I have been friends with this guy for about four years and we usually get along great but something happened last week that is really testing my patience. I recently bought a brand new light gray sectional for my apartment and it cost me a significant chunk of my savings so I have been extremely careful with it. Last Friday my friend asked if he could swing by to drop off a book and hang out for a bit. I said sure but I did not expect him to bring his dog along without even asking me first. It is a medium sized terrier mix that is usually okay but he is definitely not what I would call perfectly house trained. When they arrived I was a bit surprised to see the dog but I did not want to be a jerk right away so I just asked him to keep an eye on it while we were in the kitchen making coffee.
Literally five minutes into the visit I hear this scratching sound and look over to see the dog lifting its leg right against the corner of my new sofa. I was absolutely floored and I yelled for the dog to stop but the damage was already done. There is now a noticeable stain and the smell is lingering despite me trying to scrub it out with some basic household cleaner immediately. When I told my friend he needed to cover the cost of a professional steam cleaning he just laughed it off and said that I was overreacting over a tiny mistake. He kept saying it is just an animal and that accidents happen and that because we are close friends I should not be making a big deal out of it. He even suggested that I just flip the cushion or use some Febreze and call it a day.
The thing is I do not think I should have to live with a pee stained couch just because he was too lazy to ask if he could bring his pet over. I checked a few local cleaning services and it is going to be around two hundred bucks to get it done properly because of the fabric type. I sent him the quote and he basically told me that if I am going to be that petty about money then maybe we should not hang out for a while. Now I am starting to feel like a bit of a jerk because some of our mutual friends think I am being too stiff about a piece of furniture but on the other hand it is my property and my money. Am I really the asshole for expecting him to take responsibility for the damage his dog caused in my home?