Office dogs

[ExhaustedMama68]

Does anyone else work in an office where people are allowed to bring their dogs along with them?

I’ve been in the same office for over 6 years and In the early days, one person was allowed to bring their dog on the odd day.

Now, as the company is growing and more new people are starting, they all seem to be bringing their dogs for various reasons - no care for them, want to save money on dog walkers etc.

My issue is that I’m actually terrified of dogs (which everyone in the office is aware of) and it’s becoming quite uncomfortable going to work each day and not knowing if there will be a dog or not.

I never bring my DC to work because my childcare has fallen through - I just make alternative arrangements?

WFH is unfortunately not an option.

Are you a member of a union? Personally I'd get legal union advice, I think this is an appalling imposition on someone trying to work.

I think it's astonishing that people are allowed to take dogs to work, also because of having them on trains (and when I wrote to my local rail company they said they won't be introducing dog-free carriages, so those with allergies will have to stop travelling!).

Where I work the odd person takes their dog in, on the odd day, but we have "capsule" offices so you take your dog into an office and close the door and because we are hybrid working, they are not all taken, so people can have an office to themselves and their dog.

However, we're moving offices next year and it will all be open plan. I think the initial view was that dogs would be permitted, but I have heard on the grapevine that there will be a rethink. You can't have dogs in an open plan space.

The only dogs who should be permitted are guide dogs and that's it. Not the vague "assistance" dog, commonly otherwise known as the "pet". They are not trained. Even hearing dogs are nowhere near as well trained as guide dogs.

Because ultimately your fear is your problem, and on its own won’t be enough to enact a policy

I disagree. Nobody needs a dog (guide dogs excepted), and if they want one, they can arrange doggy daycare. Their co-workers should not have to leave their employment to avoid dogs!

I'm a dog owner and lover and I would not want dogs in the workplace. 10 minute visit to meet everyone would be fine just like when someone has a new baby but I don't want toddlers or dogs hanging around the office all day. Many people don't like dogs or are scared of them and they should be able to go to work and feel comfortable.

No. If you apply for a job and they tell you dogs are allowed in the office, then you can't proceed further, obviously. You'll have to look elsewhere or arrange to be home working all the time.

But if you are already in a job and the policy changes to allow dogs, you should not feel hounded out (pun intended!).

OP I think your situation is very unfair. Is WFH not an option because of the nature of the role, or because your employer doesn't like it? If the latter, they can't have it both ways - if they are allowing dogs, they have to allow WFH for those who don't like dogs.

And if the nature of the role doesn't allow WFH, then they shouldn't allow dogs in the office.

I work in the rural/agricultural sector although office based. Everyone brings dogs in! But the whole place is dog friendly and customers (most farming folk) bring dogs all the time.

Fairly common in my industry now. I think you should discuss with your boss and see what adjustments could be made. But ultimately I don’t think you can demand that they change the policy. In the same way if they had a policy that babies could come to work with people, even though it might be disruptive, it’s ultimately their decision. It’s probably been a hiring perk too for some newer recruits.

One of my colleagues has a severe dog allergy - we'd never be able to have dogs in the office. How do employers deal with that?

Said by someone who clearly knows naff all about dogs! 🙄 pack theory was disproved decades ago.
It's perfectly possible to manage working and having a dog if you set things up right

Well you let people know during the recruitment process that dogs are allowed in the office, presumably.

I'd look for a new job. I don't like dogs, the office must stink

I love my pug! But NO WAY would i dream of bringing her to the office. She would be such a huge distraction and get really bored. I cant even believe some companies allow this.

To be honest OP I think your being incredibly unreasonable! You knew the dog culture of the office when you took the job. If you didn't/ don't want to work in an environment with dogs then don't. Change jobs. But it's not ok for you to try and alter the culture of the business.

I think it’s lovely that they allow dogs and id love to work in an office that allowed them! Can’t you change jobs instead? There are loads of offices that don’t allow dogs that would suit you perfectly 😄

As much as I would love to have my dog with me all day at work, I have a friend who has a debilitating phobia of dogs, now understanding how it affects his every day life, I would never consent to such a policy.

It’s a bit bonkers to have several dogs in the office!

OP posted in chat. She didn't ask to be told if she was being reasonable or not, she posted asking if others had experience of the situtation.

Also the original situation when she started 6 years ago was one person was allowed to bring their dog on the odd day. That's very different from multiple dogs every day.

@Whinge since when could you only tell someone they were being unreasonable on AIBU??? I have my opinion and I'm free to state it thanks
And it doesn't matter how many dogs were there when she started. It was more than none. That clearly shows the office was dog friendly and there was a good chance of more dogs in the future. If she was that concerned the time to raise it was then. Or when more dogs started appearing. Not six years down the line.

She didn’t ask for your opinion on her reasonableness or otherwise (and yes, AIBU is exactly where you get told if you’re being unreasonable), she asked if anyone else worked in an office where dogs are allowed and how that works when the other office workers don’t want them there for any reason. See the difference?

Yes but what if the policy changes while they are employed? Or what was one dog in one section of the office becomes multiple dogs all over?

@reigatecastle yes but what if they employed someone with a guide dog?

There are lots of what ifs.

Guide dogs are much better trained than the average family pet, and there are likely to be fewer of them - in 25 years of working in offices, I have only encountered one guide dog which was meticulously trained and stayed at its owner's feet.

@AnApparitionQuipped that doesn't help someone with a severe allergy which is what we were discussing

I cant stand dogs, I honestly couldnt work there.

I love dogs (have two myself and they are my life) but in an office I would struggle with the smell if everyone brought their pet in !

Yes, we have 6 office dogs. It's great and I love it.