It’s one thing to make a hard decision when no one understands. It’s another to live with the weight of it while your own family piles on guilt.

What would you do if your dog started attacking other animals, and your family told you to just keep him muzzled and locked away? Would you risk another incident? Or would you do what’s best, even if that means giving him up?

In today’s story, one responsible dog owner finds herself in this very situation and opts for the latter. Here’s the full scoop.

AITA for rehoming my aggressive dog after my family insisted I keep him?

I (28F) adopted a rescue dog, Max, a 3-year-old pit mix, about a year ago. He was sweet at first, but over time, he developed severe aggression—growling, snapping, and even biting me and my roommate.

I worked with trainers, behaviorists, and vets, spending thousands on his rehabilitation, but nothing helped.

The final straw was when he attacked my neighbor’s small dog unprovoked, leaving it with serious injuries. Thankfully, the neighbor was understanding, but it could’ve been so much worse.

She did all she could and was forced to make a tough decision.

The behaviorist told me Max likely had trauma from his past and wasn’t safe to be around other animals or strangers. They suggested rehoming him to a specialized, no-pets household or considering behavioral euthanasia if no safe home could be found.

I was devastated—I loved Max and wanted to give him a good life—but I knew I couldn’t risk another incident.

After months of searching, I found a reputable rescue that works with aggressive dogs and agreed to take him.

When I told my family, they were furious.

Now, her family is upset and thinks she did the wrong thing.

My brother and mom accused me of “abandoning” Max and said I should’ve tried harder. They insisted I keep him muzzled or isolated, but that felt cruel—Max deserved more than a life locked away.

My brother even offered to take him, but he has young kids, and I refused to put them in danger.

Now my family says I betrayed Max and took the “easy way out” instead of “fixing” him. Some friends agree, saying I should’ve given him more time.

I feel horrible, but I truly believe this was the safest option for everyone, including Max. Still, their guilt trips are eating at me.

AITA?

Wow! It’s easy to see both sides of this, but an aggressive dog is a liability.

Let’s see what advice the fine folks over at Reddit have to offer about this situation.

This reader has a good point.

Here’s someone who worries that a child could be next and goes to the extreme.

As this comment explains, the family wasn’t the one living it.

For this person, she did the right thing.

That was the best option. Unfortunately, she did all she could, and it wasn’t enough, so it’s best to have professionals take over.

If you liked that post, check this one about a guy who got revenge on his condo by making his own Christmas light rules.