Dear Erik: How does one react when invited to dinner with someone who has cats and dogs?
I’m not a person who hates them. I get offended and it breaks my heart when they are mistreated. But it offends me when people let them jump in the kitchen and walk on the tables where people are preparing and eating.
My closest friends don’t have pets, but I have others who do, and I’d like to share a meal with them, but not at their house.
How should I respond to this? I don’t want to offend them or destroy the relationship. I just prefer not to have animal hair in my food.
– No animals at the party
Dear Party: You may be overgeneralizing pet owners. There are plenty of people who have pets that won’t make it onto the counter (I hope these St. Bernard owners discourage it, if for no other reason than structural integrity). And there are others who keep their pet-friendly home so clean that you could eat off said counter and never find a hair. Every home is different.
If you’ve had personal experience with someone whose home you didn’t feel comfortable with, it’s a good idea to decline by telling them you’re not a pet and that you’d prefer them to come over or that you’ve eaten out together. This allows you to come out without hiding the truth. Honestly, you can refuse to join someone for dinner for no reason.
Send inquiries to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or PO Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him at Instagram and subscribe to his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.
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