I Broke Up With My Boyfriend After He Lost My Dog—Was I Wrong?

For a lot of pet owners, dogs are like part of the family. If it comes down to picking between a loyal dog and a romantic partner, many people would understandably choose the pet—especially if they’ve been together for years. But it raises an interesting question: is it really wrong to pick a dog that always brings you happiness over someone you just met who has already messed up your trust? One woman shared her story about this on Reddit, and she definitely has her thoughts on it.

A woman shared on Reddit her troubling experiences with her ex-boyfriend regarding her 12-year-old dog.

She wrote:

“Me (24F) and my boyfriend (24M) have been together for almost 4 years. We get along okay, for the most part, things like him losing something of mine HAVE happened, but never to this level.

I have had my dog, Milo (12F) for her whole life, we grew up together, and it’s really hard for her to get to trust other people. She has always been an anxious girl, but she is the light of my life and was always by my side even on my worst days.”

She explained that he would get angry whenever she mentioned her furbaby, despite claiming to love dogs.

“3 years ago, I introduced my boyfriend to my family, which is just my mom and Milo. He and my mom got along okay, but he did not acknowledge Milo in any way, which is fine, I did not expect him to be all over her, considering she does not like that. But I still found it pretty strange because he said he absolutely LOVED dogs and to be honest, I believed that because he would always pet dogs when we were outside.

Any interaction for the past 3 years with her was limited, but Milo warmed up to him, she would greet him, go to him for pets (which he sometimes gave), and accept him on our daily walks. 1.5 years ago Milo got sick, she had a tooth infection that was pretty bad, and her whole right eye was swollen shut. I asked my boyfriend to take us to the vet because I don’t have a car.

The vet took care of the infection and gave me some antibiotics to give her every day and instructions to clean the wound that was left after the vet cleaned the pus. For a couple of weeks I did not hang out that much with my boyfriend, I took care of Milo because she was not feeling great. One thing that stood out to me was the fact that he seemed pretty pissed every time I brought her up, talking about her progress. Looking back, that should have raised some red flags, but I guess I brushed it off.”

When she went on vacation, he offered to care for her dog but ended up neglecting it, resulting in its loss.

“Now that I gave you the short version of the past, this is what’s happening in the present: I planned with my mom to go on a short vacation, to visit my grandparents. I was talking to my boyfriend about this trip and told him who would take care of Milo, my best friend, Alex (23M). My boyfriend then offered to take care of her. He was mad that I did not come first to him, stating that he loves Milo and wants to go on walks with her, I reluctantly agreed, considering this ’love’ for her was out of the blue.

The trip was supposed to last 3 days. On day 2, I was talking with my boyfriend on the phone, and he casually said that Milo really likes to stay outside. For me, this felt off, and I asked him what he meant. HE LEFT MY SWEET GIRL OUTSIDE, HOURS AT A TIME, ALONE, AND WOULD CHECK UP ON HER HOURLY!!! Mind you, I live in an apartment and I don’t have a backyard.

My mom and I left as soon as I told her. We arrived home at around 9 PM. Since then, I blocked my boyfriend on everything and have been searching for my girl. I have printed posters, went out every day for hours, and put her on Facebook groups around my area (if you have any advice on something more I could do, please let me know).”

Many commenters supported her decision to prioritize her dog over her ex, whom they deemed neglectful.

• “Your boyfriend’s negligence led to your dog’s disappearance, and his lack of care for Milo over the years clearly shows where his priorities lie. Breaking up was justified. Keep searching for Milo, involve local shelters, vets, and social media for broader reach.” @veelvetyheart / Reddit

• “I get this feeling that there is jealousy going on. Also, halfway through reading this post, I started wondering if maybe he intentionally lost your dog. I don’t know, something just feels off.” @The_Glam_Reaper / Reddit

• “Your ex insisted on watching Milo SPECIFICALLY so he could ’lose’ him. You’re leaving town for a few days, and suddenly he loves Milo enough to dog sit? He saw an opportunity and took it.
  Because obviously, if the dog is gone, all your love and attention will go to your boyfriend, right? That’s what he was hoping for. Your ex is a psycho. Keep him blocked.” @Zestyclose_Singer180 / Reddit

• “Your boyfriend sounds like a narcissistic control freak. He even taunted you by saying Milo ’liked being outside.’ He knew how worried you’d be. He absolutely did it on purpose.
  I’m guessing it’s his attempt to exert some control over you because he’s jealous of your innocent dog! Animal neglect is unforgivable.” @flumpamoo / Reddit

• “If it was a true accident, I think that could be forgivable. But this was neglect after [your] bf literally competed with Milo in your relationship. It could have even been intentional.
  Yes, you missed the red flags. I hope you find your dear Milo. Don’t think twice about your ex.” @Becalmandkind / Reddit

When she asked her ex-boyfriend for the truth, he said he would only share it if she agreed to reunite, but she refused.

“My ex came today to get his stuff, and some of you might be happy for what you are about to read, but he did not get a single thing back.

When he saw me he started begging me to forgive him, and, thanks to you again, I agreed to forgive him if he told me the truth. He just looked me straight in the face and said ’If I’m going to be honest, you won’t forgive me.’ My heart broke all over again, thinking about the worst of things. When he saw me cry, he told me I should get over it because she was already old, but if I really wanted her back, I should get back with him, and when he trusts me that I really forgave him, I could see her again.

I was exhausted, hopeless and angered, and even though I wanted my girl back, I could not look at him, let alone be with him for however long he thought it took me to forgive him. So he left, not telling me a single thing about Milo.”

The woman revealed that she had found her dog, but it had two broken ribs.

“I got a call some hours later and on the other end was a lady who found Milo on the side of the road. She told me she would wait for me to come, because when she wanted to pick her up she seemed to be in pain.

When I got here and saw her, lying there, all my emotions flooded me. My sweet baby, even though she looked so different, was alive. She is now staying overnight at the vet, she has two broken ribs and is dehydrated.”

She has pressed charges against her ex-boyfriend, believes she has a strong chance of winning, and said her dog is recovering.

“I appreciate each and every one of you that took the time to guide me in this nightmare. Thank you again.

My baby is alive and will be home soon, I am pressing charges.”

At the end of the day, the woman made the best decision by choosing her dog over her boyfriend, who had clearly lied to her. Additionally, her boyfriend neglected her dog, which led to an accident. This situation demonstrates that she was in the wrong relationship. The key takeaway from her experience is that it’s important to choose a partner who will not only accept you for who you are but also care for the things and beings you love, including your pets.