Friends Dog Damaged My Furniture: Should I Refuse to Pet Sit?

A 28-year-old woman refused to pay for the damage her dog did to her friend’s brand-new sofa, and now she’s back asking for a second round of pet sitting. The whole thing started as a sweet, low-stakes favor between long-time friends, Sarah and OP, who both have dogs and have helped each other before.

OP had just bought a new couch that she loves, the centerpiece of her living room. She did the responsible thing, dog-proofed the house, and removed anything Max might chew. Still, when Sarah came home, she found deep bite marks on the wooden legs, and Sarah basically blamed OP for not being “vigilant enough,” even though Max is a known chewer.

Now OP is deciding whether to say no to Sarah’s next trip, because one ruined sofa might be bad luck, but two starts to look like a pattern, and the furniture is not the only thing at stake.

Original Post

So I'm (29F) and my friend, let's call her Sarah (28F), have been close for years. We both have dogs and occasionally help each other out with pet sitting when needed.

Quick context: I recently bought a new sofa that I absolutely love - it's the centerpiece of my living room. Sarah asked me to watch her dog, Max, while she went on a weekend trip.

I agreed since we've helped each other before. Now, Max is known to be a chewer.

I made sure to dog-proof my house, removing any tempting items, and I thought I'd covered all bases. When Sarah returned, I noticed deep bite marks all over the wooden legs of my new sofa.

I was devastated. Sarah apologized, saying she didn't think Max would chew furniture since he's usually well-behaved.

I confronted her about paying for the damages, but she refused, stating that it was an accident and I should have been more vigilant. I felt hurt and frustrated because I took proper precautions, and it was her dog's behavior that caused the damage.

Now, Sarah is asking me to watch Max again next month for a longer trip she's planning. I'm torn between helping out a friend and risking more damage to my belongings.

Part of me wants to stand my ground and say no, given the previous incident. So, Reddit, WIBTA for refusing to share pet sitting duties with Sarah after her dog chewed up my furniture?

I honestly don't know if I'm wrong here. Really need outside perspective.

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For another “dog-sitting broke something” dilemma, see how a neighbor argued about a broken vase cost after dog-sitting mishap.

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OP’s dog-proofing plan felt solid until Max tore up the wooden legs of that new sofa, and the favor immediately turned into a fight.

Sarah apologized after the first incident, but refusing to pay for the damage is what really makes OP question the next pet-sitting request.

Max’s reputation as a chewer was already on the table, so OP is stuck wondering why Sarah acted surprised when the same behavior showed up again.

With Sarah asking for a longer trip next month, OP has to decide if “helping a friend” is worth risking another round of furniture damage.

What do you think about this situation? Let us know in the comments.

Nobody wants to pet-sit for someone else’s chewer and then be told they should have prevented it.

Wondering if you should split grooming costs after Sarah’s dog ruined your new couch? Read this AITA. Roommates Dog Ruined My Couch, Now She Wants Me to Split Grooming Costs