Teen Refuses Petsitting For Toxic Sister-In-Law, Later Gets Blamed For Dog's Tragic Death

"She says that if I had agreed to take care of the dog none of this would have happened."

Sophia

• Published in Interesting
• February 2, 2024

In the complex workings of family relationships, blaming others often becomes an easy method for those holding grudges against certain family members. This approach not only shifts blame away but also strengthens ongoing dislikes, creating a cycle of pointing fingers and hard feelings.

When personal dislikes influence judgment, any situation, no matter its details, can be used as reason for more disagreement. This behavior can make tensions worse, turning even small issues into big fights.

In a notable example from a Reddit post, a teenager finds herself caught in a family argument after her sister-in-law's dog dies while with a friend. Even though she had nothing to do with the dog's care or its sad passing, she is accused and asked to say sorry.

The sister-in-law, who has always been unfriendly to the teen, takes this chance to blame her for the dog's death, starting a family argument. This case shows how deep-seated personal issues can cause unfair blame, especially when the person blamed is a family member already seen in a negative light.

The story highlights the challenges of dealing with family relationships, where blaming others can make existing problems worse, pointing out the need for open talking, understanding, and the ability to look past personal dislikes.

Just take a look...

Jenny, OP's sister-in-law, has consistently mocked and criticized them over the past three years.

OP has a great relationship with Mary (31F), their other sister-in-law, and occasionally cares for her dog.

But Jenny assumed Op would care for her dog without asking. When OP refused, Jenny got angry, called them a B-word, and left.

Jenny left her dog with a friend, and it had an accident and died there. OP didn't inquire further.

But Jenny blamed OP for her dog's accident, posted rants on social media, faced backlash from friends, and deleted everything later.

Jenny wants an apology for OP's actions regarding her dog, as requested by OP's parents.

OP feels they did nothing wrong, especially considering Jenny's rude behavior towards them.

OP will apologize to Jenny for her dog's death if she apologizes for her rudeness but won't accept blame for it.

OP's parents are disappointed, prompting OP to question if they should apologize.

Here's a TLDR:

Scroll down to see what people had to say!

"Don't take responsibility for something you didn't do."

Once Jenny's got a bone to pick, she'll bury it deep. OP should keep their responsibility on a short leash!

Jenny's pointing paws in the wrong direction. It's a dog-eat-dog world when strangers show more loyalty than family.

Playing fetch with apologies: easier than training the unruly.

Seems Jenny's partner needs to leash her antics. Perhaps Mary could toss some support their way.

Brother's the referee of family feuds, but when it comes to the dog, he's got a 'paws'itively indifferent stance.

Sounds like a tooth-rattling dilemma indeed. Perhaps they need a shake-up to see the bigger picture."

No neglect, no accidents, no paw prints on this one. Looks like they're in the clear!

Apologizing means admitting guilt, and that's a label nobody wants. No guilt, no apology—no 'dog killer' label sticking to them forever.

Sounds like they're trying to trade peace for a piece of mind. No dog, no guilt, no apology required.

Blame ping-pong at its finest. 'Neither was I'—a perfect serve in this match.

In the family drama theater, blaming is the favorite genre, especially when casting roles for disliked members. This tale teaches us that in the grand production of life, sometimes the script needs a rewrite to include more dialogue and understanding and less finger-pointing.

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Sophia