{"id":2970,"date":"2026-03-17T14:16:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T07:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/?p=2970"},"modified":"2026-03-17T14:16:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T07:16:09","slug":"new-homeowners-demanded-10k-for-dog-smell-so-we-made-their-smart-house-a-petty-nightmare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/?p=2970","title":{"rendered":"New Homeowners Demanded $10K for \u2018Dog Smell\u2019 \u2014 So We Made Their Smart House a Petty Nightmare"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Every dog lover needs to read this. After selling our sparkling clean home, we thought we\u2019d closed the chapter with grace\u2026 until a letter arrived from the new homeowners, accusing our \u201cstinky\u201d dogs of ruining their carpet and demanding $10K compensation. My husband and I had other plans.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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My name is Valerie, and until last year, I thought the worst thing about selling our dream home was saying goodbye to the memories. Boy, was I wrong. The worst thing is dealing with entitled buyers who think a purchase agreement comes with a personal servant.<\/p>\n

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A picturesque house | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n

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Jonathan and I had spent three years building our perfect smart home in Willowbrook Heights. Every corner gleamed and every system hummed with efficiency.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Our two fur babies, Muffin and Biscuit, were practically royalty in that house. They got their professional grooming every week, organic food, and beds that cost more than most people\u2019s furniture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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These weren\u2019t just pet dogs; they were our furry children, and that house was their palace.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Two adorable dogs | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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When we decided to downsize after Jonathan\u2019s job transfer, we treated that sale like a sacred ceremony. Professional deep cleaning, carpet steaming, duct sanitization\u2026 the works. I even had the cleaning lady come back twice because I wanted everything to be perfect.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou know, Jon,\u201d I told Jonathan as we did our final walkthrough, \u201cthis place smells like a spa.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cBetter than a spa!\u201d he replied, running his hand along the gleaming kitchen counter. \u201cAt least Muffin and Biscuit won\u2019t judge the new owners for their downward dog form!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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We laughed, handed over the keys with pride, and drove away thinking we\u2019d closed this chapter beautifully.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A couple holding a house key | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Three weeks later, the universe decided to test our blood pressure and introduce us to what we now lovingly call \u201cYoga Barbie and Yoga Ken.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I was enjoying my morning coffee when the mail arrived. Among the usual bills sat a cream-colored envelope with our old address written in loopy, pretentious handwriting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Inside was a letter that made my jaw drop so hard I\u2019m surprised it didn\u2019t crack the kitchen tile.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A woman holding an envelope | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cDear Previous Owners,<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I hope this finds you well, though I\u2019m certainly not. We\u2019ve moved in, and\u2026 wow. I smell your stinky dogs!!! This is not the energy I envisioned. Total vibe killer. And I have to express my complete disappointment. The carpet situation is absolutely unacceptable. The dog odor is overwhelming. I literally cannot complete my morning meditation practice without feeling nauseous. Do you understand how this disrupts my spiritual alignment?<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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We\u2019ve had to rip out all the carpeting immediately. The energy in this space was completely toxic. I didn\u2019t spend this much money to live in what feels like a kennel.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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We expect $10,000 in compensation for the carpet replacement & our inconvenience. I\u2019m sure you understand. We\u2019re homeowners now and we have standards.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Namaste,<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Mrs. Campbell<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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P.S. \u2013 My husband says the smell is affecting his hot yoga recovery time.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A shocked woman reading a letter | Source: Freepik<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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I read it twice. Then three times. Then I called Jonathan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHoney, you need to see this.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Jonathan walked in, took one look at my face, and said, \u201cWhat happened? Did Muffin chew your favorite shoes again?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWorse!\u201d I handed him the letter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I watched his expression change from confusion to disbelief to something that resembled a volcanic eruption being held in check by sheer willpower.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cTEN THOUSAND DOLLARS??\u201d He gasped. \u201cFor dog smell that doesn\u2019t exist? From Yoga Barbie and Yoga Ken?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cApparently, we\u2019ve disrupted her spiritual alignment. And his hot yoga recovery time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A stunned man looking at a sheet of paper | Source: Freepik<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWhat kind of people are these? Do they think we\u2019re running a customer service desk for their imaginary problems?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I called our realtor, Jennifer, immediately. She answered on the second ring.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cJen, we have a problem. The Campbells are demanding $10K because they claim the house smells like dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOh, honey,\u201d Jennifer gasped between giggles, \u201cI was in that house every other day for two months. The only thing it smelled like was success and lemon Pledge. These people are trying to shake you down.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cSo what do I do?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou tell them where they can stick their ten thousand dollar demand, that\u2019s what you do. You don\u2019t owe them a penny.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A woman engaged on a phonecall while holding a laptop | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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After I hung up, I marched back to Jonathan, ready to draft a strongly worded response. But he was sitting at his laptop with a look I\u2019d only seen once before\u2026 when Muffin got sick and the emergency vet said they were closing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He looked up with the most beautiful, devious smile I\u2019d ever seen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cRemember how we never disconnected from the smart home app?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cJon, what are you thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m thinking our resident Yoga Barbie is about to learn that buying a smart house comes with some very intelligent consequences. And maybe Yoga Ken will finally break a real sweat instead of just complaining about his recovery time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A couple practicing breathing exercises during a quiet yoga session | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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That night, Jonathan became a digital artist, and his canvas was the Campbell\u2019s comfort.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He started small, setting the thermostat three degrees warmer at 2 a.m. Nothing dramatic, just enough to make the Campbell\u2019s peaceful sleep feel like camping in July while wrapped in a heated yoga mat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou sure this is a good idea?\u201d I asked, watching him adjust the settings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cVal, Yoga Barbie wants to steal $10K from us because our dogs\u2019 imaginary smell disrupted her chakras. I\u2019m just helping her and Yoga Ken discover some new spiritual challenges. Maybe they\u2019ll finally achieve enlightenment through suffering.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A thermostat | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The next morning, we got our first call.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThis is Mrs. Campbell,\u201d came the shrill voice through the phone. \u201cSomething\u2019s wrong with your house\u2019s thermostat. It was scorching hot all night. I woke up looking like I\u2019d been in hot yoga for 12 hours straight! My husband\u2019s man-bun was literally dripping sweat onto his organic bamboo pillow!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOh my!\u201d I said innocently. \u201cThat\u2019s strange. Have you tried adjusting your chakras\u2026 I mean, the settings?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOf course I\u2019ve tried checking the settings! I\u2019m not some yoga newbie! This house is clearly defective, and it\u2019s disrupting my morning flow!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A furious woman talking on the phone | Source: Freepik<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWell, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll figure it out. After all, you\u2019re homeowners now. Maybe try some cooling breath exercises?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I hung up and high-fived Jonathan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Night two: Jonathan dropped the temperature to arctic levels at 4 a.m., timing it perfectly for when most people hit their deepest sleep.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Day two brought another frantic call.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYour house tried to freeze us to death!\u201d Mrs. Campbell shrieked. \u201cWe woke up shivering like we\u2019d slept in a meat locker! My husband\u2019s joints were so stiff he looked like a frozen yoga statue! He couldn\u2019t even get into child\u2019s pose!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A man wrapped in blanket | Source: Freepik<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHow unusual!\u201d I mused. \u201cMaybe the house is just adjusting to new owners. Sometimes houses can be sensitive to energy changes, you know. Have you tried warming up with some vigorous sun salutations?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cEnergy changes? What are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOh, just something I read. Sometimes houses react to spiritual disruptions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The silence on the other end was golden.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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By the third night, Jonathan had perfected his art. Heat wave at midnight, polar vortex at dawn, and tropical sauna during afternoon meditation time. He was conducting a symphony of discomfort, and Yoga Barbie and Yoga Ken were his unwilling orchestra.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A man using his phone | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Mrs. Campbell called every day, her voice progressively more frazzled and significantly less zen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe thermostat is possessed!\u201d she wailed during call number five while I enjoyed my morning coffee. \u201cIt changes on its own! We can\u2019t sleep, I can\u2019t meditate, my husband can\u2019t do his hot yoga recovery routine because he\u2019s already overheated from sleeping! My chakras are completely misaligned! I think I\u2019m developing yoga PTSD!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHave you considered that maybe the house is trying to tell you something?\u201d I suggested sweetly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cTell me what?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cMaybe it misses Muffin and Biscuit.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The line went dead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A smiling woman talking on the phone | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Two weeks into our temperature terrorism, Jennifer called with an update.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI heard through the grapevine that the Campbells hired three different HVAC technicians. None of them can figure out what\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cPoor Yoga Barbie and Yoga Ken!\u201d I said, not feeling bad for them at all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe best part? Mrs. Campbell told her yoga instructor that the house is cursed by dog spirits. Apparently, she\u2019s been burning sage and doing cleansing rituals in every room. Her husband has started sleeping in the garage because he says the temperature changes are affecting his \u2018masculine energy flow.’\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Jonathan and I collapsed in laughter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A woman holding a candle | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cDog spirits?\u201d he wheezed. \u201cMuffin and Biscuit would love that. They always thought they were magical beings. And Yoga Ken sleeping in the garage because of his masculine energy? I can\u2019t breathe!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Our reign of thermal terror ended abruptly when Jennifer called three weeks later.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWell, it\u2019s over! The Campbells figured out how to reset the system. They\u2019re locked out of the original settings now.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cAww!\u201d I said, genuinely disappointed. \u201cJust when I was starting to enjoy our daily complaint calls.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A man holding a remote | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cBut here\u2019s the kicker! Mrs. Campbell asked me if I knew any spiritual cleansers who specialize in pet hauntings. She also wanted to know if I had contacts for \u2018masculine energy restoration specialists\u2019 for her husband.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cShe didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cShe absolutely did! She\u2019s convinced pet spirits are haunting her thermostat from beyond, and that they\u2019re specifically targeting Yoga Ken\u2019s manhood through temperature manipulation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOh God! Muffin and Biscuit should hear this!\u201d I laughed. \u201cThey\u2019re in our new backyard chasing squirrels!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A woman laughing while talking on the phone | Source: Freepik<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Six months later, I ran into Mrs. Campbell at the grocery store. She looked tired, frazzled, and was carrying what appeared to be sage bundles in her cart.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cOh,\u201d she said, spotting me. \u201cIt\u2019s you.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHello, Mrs. Campbell. How\u2019s the house treating you?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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She shuddered. \u201cFine. Mostly. Though sometimes I swear I can still feel\u2026 presence.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A terrified woman | Source: Freepik<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWell,\u201d I said, patting her shoulder with mock sympathy, \u201cmaybe next time you\u2019ll think twice before demanding $10K for imaginary dog smells.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Her face went pale. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cNothing! If I were you, I\u2019d be extra nice to any future four-legged spirits that might wander through. You never know when they might decide to haunt your heating bill.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I walked away, leaving her standing there with her mouth open and her sage bundles clutched to her chest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A woman walking away | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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When I got home, Muffin and Biscuit greeted me at the door, tails wagging, completely unaware they\u2019d become legendary ghost dogs. I gave them extra treats and told them all about their supernatural reputation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou know what I learned?\u201d I told Jonathan that night as we watched our dogs destroy a new squeaky toy. \u201cNever mess with people who love their pets more than money. And definitely never mess with people who still have the smart house app on their phone.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cAmen to that!\u201d he said, raising his coffee mug in a toast. \u201cHere\u2019s to Muffin, Biscuit, and the sweetest revenge technology ever served!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A man holding a white ceramic mug | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Sometimes karma needs a little help. And that help comes in the form of a temperature control app and a husband with a wicked sense of justice. And sometimes, the good guys and their dogs win.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Now tell me, dear readers, have you ever dealt with entitled people who thought your hard-earned money came with a side of personal servitude? Share your stories. There\u2019s nothing quite like a good revenge tale to warm the heart\u2026 or cool it down, depending on your preference!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A woman holding money | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n

Thank You For Reading, Please Follow Page For New Story….<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every dog lover needs to read this. After selling our sparkling clean home, we thought we\u2019d closed the chapter with grace\u2026 until a letter arrived from the new homeowners, accusing … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2971,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2970"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2970\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2972,"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2970\/revisions\/2972"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2971"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyintheworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}