AITA for rehoming the pets my mom got me for my birthday?
At just seventeen, she had nurtured a dream of caring for chinchillas, saving every penny from her job to create a loving home for them.
When her mother surprised her with three chinchillas on her birthday, joy and disbelief washed over her—her dream had finally come true.
Yet, the small, cramped travel cage they arrived in cast a shadow over her happiness, igniting a fierce determination to give them the life they deserved.
But hope quickly turned to heartbreak when her mother forbade her from buying a proper cage and supplies, halting her plans cold.
What should have been a shared celebration of love and responsibility spiraled into a painful argument, leaving her caught between her passion for her pets and the walls of misunderstanding closing in around her.
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The original poster (OP) felt strongly committed to being a responsible pet owner, which conflicted directly with her mother's refusal to allow the necessary steps for proper animal care, including purchasing an appropriate habitat.
The core debate is whether prioritizing the well-being of the animals, based on extensive research, justifies defying a parent's directive, or if maintaining familial respect and obed*ence by keeping the pets despite inadequate housing was the expected behavior.
A Wave of Opinions Just Hit the Thread:
Users didn’t stay quiet — they showed up in full force, mixing support with sharp criticism. From calling out bad behavior to offering real talk, the comments lit up fast.