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Everyone knows that living with a roommate can be tough. Unless you’re perfectly compatible, it can sometimes be more trouble than it’s worth. Sure, it’s a good way to save money on housing, but it may be at the cost of your sanity.

There’s no shortage of bad roommate tales out there, and one Reddit user turned to the internet to ask if she should have taken responsibility for an incident that happened with her roommate’s pet.

A woman is wondering if she is in the wrong for refusing to pay the vet bill after her roommate’s dog ate her food.

A woman posted on Reddit recently asking for advice on a tough situation with her roommate, Evan, and his dog. She explained that she gets along pretty well with Evan, and the two have been living together for about a year. The woman does most of the cooking and is usually careful to label her own food and keep it in the fridge, since Evan’s dog has a history of getting into food that is left out.

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One night, she made a large pot of chicken alfredo and left it unattended to cool on the counter for about fifteen minutes. When she returned to check on it, she discovered that the dog had pulled the pot onto the floor and eaten all of it. 

The pasta sauce contained a significant amount of garlic, which can be toxic for dogs, so the roommate immediately rushed the dog to the emergency vet. The dog turned out to be fine the next day, but Evan believed that the woman was the one at fault.

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The roommate insisted that she should pay for at least half of the $700 vet bill.

The woman said, “I told him I was sorry Milo got sick, but it wasn’t my fault that his dog got into something left on the counter.” The dog has been known to jump up and take food from the counter, and she has asked Evan repeatedly to keep the dog out of the kitchen.

However, Evan thinks that she was “careless for leaving food unattended.” The woman stood her ground and responded, “Normal adults don’t expect to have to guard their dinner like it’s treasure, and it’s not my responsibility to baby-proof the apartment against his dog.”

There is now tension between the woman and her roommate, and she feels a bit guilty because she cares for the dog and feels bad about the situation. She’s now wondering if helping pay for the vet bill would’ve been the best option to stop the roommate’s passive-aggressive comments and the negative vibe in their apartment.

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Commenters think that the woman shouldn’t have to pay anything and that the roommate should control his dog better.

Many said she’s not in the wrong at all, and that the responsibility is on Evan as the dog’s owner. They suggested that he should train the dog better or get a baby gate to keep him contained in Evan’s room. One user said, “There are no bad dogs, just bad owners. Milo hasn’t been taught not to steal food, that’s on Evan, not [original poster].”

Julia Kostiuchenko | Shutterstock

Others joked that Evan should be offering to replace the food his dog ate. Another user wrote, “Evan should buy you dinner and control his dog.” The Wounded Paw Project, a non-profit that matches dogs and wounded veterans, would likely agree. They wrote, “Responsible dog ownership means always being vigilant about your pet’s safety and taking proactive steps to protect them from potential dangers, whether at home, in public spaces, or during various activities.” 

Evan is the dog owner. It’s Evan’s responsibility to keep his dog safe. According to the American Kennel Club, part of that responsibility is setting house rules with your dog. They wrote, “Teach your dog from the beginning what is and is not appropriate behavior.” Really, it’s as simple as that, and if Evan can’t take these basic steps when it comes to being a responsible dog owner, then he shouldn’t own a dog, and he certainly shouldn’t have a roommate.

When you share a living space with another person, there’s a certain level of respect and responsibility that is necessary, especially in shared spaces like a kitchen. It’s important to communicate consistently and set ground rules. If a pet is involved, the owner should ensure that they keep a close eye on it and that it doesn’t affect the other person’s belongings or activities. 

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Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.