My Mom Sent Me a Photo of My Dogs on the Front Porch — Is My Reaction Justified?

I’ve been married to my husband for three years. Before we got married, I had my two beloved dogs, Max and Bella. They are like my children, and I thought my husband felt the same way about them. We never had any issues concerning their care, and he always seemed fond of them.

Last month, I had a two-week work trip coming up. My husband agreed to take care of Max and Bella and assured me he’d handle everything. I felt relieved and confident leaving my dogs in his care.

On the day I left, I said my goodbyes, giving my husband and my dogs one last hug before hopping into a taxi. I arrived at my destination and settled into my hotel room, ready to focus on work. However, my phone buzzed with a message from my mom, asking if something had happened to my dogs. Confused, I quickly replied, asking what she meant.

She explained that she had gone by our house to drop off some things and saw Max and Bella tied up on the front porch. My heart sank. I was shocked and immediately asked her to send me a picture.

A moment later, the photo came through. There they were—Max and Bella, looking miserable and confused, tied to the front porch railing. My blood boiled. How could he do this to them? I felt betrayed and furious. Without a second thought, I called my mom and asked her to untie the dogs and take them with her. She agreed and promised to look after them until I got back.

I managed to get an early flight home, my mind racing with anger and disbelief. How could my husband, who promised to take care of them, abandon them like this? I rehearsed what I would say, but when I arrived home, I decided to act normal and see how he would react.

I walked into the house, trying to keep my composure. When my husband saw me, his face turned pale. He stammered, “Why are you back so early?”

I ignored his question and went straight to the point. “Where are Max and Bella?” I asked, my voice steady but cold.

His eyes darted nervously. “Oh, they’re in the backyard. I just took them out for a bit.”

“Really?” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Because my mom just sent me this photo of them tied up on the porch. Care to explain?”

He gulped, his face flushing with guilt. “I…I was just trying to train them to stay outside more. I thought it would be good for them.”

“Good for them?” I nearly shouted. “Leaving them tied up outside is not training. It’s neglect!”

He stammered, “I didn’t think it was a big deal. I…I’m sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t good enough,” I snapped. “You knew how much they mean to me, and you promised to take care of them. You broke that promise.”

There was a long, tense silence. My husband looked down, unable to meet my eyes.

“I’ll be staying at my mom’s for a while,” I finally said. “I need time to think about this and what it means for us.”

I packed a bag and left. My mom greeted me with open arms, and Max and Bella, happy and safe, wagged their tails excitedly.

As I lay in bed that night, I replayed the events in my mind. My reaction was justified. My dogs were my family, and he had let them down. He had let me down. Trust, once broken, is hard to rebuild. Whether or not our relationship could recover from this breach was something only time would tell.