'AITA for telling my brother I'll report him if he doesn't start treating his dog better?'

A woman's growing concern over the welfare of her younger brother's dog put her at odds with him and their family. 

The original poster (OP), under the username JustACuteSwedish, took to Reddit's popular "AITAH" forum to ask if she was wrong for saying that she would report her brother for animal abuse if he doesn't start treating his dog better. 

A sister's growing concern over her brother's mistreatment of his dog

The woman began, "So, I (32F) got into a massive fight with my younger brother (let’s call him Jake) over how he treats his German Shepherd, and now my whole family is acting like I’m the bad guy."

"Jake has always had a temper, but ever since he got this dog a year ago, it’s gotten worse. The dog is absolutely beautiful and super smart, but you wouldn’t know it bc he’s literally terrified of Jake. Every time I visit, he’s curled up in a corner, shaking," the OP explained, describing her frustration with her brother's violent behavior toward his German Shepherd.

The dog was often seen in a state of fear, a clear sign of mistreatment or neglect. 

"If he moves the wrong way, Jake immediately starts yelling at him, and if the dog doesn’t follow a command fast enough, he hits him. I’ve seen him slap the dog, yank him so hard by the collar that he chokes, and even jump on him to 'show him who’s boss,'" the woman further wrote. 

Brother's mistreatment of his dog escalates despite sister's desperate pleas

The woman went on to mention that she's "tried talking to Jake about it so many times. Told him he needs to be patient, that he should rehome the dog if he can’t treat him right."

She even offered a solution, hoping to change her brother’s ways as "he has no idea what he’s doing." "But every time, he just brushes me off like I’m being dramatic. Says the dog is 'fine' and I should 'mind my own business,'" the OP wrote. 

The final straw came during another visit when Jake snapped. "The dog was literally just lying down, minding his own business," the sister recounted. Jake suddenly yelled at the dog to get up, and when the dog hesitated for even half a second, "Jake completely lost it." Without hesitation, he "ran up and kicked the dog, hard."

Despite her best efforts, the situation only grew worse.

That’s when the sister’s anger erupted. "I saw red," she admitted. She couldn't bear to watch the innocent animal suffer any longer, and she shouted at her brother to stop.

"I screamed at him to stop and told him that if he doesn’t start treating the dog right, I’m reporting his a**. No warnings, no second chances. He laughed in my face and told me to 'stay out of his life' and that I was being ridiculous over a dog. I told him I wasn’t joking and if he thinks he can just keep abusing the dog, he’s dead wrong," the OP penned. 

Family thinks woman is 'overstepping' by telling her brother to treat his dog properly

In the aftermath of the confrontation, things didn’t go as the sister hoped. Her mother sided with Jake, saying that she was "escalating things" and reminding her that "it’s his dog, not mine." But the sister wasn’t swayed by her mother’s position. "I told her idc, abuse is abuse, and if they don’t do something, I will," she firmly stated.

Now, with the entire family upset, the sister is left questioning whether she was in the wrong. "My whole family is pi**ed at me, saying I’m overstepping and making a huge deal out of nothing," she wrote. 

But for her, the situation is clear: "I love my brother, but I refuse to sit there and watch him treat an innocent animal like this." 

Redditors advise woman to stand her ground and report her brother for animal abuse if needed

The Reddit community rallied behind the woman for wanting her brother to treat his dog with dignity. 

One wrote, "F**k that. Your brother is horrible and that dog deserves better," to which the OP replied, "Exactly! I just don’t get how anyone can treat an innocent animal like that. Do you think reporting him will actually help, or should I try to get the dog away some other way?"

Someone else noted, "NTA!! Report your AH brother and make sure he never gets a pet anymore!" and the OP said, "That’s exactly what I’m thinking! Do you know if there’s a way to make sure he’s banned from owning pets in the future? I don’t trust him with any animal after this." 

"NTA. Document his behavior toward the dog and report him to the appropriate local authority. Unfortunately they may not be in a position to remedy the situation. That said, at least you will have done everything you could. Your brother should not be allowed to own a pet," an individual suggested, to which the OP wrote, "Thank you for the support. I’ve already started documenting everything, and I’m definitely going through with reporting him. That poor dog deserves so much better."

Another observed, "Nope. Report that f**ker right now!!! Nothing a dog does merits being abused, kicked, screamed at and terrorized. I'm serious. Call animal control or the SPCA now!ETA: Film him interacting with the dog. That's the kind of evidence animal control and the SPCA need to remove the dog. Many states will ban an abusive animal owner from owning an animal again, and if they do they get prosecuted in criminal court. NY State is like that."

"NTA at all. Your brother is straight-up abusing that dog, and your family siding with him is wild. Like, sorry, but 'his dog, his rules' doesn’t apply when the 'rule' is kicking an innocent animal. If he did that to a kid, would they still be acting like you’re the problem?? You’re not overstepping; you’re stepping in where literally nobody else will. That poor dog deserves better, and if reporting him is the only way to make it happen, then yeah, do it. Someone has to care, and clearly, it’s not Jake or your family. Stand your ground." 

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