This column originally ran in 2019
DEAR ABBY: Have people now decided they cannot travel without their dogs?
My sister and her husband take an annual trip to visit my parents, who live six hours from my family. Because they pass near our town, they stop and visit with us, too. I love seeing my sister, but they bring their large dog and expect us to keep our Siamese cat locked up while they’re here. (Our kitty is terrified of dogs.) They tend to stay at least four or five days, during which time we must keep our cat in our bedroom with his litter box and food.
Their dog is sweet, but he makes a big mess when he eats, and they don’t scoop his poop until the end of their visit. Once they’re gone, I vacuum up dog hair for weeks.
Any questions I ask — “Could you wipe up ‘Rover’s’ dinner?” — are met with either “In a minute” (never) or “He’s such a messy eater. Ha ha!” When I tried to be frank about the problem of having to lock our cat up and the kibble all over the floor, my sister got upset and told our parents we were “anti-dog people” who didn’t appreciate their efforts to visit family.
Any suggestions on how to deal with these visits? I don’t want to cause a family feud over a five-day visit every year, but I’m beginning to dread them coming. — OVER IT BIG TIME
DEAR OVER IT: If you haven’t told your parents what you have written to me, you should because they should hear your side of this. Perhaps they can get through to your nervy sister that what she’s doing is rude, inconsiderate and an imposition. Then tell your sister you would love to see her, but if she’s bringing Rover with her, you can accommodate her for ONE night, not five — and repeat the rules she must follow while she’s there.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
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