They say raising a pet strengthens a couple's bond and can even prepare them for parenthood. However, in the case of this woman, it has led to a terrible fallout.
In a post on the subreddit 'True Off My Chest,' she explained that everything started with her having to leave the house for a couple of days.
When she returned, however, the father of her child told her that he had gotten rid of her beloved dog because she was being too much of a nuisance.
People who abandon their pets do it in hiding so that others don't know they're capable of such a despicable act
Image credits: Nathalie SPEHNER / unsplash (not the actual photo)
But when this woman's dog went missing, she learned that it was actually the father of her child who dumped her
Image source: PointerMix
A pet isn't a third wheel, it's part of the pack
Image credits: YuriArcursPeopleimages / envanto (not the actual photo)
In a 2023 survey on what folks think about their pets, more than a third of people with dogs answered that their K9 is more important than a significant other, and over two-thirds said they would end a relationship if their partner didn't allow their dog around as much as they'd like.
"As a pet lover, I do think it's important your significant other gets along with your pet," dating coach Blaine Anderson told Bored Panda. "I'd hazard that there's a direct relationship between how well someone treats your pets, and how caring of a partner they'd make. It can be a proxy for empathy.
"Obviously, the ability to bond with your pet is just one trait within a broader mosaic you need to consider, though. For example, if someone you're seeing is literally perfect aside from the fact that they're allergic to your dog, that might still be OK. Not everyone is a pet person, too," Blaine, who can also be found on Instagram, added.
This particular time, the man cited barking and peeing inside as the primary causes of his decision to get rid of the pet; however, it's unlikely the pointer started exhibiting these behaviors out of nowhere. You don't just get rid of a dog when it starts doing something you don't like; instead, it's crucial to understand the root cause and address it appropriately. You help your family members, not discard them.
If you do have any concerns about the way your partner treats your pet, Blaine suggests you bring them up while trying to be direct but open-minded. "Whether or not someone grew up with pets is probably a huge contributor to how attentive they are to pets as an adult, so if your partner doesn't seem to be a good pet parent, it may be more lack of experience than anything else," she explained, excluding the radical cases.
"It's OK to talk about it if it's on your mind. If your significant other can't respect that making an effort with your pet is important to you, that's a much bigger red flag than their default treatment of your pet!"
The man's hatred of the dog may have been a result of a deeper problem
Image credits: Crypto Crow / pexels (not the actual photo)
Couples therapist Mary Kay Cocharo believes that, like with any issue that comes up in an intimate relationship, it's important to explore the underlying meaning behind ill feelings towards your partner's pet.
"Sometimes the hater actually feels jealous of the time and attention being paid to the animal," she said. "He or she may feel that the pet draws energy away from their connection. In that case, it's important to explore how the couple is connecting on a day-to-day basis. Do they have enough time together? Do they sleep together without the pet? Has the pet taken on resentment about other unmet needs?"
People who read the story were disgusted by the man's actions
The woman later shared a happy ending to the story
It's really heartwarming to hear that the animal was reunited with its owner safely. Usually, abandoning pets has far-reaching consequences.
"Abandonment exposes dogs ... to an uncertain fate," writes Four Paws, a global welfare organization for animals under direct human influence. "Once on the streets, they must fend for themselves and may suffer from hunger, thirst, injuries, and diseases as well as feeling distressed and confused because they have been left on their own in an unfamiliar place by their owner."
Furthermore, dumping animals has consequences for the community that many people are often unaware of. According to Four Paws, the animals may pose a road safety risk if they run out in front of cars, and they may cause an "annoyance" to the community by searching for food, interacting with other dogs, or even getting into fights with someone due to feeling unsafe.
As 2023 came to a close, there were 250,000 more animals in the American shelter system than the year before, and many of them were pups. In times of economic hardship, dogs (and horses) are impacted the most, as larger animals are costlier to take care of, said Mike Keiley, vice president of the animal protection division at MSPCA-Angell, a nonprofit that runs four shelters across Massachusetts that saw a 40% increase in local dog owners surrendering their pets last year.