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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dogs in offices

721 replies

ApplePenPineapplePen · 19/05/2021 22:26

RANT: I do not understand how or why it became acceptable for people in office jobs to take dogs to work. A workplace is no place for pets. Get a dogsitter or don't have a pet or change job. I don't want their hounds near me i don't want their hairs on my office chair. Am I being unreasonable to think the starting position should be no animals in offices? Rant over.

More calmly, I have 2 reasons that I want to avoid dogs - a severe allergy plus a previous dog attack leaving me generally nervous and stressed around dogs. Work is aware of my allergy and now office returns are being discussed, some measures are in place to minimise my exposure.

But what if that weren't the case though and I just didn't like them? Is it for the individual to check if there are animals in the office before they accept the job? Or should employers disclose in job ads?

Of course I exclude guide dogs/hearing dogs or similar.

AIBU to think the default position should be no dogs in offices?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
redcandlelight · 20/05/2021 14:22

If you’ve got an allergy, don’t apply for a job in one. It’s not difficult, is it?

except it sometime is. it's take the job or be jobless.

Serpenta · 20/05/2021 14:23

More dogs in more workplaces please.

Blossomtoes · 20/05/2021 14:24

Dogs have no place is the workplace

Clearly they do or they wouldn’t be in any workplace. There are workplaces where their presence is traditional.

PaperbackRider · 20/05/2021 14:25

Ok so you're fine with excluding people from the workplace on the grounds of a health issue? Is it just the ones that might interfere with what you want or is there a list of health issues worth caring about?

GreyhoundG1rl · 20/05/2021 14:25

Well, we get it, Blossom Confused
We don't have to agree it's a good thing.

puppychaos · 20/05/2021 14:35

I love dogs and have two but I could not imagine taking either of them into an office environment! I agree, it's really odd.

brondary · 20/05/2021 14:38

I would prefer to work in an office rather than wfh if there were dogs in the office.

DinoHat · 20/05/2021 14:40

I’d like to work in your office, but totally get that not everyone would. So would say you ABU.

DinoHat · 20/05/2021 14:40

Sorry - wrong bloody acronym- YANBU

FanFckingTastic · 20/05/2021 15:00

Before lockdown and WFH, my dog came into the office pretty much every day. There were others that brought theirs's in too. Before I started bringing her in, I checked with the people that sat close to me to make sure that it was something that they were ok with and everyone was very positive. She started coming in as a weeny pup and so got used to it very quickly and has always been very well behaved and really enjoyed coming along, seeing people and generally getting out and about. My situation means that I'm not in the office all day however, and I'm not sure that it would want a dog to have to sit inside and behave from 9-5.

We ended up having clients that actively asked if my dog could come along to their meetings as they loved seeing her.

Roselilly36 · 20/05/2021 15:05

I totally agree OP. I love dogs, but totally unnecessary in an office, very unprofessional.

LilMidge01 · 20/05/2021 15:07

@NiceGerbil

'At one of my previous workplaces a new hire only lasted one day as they hadn’t realised there were dogs in the workplace and they were scared of them.'

That's awful.

Application interviews etc. Paperwork getting done. Excited about new job- maybe promotion from previous.

Could well have packed in a perfectly good job for it.

That's really bad.

Actually it's pretty poor on both sides...the employer should have mentioned this during the interview process. But also, to just "pack it in" after 1 day and not try to speak to management about their working arrangements or issue? Think there definitely had to be more going on here (or the job was shit anyway)
LilMidge01 · 20/05/2021 15:10

The fact that different people like different things and work environments cant really be that much of a shocker can it? If you have an issue with it, speak to management. If you're in the minority however then I suppose you have to accept it and decide if you and the company are a good fit, culture wise? I.e. some offices are very inflexible around hours, some are open plan etc...
Obviously with an allergy issue, that needs to be considered into work arrabgements/office layout and I'm sure HR or office management would take that seriously and make sure you were not at risk

FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop · 20/05/2021 15:12

@Jimmynicholsbridie

People who like dogs: Gandalf, David Attenborough, Kathy Bates, Jesus.

People who don't like dogs: Cruella De Ville, Osama Bin Laden, Donald Trump, Adolf Hitler.

That's all you need to know.

Assuming this is satire, I didn't realise Kathy Bates was up there with the Almighty 🤣
Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 20/05/2021 15:13

This is quite funny (well, I think so!). I was just checking something about estate agents in Devon and came across this: Meet The Team
It's a first for me, anyway! Oh, how I larfed as I remembered this thread!

Pinkpaisley · 20/05/2021 15:15

I wouldn’t apply for a job at a vet or a dog groomer, but I should be able to work in any generic office.

Same for someone with a peanut allergy, they couldn’t expect reasonable accommodation in a nut packaging plant, or a restaurant that specializes in peanut butter sandwiches, but if the job is just in a generic office or retail establishment they should be able to work.

SuziQuatrosFatNan · 20/05/2021 15:15

Ftr allergies can be classed as a disability for the purpose of equality law depending on the severity/ effects on everyday life. Whether an employer is ok to not accommodate/adjust depends on business needs.

AnotherKrampus · 20/05/2021 15:20

Totally disagree with a lot of the anti-dog comments. I ran an office that had a few very calm dogs in it, sighthounds mainly and it massively reduced sick days and stress. Staff turnover reduced drastically. The great majority of decently trained dogs do not shit or piss inside and just shows the ignorance of some posters.

nokidshere · 20/05/2021 15:23

I would never take a job where dogs were allowed to be there and if I worked somewhere that implemented it after I arrived I would complain and leave if it wasn't stopped.

cosmoswithcovids · 20/05/2021 15:26

I have two working gun dogs and an office job. I would not dream of taking either of them into the office with me, for everyone's sake. I hate it when people bring their dogs into the office, it's absolutely not professional.

MooseBeTimeForSummer · 20/05/2021 15:27

Former Solicitor here. I once had a family case at Leeds County Court where the District Judge had her dog in the chamber.

cupsofcoffee · 20/05/2021 15:39

I hate it when people bring their dogs into the office, it's absolutely not professional

Doesn't that depend on the job?

NiceGerbil · 20/05/2021 15:51

@Stompythedinosaur

A peanut butter sandwich could be detrimental to some people's health, but we don't ban them across the country just in case. Each workplace has to make reasonable adaptions to the people who work there.

If you hate dogs, are scared of dogs or are allergic to dogs I'd guess you wouldn't apply to work in a workplace where there are dogs!

Just catching up!

Our workplace has banned all fish and shellfish because a colleague has a secret allergy.

Yes it's a pita but surely better than a man Keeling over and possibly dying (it happens) leaving his kids without a dad just because it's nice to have a smoked salmon bagel for breakfast sometimes.

I mean you'd argue our workplace is wrong, we should all scoff prawns and he can risk it or leave. We'll have to agree to disagree.

OllyBJolly · 20/05/2021 15:56

The fact that different people like different things and work environments cant really be that much of a shocker can it? If you have an issue with it, speak to management.

In just about every office I know that does this, the dog owner is either the boss or very senior. It's not that easy for people to speak up - and few have real say over which jobs they take. That's the power of privilege. *

Former Solicitor here. I once had a family case at Leeds County Court where the District Judge had her dog in the chamber I'd bet the clerk wouldn't have got away with it...

*Of course, assistance dogs excepted..

NiceGerbil · 20/05/2021 16:03

It was one week not one day- another poster I misquoted.

So it's just as bad for a job not to mention it at all, go through whole interview process, very possibly leave their existing job. To turn up in their new job and find that no one had mentioned there were dogs there?

As it is for that person to leave because for whatever reason they couldn't manage to be in a workplace with dogs?

And as for raising it... Yes in a new job is definitely standard to start saying you're unhappy about this or that established thing. Everyone does that and thinks nothing of it. The fact that the person who wrote the post knew that's why they left, means they had spoken about it. Presumably said it's why they were leaving so quickly. And clearly ok let's see how we can accommodate you wasn't the answer. The answer was bye then.