“Am I A Jerk For Not Letting My Nephew Bring His Service Dog To My Wedding?”

There are two things that you have to know about organizing weddings. First of all, there’s no such thing as ‘perfection,’ so don’t stress out about that and try to enjoy the process, no matter how chaotic things might get. And, secondly, it’s practically impossible to make all of your guests happy. At some point, you might have to make some tough decisions that far from every family member or friend will like.

Redditor u/bdkauchs, who is getting married in a few months to her fiancé, asked the AITA online community for their verdict on a spot of family drama. The bride-to-be is severely allergic to dogs and had to say ‘no’ to her nephew’s service animal showing up to the celebration of love. A decision that was quite controversial. Scroll down for her full story, and what advice some other internet users had for the OP.

Your wedding is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life. So it’s natural that you want to avoid some obvious problems

Image credits: Azis Gunawan (not the actual image)

A bride-to-be, who is severely allergic to dogs, shared how she asked her nephew not to bring his service animal to her wedding. Not everyone liked that decision

Image credits: bdkauchs

Image credits: Ralph (Ravi) Kayden (not the actual image)

Image credits: bdkauchs

Image credits: Mojca J (not the actual image)

Image credits: bdkauchs

The woman’s decision split her family into two sides

The situation that redditor u/bdkauchs was placed in is an unfair one. Unfortunately, she had to pick between risking having an allergic reaction at her own wedding and allowing her nephew to bring his service dog to help him manage his anxiety and panic attacks.

“As much as I understand the importance of Max to James, I had to say no. My wedding day is supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life, and I do not want to risk having a severe allergic reaction during the ceremony or reception,” she explained her reasoning.

She clearly cares about her nephew and tried to look at alternatives. However, this was a specific situation where she needed to put her needs above his. She was very open about this when speaking to both him and his family.

Though some of the bride-to-be’s family members understand her decision and fully support her, some others thought that that she was being “selfish and inconsiderate.” She felt so terrible that she ended up making the post on the AITA subreddit.

However, the community put her fears to rest. Most redditors were on her side and they explained that it’s perfectly fine to not want an avoidable allergic reaction on what’s supposed to be a monumental day! It’s not selfishness if you communicate about the issue beforehand and have and try to see all sides of the situation.

If you’re allergic to animals, the best strategy is prevention

Mayo Clinic explains that a pet allergy means that you have an allergic reaction to the proteins that are found in an animal’s skin cells, saliva, or urine. The intensity of the reaction will depend on the individual. For some, the symptoms are similar to a cold or hay fever: sneezing and battling a dreadfully runny nose. Others, however, suffer from the signs of asthma and find themselves wheezing and having lots of trouble breathing.

Those of us who are allergic to cute and cuddly animals (hi!) love pets know from experience just how bad things get. When your eyes are puffy, tears are streaming down your face, you’re having trouble breathing, you’re sneezing louder than a trumpeting elephant, and your throat feels scratchy as heck, it’s difficult to do, well…. much of anything, really. You definitely won’t be in any condition to say your vows, look magnificent in the photos, cut the cake, enjoy your first dance, and do all the dozens of other awesome things that make up a wedding.

The very best approaches are either avoiding exposure to animals if you’re allergic to them or investing time and money into immunotherapy to solve the underlying issue. The second best strategy is to reduce your exposure as much as possible if being around them is completely unavoidable. Keeping your distance or wearing a facemask might help to a certain extent.

However, there are various medications available that can help lessen those pesky symptoms. Medical News Today explains that antihistamines work by blocking histamines, which are the chemicals that start up your body’s immune response to allergens. Some of the most common antihistamines are Allegra, Zyrtec, and Claritin.

Though you can often buy them over the counter, it’s best to talk to your doctor about what medicine will suit you best. Some individuals react differently to the active compounds than others. For instance, anecdotally, Zyrtec makes some people far sleepier than others. Meanwhile, Zyrtec also shouldn’t be mixed with alcohol. So, all in all, there are many things to consider and it’s probably best to avoid situations where you have an allergic reaction in the first place, unless there’s literally nothing you can do about it.

There are different types of service dogs for people with different needs

It might come as a surprise to some people that there are different types of service dogs. When they hear the term ‘service dog,’ most people probably think of animals who help the blind. However, these service animals can help tackle a wide range of problems.

For instance, United Disabilities Services explains that there are allergy detection dogs that are trained to detect the smell of allergens, diabetic alert dogs that can sense dangerously high or low blood sugar levels, and seizure alert dogs that assist people before, during, and after seizures.

What’s more, there are autism service dogs, guide dogs, hearing dogs, mobility assistance dogs, and psychiatric service dogs. Some of the breeds that make the very best service dogs include Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Poodles, Boxers, Great Danes, Border Collies, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Pomeranians, and Portuguese Water Dogs. The very best service dogs will enjoy work and be active while maintaining a calm character. They’ll also be intelligent, friendly, and loving.