AITA for telling my aunt who actually watched her dog and taking the payment for it?

Jonathan Hours
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Matilda’s backyard was supposed to be a quiet haven, not a temporary kennel for two massive dogs. When her sister Sophia dropped off their aunt Kathy’s husky mix, Wilbur, and Great Dane, Alfred, with a breezy promise to “figure things out,” Matilda sensed trouble brewing. What started as an overnight favor morphed into a four-month saga that upended her Christmas plans and sparked a family feud. Sophia’s $7,000 deal to dog-sit was news to Matilda—until she learned Sophia had already cashed in.

The betrayal stung, but Matilda’s call to Aunt Kathy set off a chain reaction: money demanded back, tears shed, and accusations flying. It’s a juicy mess of loyalty, lies, and furry houseguests that pulls you in like a soap opera. With Reddit weighing in and emotions raw, this story begs us to unpack who’s really in the doghouse here.

‘AITA for telling my aunt who actually watched her dog and taking the payment for it?’

AITA? I’m Matilda, 25, and I live with my partner Gregory (29). We don’t have a dog, but we both love them. My sister, Sophia (39), agreed to watch our aunt Kathy’s two dogs—Wilbur, a husky mix, and Alfred, a great dane—for four months while Kathy and her husband were abroad. Kathy offered $6,000 for the job.

My sister is in debt and needed the money, but didn’t consult her husband before accepting the offer. Sophia quickly realized that the dogs wouldn’t fit in her townhouse and begged me to let them stay in our backyard overnight while she figured things out. Once the dogs were here, she left and told me I was now watching them for four months.

She promised to give me part of the payment. I tried calling her, but she didn’t answer. Her husband told me he refused to have the dogs in their house for that long. I reached out to other family members, but they all refused, so Gregory and I decided to take on the responsibility, even though we had to cancel our Christmas plans.

On the second day of Kathy’s trip, I called her to explain the situation. I told her we were taking care of the dogs but needed money for food and supplies, as Alfred eats a lot. Kathy was horrified and said Sophia had already been paid $6,000, plus $1,000 for food. She immediately called Sophia, screamed at her, and demanded she return all the money.

Kathy then sent me $8,000 to compensate us for taking care of the dogs. Sophia called me in tears, saying they had used the money to pay bills and had to take $7,000 out of their savings. I told her I wasn’t going to feel guilty because she lied and left me to handle the dogs for four months without considering my own plans.. AITA?

Family favors can turn into financial fiascos faster than a Great Dane chasing a squirrel. Matilda’s predicament—stuck with two dogs after Sophia’s bait-and-switch—exposes the messy intersection of trust and money. Sophia saw an easy $7,000, but her failure to deliver left Matilda cleaning up the mess, literally and figuratively. While Sophia’s debt drove her desperation, her deceit undermines sympathy; Matilda, meanwhile, just wanted fairness after sacrificing her plans.

This drama ties into a larger issue: financial transparency in families. A 2024 survey found 45% of family disputes over money stem from unspoken assumptions, like Sophia’s unilateral deal (source: Forbes). Missteps like hers can fracture trust long-term. Dr. John Gottman, a renowned relationship expert, notes, “Honesty in agreements, even informal ones, builds stronger bonds” (source: Gottman Institute). Sophia’s lie broke that bond, leaving Matilda to pick up the leash.

Matilda’s choice to alert Kathy was practical—she needed funds for dog food, not guilt trips. For others in similar binds, Gottman’s advice suggests clear communication upfront to avoid surprises. Matilda could set boundaries with Sophia moving forward, perhaps discussing repayment calmly. Readers, have you faced a family favor gone wrong? Share below to keep the convo barking.

Here’s the input from the Reddit crowd:

Reddit pounced on this one like a husky on a chew toy, dishing out wit and wisdom in equal measure. Here’s the scoop from the crowd: These hot takes light up the Reddit thread, but do they catch the whole vibe? Sophia’s stunt might’ve flopped, but the family fallout’s still unfolding.

Rhiyxnnxh − NTA. Lmao so sophia didnt do the job she took on, tried to get paid for it, and then complained when she got found out and needed to give back the money. A shame. What she does with her finances aren't your responsibility so its fine if you dont feel bad tbh its not your fault she was in debt (i assume)

Chilling_Storm − Your sister was going to keep all the money for the job that she pawned off on you, and you are wondering if you are the a h for not letting her s**ew you?

EsmeWeatherwax7a − This is terrible of your sister all the way through--there's no way someone who says 'surprise, you have a Great Dane and a Husky for the next 4 months' is going to be the hero of the story--but the fact that your sister had $7000 in savings to pay her bills when she needed to means she wasn't doing this out of desperation. She's just an AH.. NTA, and ultimately it's a very good thing Wilbur and Alfred have a safe and caring place to stay.

voyageur1066 − Your sister is a liar and a thief. I think you handled this perfectly, and now your family (at least some of them) are aware of how dishonest and unethical your sister is. NTA. And it was really kind of you and your husband to take care of the dogs when your sister abandoned them.

Lucariothrowaway − Nta oh god what the hell else has your sister taken advantage of you for. This is ridiculous, she was using you to get $7,000 for free while you had to take care of 2 dogs, one of which is a GREAT DANE. Your sister f**king sucks, she spent all the money so she was never even gonna give you half.

She was probably gonna passively guilt trip you into telling her to keep it all. Why would she even be entitled to half of the money if you are doing all the work. She also lied to you to you get the dogs in your house in the first place, I bet she knew from the start she shouldn’t have them in her house at all. She tried grift you don’t f**king let her

Forward-Dingo1431 − NTA. What your sister did was totally unfair. She tricked you into taking the dogs and left you high and dry. I'm glad you were able to speak with your aunt and let her know the truth.

toosheeptheorist − NTA - what your sister did is considered fraud - she took money in exchange for services and then reneged on the services. She's lucky that your aunt only wants the money back and is not pursuing criminal charges. You're especially not the AH for how you went about it, because how else would you be reimbursed for time, effort and expenses related to the dogs and taking into consideration that you had to cancel your own plans for Christmas.

Onestep420 − NTA......... how do I get in on dog sitting for Aunt Kathy?

Snackinpenguin − OP’s sister is a s**t show on multiple levels. Not talking to her husband first? Not doing a trial run with the dogs before committing for so long? Thinking she could take the money, ghost OP and make out like a bandit while OP got stuck with the dogs for months on end? Yeah. Aunt needed to know who was actually taking care of the dogs. NTA.

lostalldoubt86 − NTA- She took money for a job and then didn't actual do the job. Your sister is an AH to multiple people here. She lied to your aunt. She didn't check with her husband before offering to watch dogs for 4 months. THEN, she pawned off the job on you without any payment. I would also argue that her husband is a bit of an AH for refusing to take the dogs, but being willing to spend the money.

Matilda’s dog-sitting saga is a masterclass in family dysfunction, with a side of furry chaos. By calling out Sophia’s scam, she secured justice for herself and safety for Wilbur and Alfred—but at the cost of sisterly ties. It’s a reminder that trust, once chewed up, takes time to rebuild. What would you do if a relative pulled a fast one like Sophia? Spill your thoughts below and let’s sniff out the truth together.

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