THIS is what I get......JAWM

[DawnM]

for being the nice one.

ARGH!   I get taken advantage of, that is what I get.

We agreed to take someone's dog over Christmas break.   They told us they would be gone between 2-3 weeks.   We were ok with that.   The dog is a good dog, I like him, but I don't want him for an extended period of time and now we are going on 4 weeks and they just texted and said they will be back in 10-14 days MORE.

They are in another country, so it isn't like I can say too much, and I don't want to cause an issue.....but I will NOT be agreeing to this again.   this is DOUBLE what we agreed to.

That is all....please just agree with me and don't tell me to "Just ask them where to drop their dog off tomorrow" as I am not that kind of person and will watch the dog the duration, but argh!   I would never do this to someone and I just don't expect it when people do it to me.  

[Ting Tang]

Is there a boarding facility?  I'm about to get my in-law's dog for a while.  Our puppy is going through her first heat, so I am diapering a dog right now (I will get her fixed but wanted to wait until she was at least 1 year old).  It's a lot.  I get it. I think that is very, very rude and you deserve compensation!

[Harriet Vane]

I feel your pain! I enjoy pet-sitting a great deal, but that much extension in terms of time is a BIG ask. I JAWY. So sorry!

[Catwoman]

I would be very angry! Your friends have a lot of nerve!!! 🤬

[Catwoman]

I forgot to add... I hope your friends come home with a VERY nice thank you gift for you!!!

[wintermom]

I completely agree with your frustration. I hope the dog isn't going to interfere with your plans too much. Seems weird that they'd not contact you until a week after they were supposed to be home.

BTDT, but not twice with the same people. Now that you know the way they operate, you can know for the next time they ask.

[regentrude]

That IS taking advantage of you. Of course you can't drop off the dog somewhere - but you might present them with a bill for the going rate of in-home petsitting for the excess time that wasn't agreed upon. They're basically extorting you to give them a several hundred $ gift.

Edited January 13, 2022 by regentrude

[Faith-manor]

I 100% agree with your frustration and feel you are being totally taken care of. Like you, I would not be willing to send the dog off, but I will say that these people would not be on my friends, socialization list. This is really unacceptable.

[Arctic Bunny]

Wow! First of all the idea of going on a trip and being flexible on the end day by *weeks* blows me away! And then to not have planned on doggy care for the longest possible time?!! Was there some sort of emergency? Like getting covid and not being cleared to fly?

[MooCow]

Ugh. Other people suck. 

[DawnM]

14 minutes ago, Arctic Bunny said:

Wow! First of all the idea of going on a trip and being flexible on the end day by *weeks* blows me away! And then to not have planned on doggy care for the longest possible time?!! Was there some sort of emergency? Like getting covid and not being cleared to fly?

Don't think there was an emergency, they were going to visit family.   

[DawnM]

And you want to know the stupidest part?   I have done this before.....at least twice, maybe more.   I have a soft spot for dogs.   I SHOULD have learned my lesson.   

[goldberry]

Yes WAY too long.  A few days, meh.  But WEEKS?  No way.

[KungFuPanda]

Are they being held hostage in this foreign country?  Please tell us you'll tell them NO from now on.  They have phones.  They could have arranged for someone else to tag you out.  I can't imagine steamrolling over a friend like that for a non-emergency situation.

[lmrich]

You are an amazing person😊😊. Sending you all and the doggies so much love! AND sorry other people are not like you.

[Shoeless]

Completely rude! Unfair to you and the dog. 

I wouldn't turf the dog to another facility because technically you'd be on the hook for the bill. But I would never, ever do these people a favor ever again. 

[Grace Hopper]

1 hour ago, DawnM said:

for being the nice one.

ARGH!   I get taken advantage of, that is what I get.

We agreed to take someone's dog over Christmas break.   They told us they would be gone between 2-3 weeks.   We were ok with that.   The dog is a good dog, I like him, but I don't want him for an extended period of time and now we are going on 4 weeks and they just texted and said they will be back in 10-14 days MORE.

They are in another country, so it isn't like I can say too much, and I don't want to cause an issue.....but I will NOT be agreeing to this again.   this is DOUBLE what we agreed to.

That is all....please just agree with me and don't tell me to "Just ask them where to drop their dog off tomorrow" as I am not that kind of person and will watch the dog the duration, but argh!   I would never do this to someone and I just don't expect it when people do it to me.  

🤐

[Tanaqui]

Well, you pre-emptively rejected the advice I would've given you, so I'll just offer my sympathies and remind you that you are NOT the one causing the problem, they definitely are the ones causing the problem.

[Kassia]

1 hour ago, Catwoman said:

I would be very angry! Your friends have a lot of nerve!!! 🤬

 

1 hour ago, Catwoman said:

I forgot to add... I hope your friends come home with a VERY nice thank you gift for you!!!

Yes to both of these!  I'd be so upset!  I'm sorry.

[Moonhawk]

"Thanks for letting me know! Rufus misses you but I'm sure he'll be fine. Getting to spend an extra 2 weeks in wine [chocolate/vodka/wool] country must be so amazing, I can't wait to see what goodies you bring back! 😍🤤(btw, just a reminder that I'm allergic to cheap airport gifts and chocolate under $10/lb). See you guys in 10-14 days!😘🐶"

- says the person I wish I was, lol

[gardenmom5]

Just curious if it's their choice to extend, or travel restrictions forcing them. 

I hope they are paying you.  If not, they owe you a really nice thank you gift.

[Carrie12345]

Once again, I can’t wrap my brain around how some people’s brains work.

I feel like I’m imposing when I hire animal professionals to perform the services they offer in order to make a living, which is obviously the other extreme of the spectrum, lol. I can’t imagine taking such huge advantage of a friend volunteering to help me out with my dog.

I hope you’re at least getting lots of cuddles and giving lots of belly rubs. 

[Starr]

I find that the animal owner convinces themselves it's not a big deal. I've had neighbor kids drop a dog off at my house the last minute before vacation. What a pain. But we are still friends.

[Scarlett]

I would be furious too.  I hope they at least have a really really good reason. 

[Kanin]

16 hours ago, DawnM said:

We agreed to take someone's dog over Christmas break.   They told us they would be gone between 2-3 weeks.   We were ok with that.   The dog is a good dog, I like him, but I don't want him for an extended period of time and now we are going on 4 weeks and they just texted and said they will be back in 10-14 days MORE.

 

Even if you intended to let the dog stay (and I would too, probably), I'd be tempted to text back and say, "I'm not sure if this is going to work for me." Wonder what they'd say then. 

I love using the line "I'm not sure if this is going to work for me." I did that once when I was offered a certain $ for a stipend. I knew they had no other person except me to do it, so I used my line and boom, more money came my way. I always figure it's worth a try now. 

[sassenach]

In your shoes, I would ask them if they have someone else that you can pass the dog off to. Even if you feel like you can keep the dog, it would be good for them to feel like they need to scramble. This can be done in a friendly way. "Oh how wonderful for you that you can extend your trip! Have you arranged for someone else for us to pass the dog off to? I'd love to hand off by Friday, if possible. Here's a picture of your furry baby!"

They'll probably respond with a- is there any way that you can do it? and you can reply with, let me talk to dh but I think it would be best if you worked on finding an alternative.

In the end you can keep the dog but at least make them sweat for a minute.

[MEmama]

20 minutes ago, Kanin said:

Even if you intended to let the dog stay (and I would too, probably), I'd be tempted to text back and say, "I'm not sure if this is going to work for me." Wonder what they'd say then. 

I love using the line "I'm not sure if this is going to work for me." I did that once when I was offered a certain $ for a stipend. I knew they had no other person except me to do it, so I used my line and boom, more money came my way. I always figure it's worth a try now. 

I’m totally going to steal this! 

[DawnM]

11 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

Just curious if it's their choice to extend, or travel restrictions forcing them. 

I hope they are paying you.  If not, they owe you a really nice thank you gift.

I have heard today that it may be due to Covid restrictions, but I think it is a combination of both to be honest with you.   I think they hadn't even started looking for a return ticket until yesterday.

But in talking to a friend today, I am worried I may have this dog for a long time.   They are in Europe.   Many have not been granted boarding passes to the US......OY!

[marbel]

Ugh I am sorry. I'm with you all the way on this, including sucking it up and not sending the dog off elsewhere. 

[Kassia]

5 minutes ago, marbel said:

Ugh I am sorry. I'm with you all the way on this, including sucking it up and not sending the dog off elsewhere. 

Me too on all of this as long as having the dog there isn't too much of a hardship for you.  I hope they at least appreciate what you're doing.  

[Kassia]

1 hour ago, Kanin said:

Even if you intended to let the dog stay (and I would too, probably), I'd be tempted to text back and say, "I'm not sure if this is going to work for me." Wonder what they'd say then. 

I love using the line "I'm not sure if this is going to work for me." I did that once when I was offered a certain $ for a stipend. I knew they had no other person except me to do it, so I used my line and boom, more money came my way. I always figure it's worth a try now. 

 

1 hour ago, MEmama said:

I’m totally going to steal this! 

Me too - seems like it would work for many situations! 

[gardenmom5]

20 minutes ago, DawnM said:

I have heard today that it may be due to Covid restrictions, but I think it is a combination of both to be honest with you.   I think they hadn't even started looking for a return ticket until yesterday.

But in talking to a friend today, I am worried I may have this dog for a long time.   They are in Europe.   Many have not been granted boarding passes to the US......OY!

I can't fathom travel without already having a return ticket.   They can be changed if needed.

They owe you a really nice gift...

If they've done stuff like this before,  I would absolutely tell them future dogsitting just doesn't work for you.

 

[maize]

34 minutes ago, DawnM said:

I have heard today that it may be due to Covid restrictions, but I think it is a combination of both to be honest with you.   I think they hadn't even started looking for a return ticket until yesterday.

But in talking to a friend today, I am worried I may have this dog for a long time.   They are in Europe.   Many have not been granted boarding passes to the US......OY!

Yeah, I know a family who are stuck in Paris for an extra 10-14 days minimum because they tested positive on the required travel test. So many people are testing positive right now.

[Arcadia]

10 minutes ago, maize said:

Yeah, I know a family who are stuck in Paris for an extra 10-14 days minimum because they tested positive on the required travel test. So many people are testing positive right now.

@MEmama Ireland 

https://www.euronews.com/next/amp/2022/01/11/genrui-covid-antigen-tests-removed-from-irish-shops-and-hamburg-schools-after-false-positi
“Spain has become the latest European country to remove COVID-19 antigen tests produced by Chinese pharmaceutical company Genrui Biotech over a spike in false positive results.

The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), which is currently investigating the product, has ordered the withdrawal of the tests "due to a possible increase in false positive results".

The tests are in circulation in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Getafe and Asturias after being distributed to five different companies.

On Friday, retailers in Ireland were asked to remove the tests made by the company following advice from the country’s Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).

The request came after the HPRA said it received over 550 complaints from people claiming the Genrui testing kits have provided false positive results.

… In Germany, a decision was also made by the Hamburg Authority for Schools and Vocational Education and Training (BSB) last month to stop using the company’s tests after receiving similar complaints.

"The 'Genrui' brand rapid tests currently in use often report a corona infection that is not confirmed when checked with a PCR test,” the authority wrote on their website on December 17.

"This high number of false positive reports unsettles the school community and leads to a lot of feedback from schools and parents. The school authorities take this very seriously. That is why the authority has arranged for Hamburg to procure new corona tests for schools by the beginning of 2022".

In a statement, the HPRA said that all rapid antigen tests have the potential to provide false negative or false positive results, but went on to say “that the rapid rise in the number of reports of false positive results relating to the Genrui self-test is significant and a precautionary removal from sale is warranted while the matter is further investigated".”

[DawnM]

UPDATE:

They still don't have a flight back.   I told them the dog is barking at my dad.

their response?   "oh, does he walk with a stick or a cane?   Our dog doesn't like those."

😏

Yeah, come get your damn dog!~

[QueenCat]

7 minutes ago, DawnM said:

UPDATE:

They still don't have a flight back.   I told them the dog is barking at my dad.

their response?   "oh, does he walk with a stick or a cane?   Our dog doesn't like those."

😏

Yeah, come get your damn dog!~

At this point, I'd tell them that they have 24 hours to make arrangements at a kennel. If they don't, you will and you won't factor in cost. And it will be at their expense.

 

[Anne]

I’m just floored by this situation, Dawn -  this kind of behavior is just unimaginable!!  I’m so sorry it’s happening to you!

 

Anne

[DawnM]

They said 6 days ago, "around 10 more days, we are working on a flight today"

And they don't even have a flight yet.

[Selkie]

What kind of people can bear to be away from their dog for that long??? I miss mine when I'm away for a few hours.

[Kassia]

37 minutes ago, DawnM said:

UPDATE:

They still don't have a flight back.   I told them the dog is barking at my dad.

their response?   "oh, does he walk with a stick or a cane?   Our dog doesn't like those."

😏

Yeah, come get your damn dog!~

Just speechless...they are being incredibly inconsiderate and taking advantage of you.  I'm sorry.

[DawnM]

21 minutes ago, Selkie said:

What kind of people can bear to be away from their dog for that long??? I miss mine when I'm away for a few hours.

I am honestly concerned they want me to keep the dog.   

[Tap]

27 minutes ago, DawnM said:

They said 6 days ago, "around 10 more days, we are working on a flight today"

And they don't even have a flight yet.

At this point I would contact them and ask if they can have the dog moved to a place that takes boarders. Tell them it isn't working out and since there is no foreseeable end, you need to make other arrangements. Offer to make the calls to get things set up, but then clearly say, you will give them the contact information to the place you find, so they can arrange payment. 

((((Hugs)))) it is difficult situation to be in

 

[Murphy101]

See the problem here is you are still being polite. 

41 minutes ago, DawnM said:

UPDATE:

They still don't have a flight back.   I told them the dog is barking at my dad.

their response?   "oh, does he walk with a stick or a cane?   Our dog doesn't like those."

😏

Yeah, come get your damn dog!~

No. You should have said, “Your dog cannot stay here because he is being aggressive with my family members. I thought we could tolerate this for a week but it’s gone well past that and your dog needs to be elsewhere now.  Who will you send to get the dog today?

2 minutes ago, DawnM said:

I am honestly concerned they want me to keep the dog.  
 

You have no need to be concerned if you are honest and forthright with the owners that you will not keep the dog past tomorrow. If no one shows up, you are going to board the dog and they can pay when they pick up the dog. 

I don’t think this is what you get for taking the dog. I think this is what you get for not setting boundaries and people around you knowing you won’t set any.  You can 100% change that situation.   Sucks to have to be that person but there it is. 

[KatieJ]

Agree with Murphy 101. Set the boundary now. I had a friend who would do  this kind of thing with me all,the time, and especially with her dog. I had to learn to set the boundary and push it back in place often. 
It’s time for you to push back the boundary.

If she knew you well enough to ask you tske care of her dog, she knew your dad was living with you…

[matrips]

12 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

No. You should have said, “Your dog cannot stay here because he is being aggressive with my family members. I thought we could tolerate this for a week but it’s gone well past that and your dog needs to be elsewhere now.  Who will you send to get the dog today

This. 

[Moonhawk]

Did they by chance leave you, or someone you know, a key to their house to check on things, for emergencies? My new fantasy is to take the key and say that you'll check on dog and food/walk but the dog will be more comfortable in its own home long term and probably won't make that much mess during the day. [If they won't pay for kennel]

Alternately, "that's fine, oh btw the new 2022 prices went into effect on January 15 and pre-payment gets a 10% discount. Let me know if you prefer PayPal or Venmo and I'll send you a link." I'm in a mood today that if you decide to go this way and she goes, "What rates?!", I'll set up a website that just says in plain-text: "DawnM Boarding For Dogs After 1 Month When You Originally Book 10 Days, 2022 New Rates: $150/day plus $20 for food optional." Or whatever you want to charge. If it's on the internet it must be official, right? lol

Edited January 17, 2022 by Moonhawk

[KungFuPanda]

I’d be tempted to drive by their house to Make sure they didn’t sneak back home. 

[stephanier.1765]

On 1/13/2022 at 11:38 AM, Kanin said:

Even if you intended to let the dog stay (and I would too, probably), I'd be tempted to text back and say, "I'm not sure if this is going to work for me." Wonder what they'd say then. 

I love using the line "I'm not sure if this is going to work for me." I did that once when I was offered a certain $ for a stipend. I knew they had no other person except me to do it, so I used my line and boom, more money came my way. I always figure it's worth a try now. 

I really hope this question doesn't derail this thread because the audacity of these people is just mind blowing.

What do you say if people ask you why? I know there are several around me who would and my true answer, "because I just don't want to", wouldn't fly very far.

[Kanin]

22 minutes ago, stephanier.1765 said:

I really hope this question doesn't derail this thread because the audacity of these people is just mind blowing.

What do you say if people ask you why? I know there are several around me who would and my true answer, "because I just don't want to", wouldn't fly very far.

Hmm, good question. So far nobody's asked why. Maybe they're too shocked that I didn't say yes? If someone actually asked why, hmmm.... I guess I'd come up with some reason that wasn't just "I don't want to," but meant the same thing, like... too many other commitments, not enough free time, feeling overwhelmed with current responsibilities....

If they say why to THAT, then I really don't know what I'd do! Lol!

If someone was really asking for something outrageous, I don't think I'd have a problem just saying, I don't want to take on that commitment. None of my close friends would ask me for something truly outrageous. 

[importswim]

3 hours ago, DawnM said:

UPDATE:

They still don't have a flight back.   I told them the dog is barking at my dad.

their response?   "oh, does he walk with a stick or a cane?   Our dog doesn't like those."

😏

Yeah, come get your damn dog!~

Yeah, this is probably an expected response to that statement. I don't read anything into it, just a comment on why the dog might be barking at him. You can't make hints with this family an expect them to pick up on them. Even if they do then they can pretend that they don't know what you're getting at. Being up front and clear about your boundaries is the only way to go from here. That's an awful situation that they've put you in. I'm sorry. I'd be seriously re-evaluating the friendship when/if they get back and get their dog.