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Making friends with coworkers can make a new job feel a whole lot more welcoming.

This employee thought she’d found exactly that after spending time outside of work with a coworker she was starting to trust.

But after that coworker met her rescue dog, she became convinced that this woman had mistreated him and started spreading accusations all around work.

At first, she tried to stay calm and talk things out before the rumors could go any further.

However, when that didn’t work, she decided to take the situation to HR.

Read on to see what happened next.

AITA for involving management?

I started a new job about 5 months ago and have steadily been making new friends with coworkers.

One coworker in particular, let’s call her Amy, I was getting especially close to. I had her over to hang out, and things seemed to go well. At least that’s what I thought until I went back to work a few days later and noticed I was getting looks from coworkers.

I let it slide at first, but after half the day had gone by, I couldn’t deal with the looks anymore and noticed people were avoiding me.

She was shocked when her coworker told her the problem.

So I asked another coworker I was close to if she knew what was going on, and what she told me still has me shocked.

So when Amy came over, we spent a lot of time with my dog because he’s basically attached to my hip. I’ve had him for over 7 years now, and he’s like my little shadow.

He was abused for the entire first year of his life before he was rescued, and I adopted him. He has some scars from the abuse, and he’s just generally a nervous dog. He’s the type of dog that flinches if you raise your hand too fast, but I love him and always reassure him when he has anxiety and is afraid.

Amy was spreading lies about her.

Well, Amy noticed my dog’s scars and behavior and decided I was lying about his past and that I abused my dog and made him this way. She then proceeded to tell multiple coworkers that I’m an animal abuser.

I was livid but decided to try and educate Amy anyway. I stopped her on break and asked to have a discussion. She begrudgingly agreed.

I told her I knew what she had told people, that it wasn’t true, and that it hurt me because I thought we were friends. She basically told me she doesn’t believe me and that she can’t be friends with someone who abuses poor animals.

When Amy wouldn’t stop, she went to HR.

I told her she could believe what she wanted, but I would not have slanderous accusations like that thrown around at work. I’m working toward getting a promotion, and it’s just not professional on top of it.

I warned her I would take it to HR. Well, she didn’t stop, and I went to HR.

Most people are on my side, but some have said I overreacted and have to realize animals are Amy’s passion and she gets upset.

AITA?

Wow! That situation sounds pretty stressful.

Let’s see how the fine folks over at Reddit feel about it.

According to this person, Amy was doing it on purpose.

Exactly!

It is a valuable lesson.

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This is true.

This whole thing is just weird.

If Amy truly believed that dog was being mistreated, why wouldn’t she call animal control or the police? Why would she go around telling people at work instead?

That makes it seem like she was more interested in hurting this employee’s reputation than helping the dog.

In this case, no one should be blaming her for going to HR. Amy’s behavior was way out of line.