Family Thanksgiving Goes Downhill After Their Inconsiderate Cousins Bring Their New Pup To The Rental Property Without Permission
Turkeys were carved, pies were had, and thanks were given — the next holidays are right around the corner but Thanksgiving this year was memorable for a lot of people. It's the first post-Covid Thanksgiving since 2020 where everyone feels safe enough to gather in a large group.
[ ADVERTISEMENT ]
A large group means an environment ripe for drama. This family did not disappoint on that account after what happened at their celebration this year.
OP posted on Reddit on behalf of her family. They are all wondering if they all behaved dramatically and were "anti-dog" when they turned their cousins away because they brought a puppy.
In OP's family, Thanksgivings are always an extended family event to which everyone is invited. They rent a large house to accommodate their large group annually.
They rent this particular house every year and have since cultivated a great relationship with the property manager. They observe the rules religiously, one of which is no pets are allowed inside the rental.
If one of them were to bring a pet, they have to let the manager know ahead of time and pay an additional fee. This was never a problem because not one of them has brought a pet to the event over the years.
Except this year when their cousins brought their new pup without letting anyone know beforehand
Here's the short version for those in a bit of a hurry:
They told their cousins they can't let the puppy go inside the rental
They had a carrier with them so the first solution was to keep the puppy inside the carrier and leave it at the porch since the temperature is safe for it
OP's other cousin even offered to take the puppy to her house nearby but the dog owners refused both offers. Which was odd since they had no problem leaving the puppy when they went to a week-long vacation.
They could have stayed for 20 minutes to eat with the rest of them but they said it wasn't worth it so they left. Were all of them wrong for turning their cousins and the puppy away?
OP and the rest of the family didn't set the rules, they were following the rules set by the property owners like they have done for years without a hitch. Side note: VRBO stands for vacation rental by owners.
They should have asked if it was okay before showing up at the rental
Yes, the cousins are entitled but it is not uncommon for some families to include pets at their events. However, an explicit permission from the homeowner or host is needed before doing so.
You should ask well in advance and if the host says no, you have to deal with that as a pet owner. You are just a guest in their home after all.
OP and their family will lose the trust of the property manager after cultivating the relationship for years had they allowed the puppy inside the rental
How come they didn't know the no-puppy-rule when everyone else did after renting the property year after year?
Even if Thanksgiving was hosted in one of their homes, they cousins should still ask then if they can bring their dog
Or like the comment above said, someone present could have a dog allergy and bring a puppy without notice could jeopardize their health
It's not like OP's cousins were not offered other options. They were but they were set on having the puppy with them throughout the dinner
When they didn't get what they want, they left in a huff, and somehow OP & the rest of the family were the entitled ones? They just followed the rules set by the property manager which their cousins didn't think applied to them.
There are some places where you can't take your pets and you can't throw a tantrum to get your way. If OP's cousins see themselves as committed dog owners, they have to accept this now before we read about them again on social media.