Man asks girl to leave part of lottery winnings to dog, which causes outrage

A woman received support online after she left her boyfriend after he demanded she give his dog $10,000 of her lottery winnings.

The 26-year-old woman, u/Happy_Philosophy_977, shared her dilemma after winning $50,000 on popular Reddit forum “Am I The A******?” (AITA)”, which has since garnered 6,400 upvotes and countless reactions.

Before her win, the couple shared a joke about splitting future lottery winnings three ways: between her, him, and Baxter, his dog. But once the joke became reality, the boy’s expectations became serious.

“Well now fast forward to the part where I actually win and my boyfriend immediately becomes very serious about me giving him ‘Baxter’s share of the money,’” the woman wrote in her post.

“He insists that I promised and that Baxter deserves $10,000 in a ‘dog trust fund’ for future vet bills, toys and ‘anything he needs.’ I told him that was ridiculous — Baxter is a dog and doesn’t need a trust fund.”

Her refusal sparked a heated argument. “Now my boyfriend calls me selfish and says I didn’t keep my word. He says it’s not about the dog, it’s about me not keeping my promises and that it shows I don’t take our relationship seriously.”

Even though she had already bought Baxter a few fancy toys and treats, her boyfriend ignored the gestures, saying they didn’t count toward the official $10,000. He even suggested she seek legal advice to set up a formal “dog fund.”

The woman expressed her disbelief in her post: “I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone.”

Finally, she took to Reddit to ask, “AITA for not giving my dog ​​a piece of my lottery winnings, even though I jokingly promised to? Is this all just ridiculous?”

Expert opinion

Rachel Marmor, a licensed mental health counselor from South Florida, spoke out about the situation Newsweek“The scenario certainly seems intense and confusing, but let’s unpack it with some clarity and insight,” she said.

“In relationships, even the jokes of jokes can have hidden emotional meaning, especially when those jokes involve promises, however casual they may seem. A woman’s partner may have seen her jokey promise to include Baxter as a symbol of unity or trust. In his eyes, her failure to follow through may have felt like a severance of an unspoken bond, rather than a literal disagreement over money for a pet.”

Marmor noted that the woman’s version of events is equally valid. Expecting someone to set up a $10,000 trust fund for a dog is unreasonable by many standards. It also signals a deeper disconnect in the couple’s view of commitments and priorities.

“Moving forward, she should allow herself to grieve the relationship but also recognize that the situation has revealed important truths about their compatibility.

“The fact that a misunderstanding over a joke can so dramatically damage a relationship suggests that even if they had stayed together, they might have faced greater challenges in terms of trust, communication and shared values,” she said.

Family law attorney Holly Davis of Austin, Texas-based Kirker Davis LLP said: Newsweek: “This lady has no obligation to share her income with her dog. There is no contract, there is no breach of contract, and she has every right to be concerned about her boyfriend’s behavior.”

Davis emphasized how money can reveal deeper issues in relationships: “Money changes things. It’s hard to see the real person in someone, but this guy’s obsession with his pet getting a cut of the lottery win that he would conveniently control is just a thinly veiled attempt to command a larger share of the income compared to his girlfriend.”

She also stressed the importance of financial compatibility in relationships and being on the same page about money issues, such as smaller things like grocery shopping or vacation budgets, in order to anticipate harmony when faced with larger financial issues.

Reddit Reactions

The Reddit community overwhelmingly rallied behind u/Happy_Philosophy_977, urging her to stand up for herself. One user, Character-Food-6574, commented, “Your boyfriend uses this to get 2/3 of your winnings I think. Tell him no!”

Another chimed in: “Please, please, don’t give your boyfriend a dime. Dump him and invest the money.”

A third user shared a warning: “Your mistake was telling your boyfriend you won.”

What happened next

In a follow-up post, u/Happy_Philosophy_977 shared the results of her conversation with her boyfriend, whose response only strengthened her decision to end the relationship.

“His response? He doubled down. He kept saying it wasn’t about the money (even though it clearly was) and that it was really about trust and me “breaking promises.” He even said that if I couldn’t keep that “promise” (again about the PSA), how could he trust me to keep my word on bigger things?”

Her post revealed that his constant defensiveness and accusations of broken trust led to her breaking up after two years of dating. “At that point I just couldn’t take it anymore. I told him that the whole situation was very concerning and after two years of being together I couldn’t believe he was behaving this way.”

Despite her attempts to explain, the relationship broke down in the bizarre argument. “Instead of considering what I had said, he got defensive and accused me of breaking my trust,” she explained.

Reddit praises her decision

The internet erupted in applause for her decision to leave her boyfriend. One user summed it up succinctly: “If she’s putting her trust fund for a dog before your relationship, that’s a serious red flag. Breaking up over this just shows you don’t want to waste your time on someone whose values ​​are so out of touch with reality. Trust your instincts—it’s not just about the dog.”

Newsweek We reached out to u/Happy_Philosophy_977 for comment via Reddit. We were unable to verify the details of the case.

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