Money Moral Dilemma: Should my mother-in-law pay to clean up after her dog?

Torry_Quine

If that were me I would have been mortified and asked for s cloth etc right away to clean up. Did it really need professional cleaners?

april89

If it were my dog I'd be mortified but it would be unusual that it couldn't be cleaned up sufficiently at the time. If I couldn't then I'd offer more but I'd certainly feel affronted if I'd cleaned it to my standard (at least as clean as I found it) with no further word at the time and then was suddenly sprung with the bill for a professional cleaner! 

oldfolkie

No question about it for me. Every pet owner should clean up properly after their animal, regardless of the location.

onylon

+1 for following your partner's lead. I'm sure the cleaning will cost you less than a row with your nearest and dearest. I wouldn't be letting the dog back into my house any time soon though.

I didn't let my own (clean and well mannered) dog into the lounge for weeks after we got her. I haven't let her into my in-laws house at all in case she does something to upset my houseproud MIL. If there is any question about the dogs housetraining then it shouldn't be allowed on someone else's new carpets IMO. I hope your in-laws were very apologetic.

Sparky6_9

If a guest knocked over a glass of red wine or tea on the carpet would you ask them to pay for it to be cleaned? If it is a one off then just make her aware that you had to pay to have the carpet cleaned and that you don't expect the dog to do it again. Probably best that the dog is kept somewhere safe where it cannot cause any damage or if that's not possible left at home when she visits.

tain

[COMMENT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

What an awful attitude to have against someone who is financially out of pocket through no fault of their own. 

tain

Marcon said:

MSE_Kelvin said:

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

My mother-in-law came over with her new dog, which proceeded to defecate all over our carpet. We have called in professional carpet cleaners to get it sorted - but should we ask for some money towards the bill?

Really? What's the dog - a Great Dane with diarrhoea? Sounds a huge over-reaction; why didn't someone shove the dog outside once it became obvious what it had in mind?

Get your spouse to deal with the question of payment - it's their mother, not yours.

So you give an example of where the dog faeces could be a serious issue, then you assume that it 100% isn't the case and the OP simply must be being unreasonable. 

What a weird position to take based on no information to support your assumption. 

elsien

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And the award for a completely over the top response goes to...........

tain

Loads of variables here, so difficult to pinpoint the direct call to action applicable.

But, given the OP went to the trouble of posing it as a MMD in the first place, we have to assume that a) the mess was significant; b) cleaning it themselves wasn't successful; c) no offer of payment was already made by the mother in law; d) that the mother in law can afford to pay for the cleaning. 

In that instance, yeah - I'd ask for a contribution of payment, even if a token amount. 

Saying that, I wouldn't dream of asking for payment if my mother in law had got down and tried to clean the carpet, or even if she was very clearly sorry and upset at what her dog had done. Their attitude would be what is important. 

tain

Also not buying this 'she isn't your mother' attitude. Ridiculous. Everyone is an adult, your husband/wife doesn't own their parents and aren't responsible for their actions (or inactions, as the case may be). I'd be thoroughly embarrassed if my wife had to manage every difficult conversation with her family because I couldn't be an adult about it.