My Ex is trying to steal my dog
My ex is suddenly trying to take my dog after months of barely caring about her and I genuinely don’t know what to do.
We got her together when she was a puppy and everything was fine at first, but toward the end of the relationship things got really toxic. He cheated on me multiple times and our apartment turned into constant arguments. He also had a horrible temper and would shout at the dog whenever she barked, had accidents, or got too excited. There were a few times she literally peed on the floor after he yelled because she got so scared.
After the breakup he basically disappeared for months while I handled everything myself. Vet appointments, food, anxiety treatment, training, all of it. She became extremely nervous after everything that happened and would hide under tables anytime she heard loud voices or doors slamming.
Recently he came over to pick up some old things and the second she saw him she ran behind me shaking and whining. He actually got offended and accused me of “turning her against him.” Now he’s threatening legal action because he paid part of the adoption fee when we first got her.
The timing feels weird too because he only started asking about her again after seeing photos/videos of her online looking healthy and happy again. It honestly feels less like he misses the dog and more like he wants a reason to stay in my life.
She’s finally started acting normal again and I’m terrified of putting her back into a stressful situation after how long it took to rebuild her confidence.
What would you do in this situation?