Bride Backed for Banning Nephew's Service Dog From Wedding—'No Pets Policy'

A woman has been backed over plans to exclude her nephew's service dog from coming to her "dream" wedding. Writing in a Reddit post shared under the handle u/bdkauchs, the bride-to-be explained that her 18-year-old nephew James has a service dog called Max who helps with his "anxiety and panic attacks." Though James' parents are pleading for an exception to be made, the bride has so far stuck to a "strict no pets policy" for the event.

The Department of State estimates there are approximately 500,000 service dogs providing valuable assistance to people across the U.S. It's not uncommon for couples to want their dogs present on their big day. This is especially true when service animals are involved. In one instance, a pet owner had his service dog as best man. Yet despite the important role played by canines of this kind, in this case the bride is refusing to budge on the issue, and she has valid reason to want the dog excluded from her big day. "Max is a well-trained and well-behaved dog, and he has been a great help to James over the years," she said. "However, I am severely allergic to dogs, to the point where I could have a severe reaction if I am around them for an extended period of time. This is something my family is well aware of." Instead of accepting her decision, James' parents have been pleading with her to make an exception, promising that "Max would be on his best behavior, and that he would not cause any problems." But she's still refusing to bow to the pressure. "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 said.

Family Is Divided

According to the post, her decision has been a source of considerable "controversy," with the family divided on the matter. "Some of my relatives believe that I am being selfish and inconsiderate, while others understand my point of view and support my decision," the bride said. "James is understandably upset, and I feel terrible about the situation." Commenting on the predicament, Jodie Messines, a wedding planning expert and content manager at magicaldayweddings.com, urged all involved to "initiate honest discussions" around the topic. Messines told Newsweek they should "consider organizing a small pre-wedding gathering or scheduling video conference calls to talk through concerns, brainstorm ideas together, and build an understanding of everyone's needs." She added it was important they "express empathy for one another's concerns and firmly establish open cooperation." Though the bride may be hesitant, Messines felt there were a number of workable solutions that could mean the nephew and his service dog could attend. She suggested a detailed floor plan that kept them apart and the use of a trusted friend as a "dog concierge" to keep the canine away from the bride. In the run-up, she also suggested the nephew hire a professional grooming service for the day or that the bride speak to an allergist and get a clear assessment of the risks having a dog there would entail. Others on social media, however, felt that ultimately the bride should retain the power to decide who should and should not attend their wedding. As one Redditor put it: "In a showdown between your attendance and the bride being able to breathe at her own wedding, the bride wins." Another wrote: "I have severe anxiety so I get the nephew being disappointed if he can't attend without the dog, but sometimes missing things you were looking forward to if you're unable to cope at that time is part of the condition, unfortunately." A third added: 'Severe allergies can literally kill people and I think the bride is more entitled to be alive and present at her own wedding over one of the guests needing to bring a service dog." Newsweek reached out to u/bdkauchs for comment. We couldn't verify the details of the case. If you have a family dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

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