But beneath the surface of this arrangement, an unsettling truth began to emerge—one that threatened not only the trust between siblings but also the well-being of their beloved dog. What started as an act of kindness was unraveling into a silent crisis, testing the limits of patience and love.
My brother (24m) has been out of work for a while and has been looking to make any extra cash. I (27m) decided to start paying him to walk my dog in the mornings and evening. Not much but just so he has something.
Didn’t need him to because I was already doing that myself. But still been busy with work so at least him doing it meant I wouldn’t have to get up super early to walk Bella (my dog) or take her out really late once I’m done for the day.
I didn’t notice this until a couple weeks after he started walking Bella. She has her own pee pad in my apartment where she does her business. Sometimes she’ll poop during our walks and I clean up after her.
When my brother started walking her I gave him the bags do use incase she went.
A few days went by and I notice Bella hasn’t used her pee pad to go #2 at all. So I asked my brother if she’s going during their walks.
He told me she wasn’t. I noticed it too when they’d get back and he hasn’t used the bags. I asked him a few times if he’s sure and he said yeah. So that scared me because obviously there was a problem if she hasn’t pooped in days.
I took her to the vet, they did a physical, blood work to check If she was dehydrated or anything else. Literally nothing was wrong.
So then the vet suggested we do an abdominal ultrasound to see if they could figure out what’s going on. That shit wasn’t cheap at all. So still haven’t gotten the results yet and earlier I’m at home, my brother stops by to take her out.
Notices how I’m acting so he asks what’s wrong.
I told him everything. That I’m freaked out over what’s wrong with Bella because they’ve done these tests and they don’t know what’s up. Finally he fucking tells me he’s been LYING about the whole thing.
Bella does go but he just didn’t wanna pick up the poop. He didn’t tell me because he knew I’d get mad since they only walk around this block; which means he’s been letting her go on the neighbors yards and not picking it up.
Man I literally lost it. Like actually yelled at him for making me worry about my dog and that I spent so much money for nothing. I essentially fired him, didn’t say nothing about him paying me back because knowing him, I knew he won’t.
My brother begged me to give him a chance and he didn’t know it was gonna be a big deal.
He txted me multiple times that he’s sorry. And he really needs this help. Since he’s staying at my parents ofc he told them so now they’re on his side too. To be a good brother and give him a chance for making a stupid mistake.
My brother’s mad I won’t help him, I’m still mad about the whole thing so I don’t know if I’m being too harsh because of my emotions or if I’m in the right here.
Conclusion
The original poster (OP) is facing a significant conflict stemming from a breach of trust involving their dog’s care and unnecessary financial expense caused by the brother’s dishonesty. The OP acted out of kindness by offering employment, but the brother violated that trust by lying about essential responsibilities, leading to the OP’s extreme worry and medical bills.
Given the deceit regarding pet care and the resulting financial strain and emotional distress, is the OP overreacting by terminating the employment immediately, or is the brother’s deception severe enough to warrant an immediate dismissal without further chances?
Here’s how people reacted:
However, I think it’s important to note that he took care of Bella. I seriously expected the lie to be about taking her for walks and that she’d actually gotten no exercise and he’d just hung around your place and lied about taking her out at all. Yes his lies were dick moves and he was an AH to your neighbors and you. I think it was stupidity on top of laziness and not wanting to touch dog poop, even through a bag. I don’t think it even occurred to him that you’d worry and take the dog to a vet. Very dumb, yeah, but not malicious. If he were thinking it through, he’d have said yup she’s pooping and thrown away a bag or two a day as if he were using them.
But since he actually did take your dog for twice daily walks, perhaps you could reconsider letting him do it again. For free for a certain period of time until he’s paid off most/all of that vet debt. Then if he’s done everything right (probably also doing some kind of apology to the neighbors), consider paying him again. Yeah he fucked up but he took care of Bella, which is important.
Ultimately up to you what you do, you’re still NTA. He cocked up, yes, but he didn’t mistreat Bella.
I have five dogs and I also work with dogs as a groomer so I know how much they mean to us and if we think one of them is sick you feel helpless and just want to find out what’s wrong, your brother obviously doesn’t understand this, I personally don’t think I could trust him after that either.
So glad Bella is ok.
He
1) lied
That’s already asshole behavior, lie to someone helping you out
2) didn’t pick up the dogs poop
Such an ah move
3) caused you to pay all that money and worry
No offer to make it up or whatsoever
4) most likely lied to your parents or at least changed the story to his favour
Otherwise I doubt they would side with him
5) his only worry now is the money he wants to make
Seriously, fuck him.
Don’t give him the job back, he shouldn’t be trusted with the dog.
Besides it was nice of you to give it to him in the first place, there is no obligation.
Don’t let them guilt you, imagine this was a random employee. You would not consider hiring them. Don’t do it because he’s family or struggling
I’m not calling you a liar OP, but I find it odd that with only a three-year age difference you wouldn’t know your brother well enough to have suspected him being disingenuous.
What I find really surprising, is that in between all of these vet visits and tests, you didn’t mention any of it to the brother who was still walking your dog (or reaffirm details with him). Blood work usually takes at least a day on its own (multiple if they don’t have an inbuilt pathology), so it seems like there would have definitely been time.
Can you clarify on that at all?
Then he cost you $$$$ on vet bills, so paying him for something you don’t need is much worse for your financial situation than it was before he decided to lie about being lazy and doing something he knew he shouldn’t have done.
Of course if you cost \*anyone\* even family that much money for a screw up you can’t expect just to let it pass.
Tell him you’ll consider hiring him back once the amount you’ve saved by firing him equals the amount he cost you in vet bills.
INFO how frequently are you walking this dog if you think its a regular thing for them to use a pee pad indoors for #2? is she still a puppy? Also find it strange that you didn’t share any concerns with you brother when he told you the dog hadn’t pooped in days.
FWIW: My kids were 9 and 12 when we got our first dog and even they knew to bring a bag and actually use them. The first time my daughter did not do this I drove her back to the spot with a bag to pick it up. She never “forgot” again and understood we can’t let our dog poop on other peoples property and leave it there.
Don’t hire him back but do get that dog some outdoor time and proper exercise and bathroom habits.
(I have this suspicion he wont agree to this as it will be a LOT of “unpaid” work for him…)
No.let him stand the consequences of his actions. NTA
so essentially no pay for however long it takes.