, report her for animal cruelty. She deserves every bit of it.

  29. Sly3n Avatar

    NTA but your sister sure is. I would personally never allow her into your home again, and I would tell her she needs to pay the vet bill as she purposefully ignored your instructions regarding food in YOUR home. Get this in text so there is proof of her admitting to bringing peanut butter around your dog when expressly told it was forbidden. If she refuses to pay the vet bill (which she probably will), I would take her to small claims court…which is why you want evidence of her admitting to ignoring your explicit instructions. Do NOT tell her until after you get the evidence in texts that you plan to take her to small claims court if she doesn’t pay up. I would also personally go low contact as she doesn’t appear to care about you or the welfare of your dog.

  30. anotherusername1313 Avatar

    NTA I would have thrown her bags out too. Is she paying the vet bill?

  31. Careless-Ability-748 Avatar

    nta she disrespected your house rules and put your dog at risk

  32. OfAnOldRepublic Avatar

    INFO: Did you let her keep the cookies around the dog for “a few hours?” I’m not understanding that part of your story.

  33. JustheBean Avatar

    NTA

    As far as I’m concerned she maliciously poisoned your dog. The fact that she said “it’s just a dog” instead of apologizing or expressing any kind of regret makes me think that even more.

    There was no reason she would do that other than intentionally going against your word, for funsies. Whether it’s because she decided you were dramatic, or thought it was funny, or wanted to harm the dog, it’s completely unacceptable and inexcusable.

  34. Witty_Collection9134 Avatar

    NTA

    I would have packed her stuff and set it outside as well.

  35. dontpretendtoknowme Avatar

    NTA…If that was my sister, I would’ve done much worse. She’d be bruised and bloodied, and her shit would be tossed out the window because she’s never setting foot in my home again!

    My pets are my children, fuck with them and all bets are off; regardless of who you are.

  36. ThatsMyCape Avatar

    NTA- Plain and simple she was warned. What she did could have killed the dog. Her lack of empathy is disgusting.

  37. Shatterpoint887 Avatar

    NTA.

    Unless you let her back in or around your dog ever again. Frankly, I don’t know if I could have just kicked her out.

  38. Bad_kel Avatar

    NTA. Send her the bill.

  39. Lucky_Life5517 Avatar

    NTA. I’m trying to understand what went through her head – my sister’s dog has peanut allergies, let me bring fucking peanut butter cookies to her house, WTF?! And “It’s just a dog” like that’s a valid excuse for almost killing the dog, dogs are family so that was an unnecessarily cruel thing to say. She’s 30 ffs…

  40. Decent-Bear334 Avatar

    She purposely endangered your dog’s life.
    That’s animal cruelty.
    NTA. I wouldn’t let her near the dog.

  41. Busy-Bumblebee5556 Avatar

    YTA for not locking her out permanently.

  42. lmmontes Avatar

    The only thing she deserves is your vet bill. NTA.

  43. armwulf Avatar

    NTA. Give her the bill. Tell her she’s not welcome back until she pays for the damages she caused and promises not to do it again.

    She promised not to do something. She was told what the consequences would be. She ignored it and left you with the bill and called it no big deal. She is undoubtedly in the wrong to such a degree I suspect this is karma farming or written by one of those sites that takes content and comments off reddit and uses them as articles.

  44. West_House_2085 Avatar

    NTA

    She ran over your warnings. For me, she’d not be allowed in my housw for a day visit let alone stay at my home!

  45. Apprehensive-Ad-4364 Avatar

    NTA was she trying to kill your dog? Send her the vet bill

  46. Silly_seal_10 Avatar

    NTA it sounds like your dog at this point in your life is your sole dependent and we develop huge attachments with our “20’s soul dogs.” Also you told her and she deliberately disrespected that. Your sweetie is not “just a dog” and she should respect your feelings and boundaries with that.

  47. Audneth Avatar

    OP INFO

    Exactly whose home is this?

    She needs to reimburse the vet bill. Or else.

  48. bobhand17123 Avatar

    NTA. Your sister does not get to decide what’s a big deal or not. And “JUST A DOG?!?!?!” HOLY CRAP!!!

    She and her suitcase should have been locked out immediately. For good.

    You know how Reddit likes to say “She was never your friend?” I don’t think she was ever your sister. 🤷🏻‍♂️

    Block and NC-ify her ass. That’s how horrendously I think she behaved.

  49. L8dTigress Avatar

    Hell no NTA NTA NTA! But your sister is. You made it very clear that your dog has allergies, and she purposely ignored you. Saying that your pet is just a dog is such a condescending and careless thing to say. The dog would’ve died if you weren’t there. She deserves to pay that vet bill, and you deserve to go NC for her attempt to kill that poor dog.

  50. Firm-Molasses-4913 Avatar

    NTA
    But you should agree with your sister that you are controlling because you are guarding the health of your dog. How else are you supposed to take care of him when she ignores all your guidance and makes him sick? Yeah, that’s controlling, his diet, his environment, his exposure, his visitors. 

    Oh well let her not talk to you and insult you. She’s probably afraid you’ll ask for money for the vet bill. Don’t have her stay again 

  51. bordercolliemanxcat Avatar

    “Just a dog” is FAMILY.

  52. OldManKibbitzer Avatar

    NTAH
    Not the ass for locking her out you will be if you let her stay there and she continues to refuse to follow your restrictions. What are you going to do when your dog dies because of what she did?

  53. amla819 Avatar

    Anyone who says “just a dog” is immediately banned from my house and my life.