Dogs in offices

[ApplePenPineapplePen]

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?

My old boss used to bring her dogs in and my new job, one woman brings her dog in, but she works in her own room, and it bloody stinks in there.

My husband is in the military and takes our dog with him to work. He's what I would describe as middle management rank wise, so works in an office. Lots of dogs go to work with their owners.

@ValerieMalone

So people with allergies should just live with it? The question isn’t whether you or anyone else loves dogs in offices, it’s whether it’s reasonable to allow dogs in offices considering not everyone loves them and many have allergies.

It’s totally not the future btw — not sure where you got that idea.

Not only live with it, but 'get over it' as some posters - who ironically have compared people who don't go mad for dogs to Hitler - have so eloquently put.

I've worked in an office with various dogs, with a variety of standards of behaviour. It would take a lot for me to do that again - phone calls being disturbed by barking dogs, stuff being chewed, stuff being hidden by the dogs, dog wee / sick / diarrohea on the floor.

And yet people who have caring duties for elderley relatives or children seem to manage to not bring their loved ones onto work.

They just get pushed out of the workplace altogether.

I'm reminded of one unpaid carer who was told they needed to give a week's notice, in writing, of their mother having a medical emergency. When they didn't provide a week's notice of their mother falling downstairs, breaking her hip and being admitted to hospital, there was trouble, and they subsequently found themselves at the top of the list for redundancy.

@LadyWhistledownsQuill well that's exceptional, and illegal. You must have worked for shitty companies. My workplace has a few carers and is very understanding and accommodating.

Anyway all this is irrelevant in relation to if someone has a dog in the office or not. Unless you're suggesting dogs should be allowed in the office because carers are sometimes "pushed out"

Loads of companies push out employees with that sort of stuff going on.

Remember that thousands of women lose their jobs every year (pre covid) because they're pregnant.

Someone earlier in the thread said sometimes the dog is their only family member as a reason to bring them in.

I said sometimes granny is the only family member, or a child, does that mean they can come in?

No answer I don't think. But it was a point made.

Yes because it’s that easy to just ‘get over’ allergies isn’t it!? 🤦‍♀️

@Nutrafin

Why is that disgusting to people who don’t work at a company that the company would offer a perk that people who do work there like? And many people really value this perk! Because its potentially discriminatory. Any employer with a dog friendly policy either needs to be able to make reasonable adjustments, to keep the allegic/phobic worker and the dog in separate areas, or need to be prepared to terminate the policy if an allegic/phobic candidate is the best for a role.

Why would you even apply for a job with an employer with a dog friendly policy if you hate/fear/are allergic to dogs? Obviously someone like this wouldn’t be the best candidate for the job because they don’t fit the culture.

Presumably there's already been an employment law case on this? Discrimination wise?

And I don't mean guide dogs, or dogs for those that are disabled. Not that side of employment law.

I mean the other way round, employer having dogs at the company, and employee thus not staying / refusing job.

dogs-at-work

"Are employees legally entitled to bring pets to work?
The usual answer is no – but an increasing number of employers are allowing pets to be brought into the workplace. "

"If an employee suffers from allergies then clearly this would normally take priority over a someone’s pet being in the workplace (also see our article on how employers should deal with allergies) but it might also be the case that a colleague is frightened of dogs or just doesn’t like them, so in that situation a solution would need to be found."

"A solution would need to be found? "

Well. That sounds about as wishy-washy as hell.

How is that clear?

@Blossomtoes

Why would you even apply for a job with an employer with a dog friendly policy if you hate/fear/are allergic to dogs? Obviously someone like this wouldn’t be the best candidate for the job because they don’t fit the culture.

I've asked a few times and nobody has answered - what about people who are already in a job and are good workers who enjoy their role and add to the team, but happen to be allergic or are scared of dogs... then the dogs at work thumbs up is given?

You're saying they should leave their job?

Why would you even apply for a job with an employer with a dog friendly policy if you hate/fear/are allergic to dogs? Obviously someone like this wouldn’t be the best candidate for the job because they don’t fit the culture.

Because why should people's careers and work be dependent on selfish twats who want to have animals in a place where they don't belong? Some of you like dogs...well great, fill your houses with them if you like. But why should everyone else be restricted in their work because of it?
If I'm allergic to dogs why should my work life be restricted to keep daft dog lovers happy?

Yanbu. I detest dogs and they make me anxious. If people like dogs that's fine, they can choose to have their own in the privacy of their own home. It is absolutely unreasonable to impose them on others in the workplace (unless you work in a vets/farm/police dog division/dog groomers).

[quote youvegottenminuteslynn]@Blossomtoes

Why would you even apply for a job with an employer with a dog friendly policy if you hate/fear/are allergic to dogs? Obviously someone like this wouldn’t be the best candidate for the job because they don’t fit the culture.

I've asked a few times and nobody has answered - what about people who are already in a job and are good workers who enjoy their role and add to the team, but happen to be allergic or are scared of dogs... then the dogs at work thumbs up is given?

You're saying they should leave their job? [/quote]
It’s a different situation, isn’t it? I guess it depends on how much the employer values that person how far they’d accommodate them. I think most people would say that if an aspect of your job changes and you don’t like it you either suck it up or leave. But because a section of MN is obsessively anti dog, it will never accept that this is just a policy like any other.

And another thing...has anyone considered the potential for racist discrimination? There are cultures where contact with dogs are religiously not allowed, for example.
Are we all ok with telling people from particular cultures or religions that they are not welcome in the workplace because your dogs are more important?

"Why would you even apply for a job with an employer with a dog friendly policy"

I do actually like dogs. But unless it's a big company who is on top of their policy documents! .......

the 3 x companies I applied for jobs for didn't even mention it! 2 only at interview. 2 only once I'd started!

Because why should people's careers and work be dependent on selfish twats who want to have animals in a place where they don't belong?

Why should people’s careers be dependent on any employers’ policies? Most NHS trusts have a policy forbidding visible tattoos, surely that’s discrimination against people with tattooed arms because they also operate a bare from elbow down policy?

Nice whataboutery.. added points for being such an inane and unrelated comparison.

@PaperbackRider

Nice whataboutery.. added points for being such an inane and unrelated comparison.

So a comparison between one employment policy and another is inane and irrelevant because it doesn’t suit you? OK.

Not because it doesn't suit me, because its inane and irrelevent. Sorry you didn't get that.

It’s a different situation, isn’t it? I guess it depends on how much the employer values that person how far they’d accommodate them. I think most people would say that if an aspect of your job changes and you don’t like it you either suck it up or leave. But because a section of MN is obsessively anti dog, it will never accept that this is just a policy like any other.

Well the thread is about dogs being allowed at work, not about dogs being allowed at places you're applying to work at.

I adore dogs, absolutely love them - I'm not a dog hater at all. I just have enough empathy that I think it's unfair to implement a dog friendly policy at a workplace where existing employees may have allergies or fear of dogs, making those employees have to change job if the business pushes through the policy.

Imagine being allergic to dogs and having to go to work every day feeling like shit due to the allergy to work your notice, in the current job market where there's no guarantee you'll find work any time soon. It would be horrible.

People keep saying the 'well don't apply then' argument but that doesn't help anyone already in a job they had planned to stay in.

It's unfair for employees who are more junior who will feel worried about speaking up against something or employees who are less confident and don't want to cause a fuss

Again, I love dogs and always have done.