Catching a pet that doesn’t want to be caught can be exhausting. When they decide it’s time to play a game of tag, you end up chasing them, hoping you’ll eventually succeed. Some savvy dog owners have tricks to make the process quicker, but those don’t always work. Sometimes, you just have to rely on good, old-fashioned patience.
When a cat or dog is determined to enjoy their freedom, the more you try to bring them in or put them on a leash, the more they resist. Recently, Reddit user Easy_Huckleberry476 shared a story on the “Am I The A$$hole?” subreddit. He explained that while at the park with his family, a stranger asked for help finding their dog. When OP declined, the stranger insulted him, making OP question whether he did the right thing. He turned to the Reddit community for advice.
Scroll down to read his full story and see how others weighed in.
Source: Easy_Huckleberry476
1. Let’s find out!
2. While at the park, OP, his wife, and their 20-month-old kid encountered a golden retriever.
3. OP made the dog go away who left without giving the family much trouble and wasn’t seen again.
4. A little while later, a guy came running in the park looking for a dog that fit the description of the same golden retriever that came by OP and his family. It was the dog’s owner.
5. The dog asked OP where his dog was, and it suddenly reappeared. OP pointed the owner in the dog’s direction.
6. The guy then asked OP to help him catch his dog. OP said no and the owner didn’t like that.
7. OP said he didn’t want the dog around him so he will not help.
I know the story isn’t over yet, but I’m already having mixed feelings about OP. On one hand, it’s understandable for him to say no since his priority should be his kid and wife at the park, not a random dog. But on the other hand, helping the dog owner wouldn’t have taken much effort, and it would’ve been a kind gesture.
While I want to say OP wasn’t the jerk in this situation, part of me can’t help but think he was a bit of an AH for his lack of compassion.
Source: Easy_Huckleberry476
8. The dog owner went on to say that if his dog got hurt in the process of him trying to catch it, he would hold OP responsible for it.
9. The guy called OP an AH and ran off to find his dog.
Source: Easy_Huckleberry476
Here is what the AITA community had to say about this:
10. I agree with this. The dog could get aggressive, take a sharp reverse turn, and bite the stranger.
Via shippehcat
11. You are the owner, you catch your dog.
Via Reddit
12. I never thought of it this way, but this could be true. The dog owner may be a kidnapper there to distract OP so he could take his kid.
Via d0-me-a-flavour
13. If anyone is to blame, it’s actually more the owner’s fault for not having his dog trained for recall.
Via tatersprout
14. A standard rule.
Via Porgon000_
15. I would have declared OP an AH had he left his kid there to help the dog owner.
16. I think that is nonsense.
Via SergeantFawlty
17. While it is true chasing and catching the dog for the owner wasn’t OP’s responsibility, he still could have helped in some way or form.
Via morgaine125
18. The owner should have been responsible in the first place by keeping his dog on a leash.
Via PravinI123
19. While the majority supported OP’s stance, I must say those against what OP did are posing a solid argument.
Via Elle_Degenerate
20. OP, you don’t even know that guy so it doesn’t matter.
Via chaenorrhinum
