My partners dog got much healthier after leaving in laws
So my partner lived with his parents while saving money to move and it was very stressful. Took a huge toll on the relationship, on my mental health, on everything and we went through a few rough patches over it. He has a dog who was used as 'bait' a lot. One minute he's their baby and they love him, next minute they're screaming at him. We'd be watching tv and they're actually training this dog to not like me (admire the effort but it didnt work), just yelling at him if he looks at me or sits with me. But then he's their baby again once he sits with them and it was like that for years. There's so many things they did to me in particular that weren't OK but thats a different story. the dog was manipulation but most landlords dont take pets so thats how they got my partner. (Essentially he cant leave because landlords dont take dogs usually and if he tries dog goes to the pound, so they've got him stuck now)
One day a while back my partner come back from work and somethings happened because he's ended up on my doorstep, no clean clothes, shaking, red marks on his arms. I don't know what's happened but he says they've threatened the dog as well, put hands on him, he cant even get a change of clothes, its a whole thing. In the week he was with me, he wasnt allowed back to even get clothes or the dog, totally locked out, dog locked in. I made anonymous reports to see if we could get anyone to either check dog is still there or speak to parents that a neighbour rang in about them but i was told unless i know dog wasnt there they wont follow up and no one will follow up my reports. They threatened that they would ruin my partners career by making allegations if he did anything so it had to be anonymous and they have access to kids as well.
My partner got a landlord to let him and dog stay and he moved and we went to go and finally get dog back. They unlocked the door and left us with half a bag of food and 1 treat. Not a bag, 1 singular treat. I'm being careful and saying where's the rest of it. He just says they 'lost' dog ball and claimed the blanket as theirs so we'd be stealing to take it. I just picked up the food bowls, bed and the treat and we move. I was fuming but I've already cut them off and said no more they dont like me, I will go out if they come over when im there, it works for everyone. Its his dog, his family and his house so i bit my tongue and said it'll be fine but he's not happy either because he just cried in the driveway. It's been a few weeks and everyones happy and settled now and I went with them to the vet for a check up. The vet says dog is doing amazing and no problems here, and I said 'oh I think you were a bit nervous because he's just moved house and, being careful with my words, we didnt get anything he liked, you were nervous he'd be showing signs of stress, did you want to ask before we leave?'
The vet sat us down and asks how he was settling in and was he sad and my partner then nearly cried saying he was nervous dog would be stressed and was questioning if it was the right thing. He revealed that his mother is messaging every day asking for dog back and refusing to come over because she will just take the dog or squat there if she does essentially. Dog likes people but he's now fine once they leave but the mother will not visit them because he took the dog (this is legally his dog and the same they used against us btw). She's putting a lot of pressure on him emotionally to move dog back and I think it's taking a toll on my partner because he just wants to do right by his dog, who isnt a puppy anymore and wants him to be happy. They go for more walks now and have more exciting places to go, even friends with dogs nearby to visit, its a nicer calmer vibe i think for both of them.
The vet said bluntly actually he's doing way better than last time. I cannot say i see many happier dogs, he's doing amazing and you did the right thing. He sees you as home and his new toys as his. He's very calm and settled. You dont have a dog problem, you have a mother problem because if she hasnt come over, he wont know her anymore now (he's not the brightest button). I have to be careful but she just openly said the truth, the issue was the mother and he's now basically in his prime again now he's left. I did my best shocked face because i saw the difference to but I'm also fuming that she's still causing them grief, she kicked them out, she threatened the dog, they put hands on my partner, this was their choice.
I cannot believe that these people caused so much grief to all of us, to the point that the dog was struggling and they are still manipulating my partner into trying to take him back into it. If it was up to me, they wouldn't even know the address of that house they live in, I'm so angry that this went on for a decade and within a month of getting out its like a switch has flicked. It's got me so angry because the damage was done to our relationship and most of their other kids relationships to the point we weren't even officially together anymore when he moved out but to put the innocent dog through that as well and I'm not 100% convinced they dont manipulate the kids as well. I'm just so angry and I'm angry no one listened to my reports either because they have access to very young children. I love the vibe now and that its calm, i'm not involved with them, we're all happier, but knowing this is still in the background, it feels horrible. It makes me feel like they'll drive up any second and bang on the door (he hasnt given anyone else a key so it would be ok).
They know sometimes I stay with dog if my partners working late and they hate that. All the toys are ones we picked out, and they apparently made comments like 'once she gets here the place will look different i bet' which I know well enough wasnt in a good way. It gets me on edge that they'll just show up, they're nuts enough.