I think we can call agree that for most people with pets (especially pets with special needs), those animals are just as much a part of their family as the humans in their life.

The words “dog mom” “cat lady” and all sorts of other terms exist for a reason, and you’d be hard pressed to convince any of those folks that their animal companions shouldn’t be treated just as precious as anybody else in their clan.

Today we read the story of a woman who took on a parrot with a lot of issues and the stepdaughter who demanded that she drop everything to come help her.

AITA for prioritising my parrot over my stepdaughter’s wedding?

So I’m the owner of a wonderful rescued macaw. She is a wonderful bird but has a lot of issues due to an abusive former home.

I’ve had her for 3 years and since then haven’t taken any vacations or trips away as it would be too disruptive for her. She distrusts everyone and is very reliant on her routine. I love her deeply and I’m happy to make sacrifices for her. They are permanent toddlers and very intelligent birds.

Macaws are beautiful animals and they can live for 30-45 years, so making sure they’re comfortable is important for sure.

Enter her new family and the issue at hand…

I met my husband by the time his kids were older, my stepdaughter was 16 at the time. We married when she moved away for college. Nevertheless I thought we’d managed to have a decent relationship, until now… my stepdaughter is getting married in March, and naturally there’s a lot of preparation involved. They’re wanting a huge traditional wedding and she is stressed out of her mind.

Sidebar… why do weddings always have to be such stressful events? We spend so much money for such a short event. Sure, they’re important life markers, but maybe we could spend more time thinking of a smaller gathering with less stress? Perhaps?

Anyway, when people are stressed they usually like to try and transfer some of that stress to others… and wouldn’t you know that’s exactly what happened.

They live out of state, and she invited me recently to come visit her for a week to help make wedding plans and spend time with their 2yo. I declined and she insisted to know why, acting very hurt, and I explained the parrot… Well jt all went downhill from there.

She caused a massive fuss with her dad, saying she never got a mother figure and I never accepted her as my full blood daughter and this is the ultimate snub for a silly animal. That I’m cold and emotionless.

Not cool stepdaughter! Not cool at all.

I feel really hurt and I can tell he agrees with her even though he’s refusing to take sides. But I don’t see why I should be expected to take holiday time off work to babysit and “bond” all of a sudden and I don’t see how I’m a monster for this.

AITA here?

Jeezus… sounds like this woman has married into a pretty emotionally manipulative family.

Still, what do others think?

They’re definitely not fully on her side, but they understand.

And normally they might think she’s in the wrong, but not this time…

Put this person is full “Team Macaw.”

And was the stepdaughter trying to get free babysitting? Hmmm…

I do hope this woman goes to the wedding and is able to make amends.

Having a family that is disconnected because of a situation like this can cause pain on all sides.