I always clean after and take care of my lil pup. I feed her and buy her toys, get her vaccines, and play with her. But the house is my grandparents' and my uncle's since I'm still 16. My family always says I'm "young" and I don't know anything although I'm the one spending all my time working for my puppy, going to school, and reading dog articles and training manuals online.

Unfortunately, my uncle takes care of my puppy when I'm at school. Recently, she's been defecating and urinating in her crate although she's housetrained. My uncle never gives her clean water throughout the day since he doesn't want her to pee since he's too tired to take her out.

The problem is that my family doesn't want the puppy. I love her. I'm Autistic, I have no friends other than Abby, who goes to a different school. My family often makes jokes about Autism and, when I tell them to stop it, they tell me it's just a joke and I'm overreacting. Altaira, my puppy, is the only one who doesn't judge me based on my diagnosis and social skills.

She loves me and I love her. My family, however, don't believe that most animals in shelters are euthanized and that giving a dog away for free is just a ticket to getting her a bad home. I have enough resources to care for Altaira and, at Summer Break and in two years, I'll be able to independently care for her.

Some people may say that I should let this one go and look for another dog when I'm a legal adult. But that's the same as saying that you should go ahead and give your baby to a stranger and just go and make a new one. A baby who you've raised and loved and cherished.

I don't know what to do. Please help.