They say that the only constant thing in life is change. It’s safe to say that things like dilemmas and the unexpected should also join that list.
Life’s full of hard decisions to make and it doesn’t help that we can’t fully know if our decisions are the right ones. So, when “what’s done is done” and you spend years developing a relationship, a plot-twist sucker-punches you with the fact that the person you’ve invested yourself in has a disturbingly dark past of grossly mistreating animals.
We've also reached out to former domestic violence detective Michael Arterburn, a.k.a. Killer Bee Tactical, for some professional insight.
Life's chock-full of unexpected plot twists, which only leaves us hoping they are harmless rather than destructive
Image credits:Rachel Claire (not the actual photo)
But what do you do when you spend a few years dating someone and then discovering their very, very dark past with animal cruelty?
Image credits: dawg-208
Image credits: Lisa Fotios (not the actual photo)
After the original post, folks started asking a lot of questions, culminating in the author's second post providing context
Image credits: Mia X (not the actual photo)
Image credits: dawg-208
The story is extensive and detailed (and PG, fair warning), so our coverage will focus on the internet’s reaction across the posts and other relevant information.
In total, there have been 4 posts made on the topic—the original post, a post following up with added info in response to the questions in the comments, as well as update number one and number two. Combined, all of them accrued a couple thousand upvotes with several thousands of comments.
Speaking of which, the overall consensus among people in the comments was “run”. Considering what has happened, people were convinced that this isn’t the last as it’s giving off strong danger energy—so strong, many suggested this was the first step in serial killing.
One commenter gave a detailed take on the whole situation, explaining that the biggest red flag here is that the guy wasn’t the one revealing this—the parents were. Another point they made was that even if someone loves animals, it doesn't mean they won’t hurt them as folks can have violent and unhealthy tendencies that form from obsessions. In any case, it was suggested to stay safe.
There were folks who thought this whole shtick is fake—there’s always a non-zero chance of that being the case with Reddit posts. However, that doesn’t mean that warnings shouldn’t be thrown out there and heeded in the off chance that it’s actually true. Still, if you want to hear the reasoning for this, this commenter has it.
Whatever the case, some did question why the guy hasn’t been reported to the police yet, let alone how OP is more or less ethically and morally obligated to let the shelter know of the situation. If anything, contacting the police would help ensure OP’s safety.
It wasn't long until another update was posted, detailing the author's conversation with the boyfriend's parents
Image credits: Lisa Fotios (not the actual photo)
Image credits: dawg-208
Image credits: Mia X (not the actual photo)
Bored Panda reached out to former domestic violence detective Michael Arterburn, better known online as Killer Bee Tactical, who provided some insights into the psychology and reality of the situation based on his 23 years of experience on the force.
"[The story] certainly relates to cases of domestic violence, far more common than serial killers," elaborated Arterburn. "It can be a sign of escalation when they damage property. I’ve had them stab a car… not flatten the tires or break something—they stabbed the side of the car."
He went on to say that pets are often the next step before hurting the person in the relationship. Lack of empathy for animals is a sure sign of sociopathic behaviors, "a serial killer avenue", remarked Arterburn. "Pregnant women can also be at more of a risk."
"The most dangerous time in a domestic relationship with violence is when the victim decides to leave. I always advised having a 'go bag' with essentials to get them and their kids by for a few days," elaborated Arterburn. A go bag ought to include essentials such as clothing, money, medicine, and a number of other things that should get you by for at least a couple of days.
"Don’t warn the abuser you might leave—just go. All relationships are different, but domestic violence cases seem to have a common pattern," concluded Arterburn.
Be sure to check out Killer Bee Tactical’s TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and other channels for more security and safety tips, useful guides, podcasts and more.
Soon after the first update, there was another where the woman announced she had broken up with the guy
Image credits: dawg-208
The general consensus among folks in the comments was "run"
