- A personal finance TikToker recounted a "heated" breakup with her ex, resulting in a custody dispute over their dog.
- Erin Confortini said her ex sued her for the cost of the puppy and punitive damages, totaling $5,000.
The TikToker Erin Confortini, who shares financial advice targeted to a Gen Z audience, recounted in a viral video on Tuesday a $5,000 decision she said she was forced to make in the wake of an acrimonious breakup.
While petting her golden retriever, Bella, Confortini told 2.6 million viewers that she'd just coughed up the money to her ex after he'd sued her for taking their jointly-owned golden retriever after they split. Even though viewers told her she should not have forfeited the money, Confortini told Insider that it was well spent to preserve her "peace of mind."
The conflict first started after Confortini and her ex broke up in early March, and she was moving out of their joint residence.
"Bella was 100% my first concern," Confortini said on TikTok. "That's really all I cared about."
@itserinconfortini Replying to @courtney kinn ♬ original sound - Erin
According to Confortini, the day of the breakup got "really heated," and culminated in a police visit. When her ex returned home from work, he said he was taking Bella to his parents' house, and told Confortini to say her goodbyes, she recounted in the video. When she tried to leave with Bella, she claimed her ex slammed the door on her, which prompted her to call the police.
The police ultimately let Confortini take Bella home, she said, but told the former couple to mediate the situation themselves.
Though Bella was jointly registered to Confortini and her ex, per a certificate from the American Kennel Club she provided to Insider, her ex filed a civil complaint against her on March 6, alleging that he'd purchased Bella from the breeder for $1,000 and that Confortini "never paid any compensation" for Bella, the complaint stated.
Confortini disputes this account and provided Insider with screenshots of transactions showing she paid for half of the dog, as well as screenshots of Bella's subsequent vet bills and pet insurance, which exclusively list her name.
In a second TikTok about the saga, Confortini said she contacted a lawyer about drafting a custody agreement with her ex, prior to receiving her complaint. But her ex had apparently refused to sign one.
@itserinconfortini Replying to @Erin ♬ original sound - Erin
Despite pushback online, Confortini ultimately stands by her decision to pay him off
A copy of the civil complaint against Confortini requested the "return of the canine with through monetary damages." However, "in the alternative, the Plaintiff would request the amount of $5,000 for both cost and punitive damages against the defendant," it stated.
Confortini had several issues with claims her ex made in the civil suit against her. For one, Bella cost $1,200 — not $1,000 — and she claims the two had split the price evenly. (She provided Insider with a screenshot from a banking app showing an ATM withdrawal of $503.75 on April 16, 2022 — the pickup date, she said — as well as a Venmo transfer to her ex for $100 the month prior, with a puppy emoji in the description.)
Commenters on TikTok were largely on Confortini's side, but some wondered whether there was another side to the story.
"The reason she paying, is because she knew she was in the wrong, and still she is trash talking him," one commenter wrote.
"I can't believe you gave him the 5k," another person reacted.
Confortini has responded to some of these critiques, adding that they had a sexist tinge. She ultimately decided after weighing her options that paying her ex to keep Bella was the best option for her.
In a third video, Confortini said she initially balked at the sum and was convinced she could prevail in court – though the lawyer she'd been consulting said the legal fees could be comparable to $5,000.
@itserinconfortini Replying to @nessabear1995 ♬ original sound - Erin
She told Insider that her decision to pay up — and then to share it so publicly on social media — was to "bring awareness to the financial implications" of joint investments with a partner you're not married to, especially for women.
"Unfortunately, dogs are seen just as property under the law," she said. "Everyone talks about not buying a house or having kids until you're married, but no one talks about not getting a dog together."
At the end of the day, she's proud of herself for not letting him take the dog, and for being financially independent enough to pay him off.
"My peace of mind and just knowing that this is all done and over with I think is worth the money for me," she said.