I’m Mariko, in my 40s, living with my husband, Takayoshi (also in my 40s), and our middle schooler daughter, Sally. Although both my parents and my in-laws live nearby, I have a strained relationship with my mother-in-law, Sanae (in her 70s). To make matters worse, Sally is going through a rebellious phase, becoming increasingly rude and disrespectful. Even though both my husband and daughter know I’m not a dog person, they insisted on getting one anyway. I couldn’t handle the mess and the unbearable stench anymore, so I moved back into my parents’ home with my father, Hiroshi (in his 70s), and mother, Rie (in her 70s). Later, I discovered that my mother-in-law was abusing the dog and my husband was just letting it happen. I managed to record evidence of the abuse and told my husband I wanted a divorce, but he and his mother seemed strangely happy about it.
When I told my husband I was going to consult a lawyer about the divorce, he coldly replied, “Suit yourself.” After returning to my parents’ place and explaining the whole situation, they were fully supportive of the divorce. However, like me, they are deeply worried about the dog’s safety. I tried suggesting to Sally that we rehome the dog, but she shut me down and even accused me of being “cold-hearted.” Hearing the way she spoke, I could sense my mother-in-law’s influence, which reminded me of how strange the whole situation felt the day we first got the dog. Where did that dog actually come from? And why is my stingy husband so willing to keep paying for its expenses? It looks like this mail has the answer I’ve been looking for.