March 18, 2026 at 9:21 pm

Brother Was Asked To Drive To His Sibling’s House Four Times Per Day To Take Care Of Their Dog And Cat, So He Slept On The Couch Instead, But His Sister In Law Lost Her Mind

by Heather Hall

Man sitting on the couch petting a Chow Chow

Pexels/Reddit

Helping family can sometimes come with expectations that are hard to understand.

So, what would you do if a relative asked you to care for their pets while they were away, but expected you to drive back and forth four times a day instead of simply staying at the house? Would you do it the way they want? Or would you stay at their house anyway?

In the following story, one man finds himself in this exact situation and decides to stay anyway. Here’s what’s going on.

AITAH for staying at my brothers house to dog/cat sit while he’s away with his family rather than 4 trips a day to his house (8 miles round trip)?

I’m staying at my brother’s house to dog/cat sit while he and his family are away.

Originally, they wanted me to stop in 4 times a day (5:30 am, 1:00 pm, 5 pm, and 9 pm), which is insane.

Now, his wife is losing her mind that I’m staying at their house (sleeping on the couch).

It’s not like he’s never stayed over before.

But I feel like leaving the dog and cat alone for 7 days and expecting me to go back and forth is not worth it.

It should be noted that I’ve stayed at their house plenty of times, babysitting their kids for weeks at a time while they were island hopping.

My SIL does struggle with mental health stuff, and she has OCD, but I leave the house exactly as I find it every time cause she flies off the handle if anything is out of place.

AITA?

Yikes! This whole situation sounds a little messed up.

Let’s check out what the folks over at Reddit think about the issue.

This person thinks they should find someone closer.

Dog Sitter 3 Brother Was Asked To Drive To His Siblings House Four Times Per Day To Take Care Of Their Dog And Cat, So He Slept On The Couch Instead, But His Sister In Law Lost Her Mind

Here’s a good point.

Dog Sitter 2 Brother Was Asked To Drive To His Siblings House Four Times Per Day To Take Care Of Their Dog And Cat, So He Slept On The Couch Instead, But His Sister In Law Lost Her Mind

Here’s how this reader would handle it.

Dog Sitter 1 Brother Was Asked To Drive To His Siblings House Four Times Per Day To Take Care Of Their Dog And Cat, So He Slept On The Couch Instead, But His Sister In Law Lost Her Mind

This reader is paying $50 per day and giving full access to their house.

Dog Sitter Brother Was Asked To Drive To His Siblings House Four Times Per Day To Take Care Of Their Dog And Cat, So He Slept On The Couch Instead, But His Sister In Law Lost Her Mind

It’s not like he’s a stranger.

The wife needs to calm down and just appreciate that he’s even doing it.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.

Heather Hall | Contributing Writer, Life & Drama

Heather Hall is a contributing writer for TwistedSifter specializing in internet culture, workplace conflict, and viral customer service stories. With over a decade of editorial experience in digital publishing, Heather excels at curating trending online discussions and providing insightful commentary on the daily dramas that capture the internet's attention.

Since beginning her career in 2011, she has developed deep expertise in SEO-driven digital content, having written for a wide array of publications covering lifestyle, business, and travel. At TwistedSifter, Heather focuses on synthesizing complex social media threads into engaging, highly readable narratives that highlight the human element of viral news.

When she isn’t analyzing the latest internet discourse, Heather is a dedicated mother of three sons who takes family gaming nights entirely too seriously—whether she is dominating in Mario Kart, exploring The Legend of Zelda, or jumping into Roblox.

Connect with Heather on Facebook and LinkedIn.