“She Never Barks And Is The Best Hiking Buddy Ever”: Guy Has Had His Friend’s Dog For 2.5 Years When Friend Asks Him To Ship Her Back, Guy Refuses

More info: Reddit

A guy shared his story in one reddit community asking whether he was being a jerk by refusing to give back a dog to his friend after having her for 2.5 years. This article sparked debate, garnering 2.8K upvotes and more than 260 comments. The man was voted "Not The A-Hole" by the audience in this situation.

The background of the story begins with the author's buddy leaving his dog, Venus, in his care when he moved abroad. They initially agreed on a temporary basis, but as you are aware, it is incredibly challenging to find accommodation that is pet-friendly. This led to a conversation that the OP can keep the dog if he wants and for 2.5 years, she has been happily living in her new home.

Following this, the original owner called the author and requested that the dog be shipped back to him as he found a place to live where he could take his furry friend. After the author clarified that they had agreed he could have the dog, his buddy offered to buy back his own dog for $2,000. However, the author under no circumstances wanted to return the dog.

Additionally, it is important to note that this situation happened approximately 2 years ago, meaning during the time when the quarantine was strictly enforced. “Up to 4 months in quarantine to dogs according to the British website,” one user researched. Other users were also worried about the dog’s health for a trip like this: “It's been 2.5 YEARS, she's settled and happy, it would be unfair to her to put her through all of that! And depending on her age and health, the trip could kill her!”

Bored Panda contacted Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, who is DVM at Wag! Group Co. to get a more insightful and professional opinion on this situation.

“I would not recommend shipping this dog back to the original owner after 2.5 years of living with another person. Dogs bond closely with their families and experience emotional trauma when their living situation suddenly changes. We are all familiar with seeing depressed and confused pups in shelters who have been abandoned through no fault of their own.
This dog will have established both an emotional connection and routine with his/her current owner and being removed from their current family poses a significant risk to their physical and emotional well-being. It is also important to consider the age of the animal and what percentage of their life (given life expectancy) they have spent with this new owner,” Dr. Jeremiah emphasized.

There are many things to take into account when weighing the benefits and drawbacks of moving a dog. Dr. Georgia Jeremiah listed a number of these, including which owner the dog likes, whether the present owner wishes to keep the dog, how well the dog lives with each owner, and how much time can be given to the puppy.

Now, she agreed to share her experience when dealing with a similar situation. “I once had two Rottweilers in a consultation room and the owner asked me to surgically remove the microchips and replace them with new chips because she and her husband split up. She wanted to move across the country with the dogs that were registered in his name. Sadly, there are laws surrounding animal ownership and both the owner and veterinarian can incur legal ramifications for facilitating such actions.”

And finally, Dr. Georgia Jeremiah highlighted that “Ideally a dog should stay with their original owner where possible, however, in this instance the dog has already adjusted to a change in owner and environment. Whatever the two owners decide, any transitions the dog experiences should be as smooth as possible to minimize the emotional impact on the dog.”