Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is heartbreaking, yet inevitable. That’s why when the time comes, some owners just want to make it as bearable as they can for their best friend.
The redditor u/valde wanted to spend one last day with their pitbull in the backyard, but their neighbors came in the way of that. The people living nearby couldn’t postpone clearing their yard, this way denying the redditor the chance to go there with their dog and encouraging them to engage in an act of petty revenge.
Bored Panda has reached out to the OP and they were kind enough to answer a few of our questions. Scroll down for our interview with them below.
Unfortunately, losing a pet is an inevitable part of the journey together
Image credits: Eren Li (not the actual photo)
This person was denied the chance to have one last day in the backyard with their dog
Image credits: pxfuel (not the actual photo)
Image credits: valdev
Image credits: valdev
The OP didn’t have much of a relationship with the neighbors before the situation unfolded
In an interview with Bored Panda, the founder of textbookly.com, redditor u/valde, revealed that neighborly consideration was the thing that upset them the most. “This, in my opinion, was not a huge thing to ask; one single day of not having billowing smoke in our backyard for our dying pup.”
They added that what made it worse was the fact that they agreed not to have the bonfire going all day and then proceeded to do so. “That was pushing my limits. I have no issues if someone just would say ‘No, we want to have a fire today’.”
Even though one such instance might not ruin the relationship with a neighbor, it’s safe to assume that it didn’t make it any better either. A 2022 survey found that roughly three-fourths of Americans don’t feel fond of their neighbors. Their main problem is the “weird vibe” people nearby are giving off, followed by them being too loud or rude; also on the list—neighbors’ pets causing a disruption.
The OP revealed that they didn’t have much of a relationship with the neighbors in the story, other than being friendly from a distance. “We moved in around the end of last year, and while we have met the majority of our local neighborhood and get along with them quite well, we haven't had much of a connection with these ones. I've said hi a couple of times, but it never sparked into any larger conversations,” they said.
Losing a beloved pet is not an easy thing to go through
The OP told Bored Panda that part of the reason they chose not to let the neighbors’ actions slide was because in a way, it was convenient not to. “We were already looking into fences, but it was difficult pulling the trigger on it because it's honestly very expensive and money is currently tight, as my fiance and I are getting married in just about a month.
“So this action just pulled the trigger and pushed that decision over the limit,” the redditor explained. “I like to imagine myself as mature enough not to hold a grudge or as someone who can turn the other cheek, but... This was our beloved dog's last day, so... All bets are off.”
The fact that it was their beloved pet they were talking about was what made the OP upset with some of the responses they received from the redditors. “Most people were highly supportive of the actions. Our biggest critics were mostly looking into the logistics and cost of the revenge. The only ones that really boiled my blood were the ones saying that our pup deserved it because she was a pit.
“I'm not here to make a political stance, or to make people love the breed, but there is a time and a place for that discourse, and saying our dog deserved to die is sad.”
Trauma psychotherapist, speaker, and author Amanda Ann Gregory emphasized that the last thing a person grieving for a pet needs is people passing judgment, minimizing their grief, or trying to fix it. She pointed out that certain discourse is inappropriate in such situations; and it’s important to find the right approach to show support for the hurting person.
Even though the OP was saddened by the loss of their pup, they didn’t fight anger with anger, and reacted calmly to some people’s negative comments. “I wish those people a very beautiful life that opens their eyes to the pain of what they said, and I hope they grow stronger than that,” they said.
Fellow redditors expressed sadness over the loss of the dog and the neighbors' actions
One netizen has encountered a similar situation themselves
