Dogs in the office

[banjocat]

I've recently started at a new workplace.

Someone in the same office but from another team brings her dog in, and has been doing this since before I started.

It's a very large open plan office, around 30 computers in there, and also members of the public come into the front area (where there is a customer facing desk).

I have mild dog allergies. Not to the extent that it really causes a problem, but if the dog came and sat near me (which he sometimes does) I have to move away from him.

Despite my allergies I do like dogs, but I suppose I'm just surprised that no one mentioned or checked with me that there would be a dog in the office. With such a flow of staff and people through the space, there are bound to be people with allergies or other problems wtih dogs - I'm kind of surprised that this is allowed and just seems to be in place every week.

I don't feel I can say anything without it creating bad feeling as it's an established routine now and lots of colleagues love the dog.

Are dogs in the office becoming the norm now?

AIBU to think it's a bit rude not to check with everyone who is working there?

And they are allowed to say no, it’s not reasonable to exclude dogs. Reasonable adjustments doesn’t mean you can force them.

Unless a dog is there for work purposes, such as a vet, they CAN do their job and it very much would be considered discrimination

I always start an interview with a dog in the room with me when hiring- if mines not in the office that day I ‘borrow’ another. I always ask the candidates if they are comfortable with it. If they aren’t that’s absolutely fine, I move the dog out of the room. That candidate never makes it to second round though.

Not how I would run my business, but each to their own!

It’s absolutely reasonable to exclude dog if they aren’t there for work purposes.

Its illegal to not make reasonable adjustments for people who need them due to medical issues.

Then I think they have had a lucky escape.

Well if I owned a company I wouldn’t have some random telling me what I was and wasn’t allowed to do in my own office.

If l was in an office with a dog, l would be extremely and severely unwell. Anti histamines don’t work.

If l didn’t know beforehand that l was going to be in an office with a dog, then my workplace is making me severely ill. Legislation minefield, and l’d be taking legal action. Absolutely. They are responsible for my health and safety.

Even though l love dogs. Can’t believe some of the comments on here!

Well thank god you don’t run your own company because you WOULD have to make adjustments for disabled people’s me those with medical needs. Do you understand that people can’t just say “I’ll do what I want” like some spoilt child when it comes to taking on employees?

Fuck me the ableism in our society is grim.

@KarenNotAKaren I feel the same, I have had pets and my family had both dog and cats. Whilst I love my cat I would always put humans above animals. People that struggle to get on with other people will often say they prefer animals, I have met a few people over my life like this. Pets are captive companions so they don’t get a choice if they want to hang out with their owners do they. People don’t feel judged by animals, well that’s because their methods of communication are not sophisticated enough. Dogs love anyone that will give them a biscuit.

Like I said most allergies are manageable with antihistamines and people just get on with life

If only this were true🙄

I wish my DH could just pop an anthisthemine when he’s around a cat.

So much misunderstanding about allergies.

I love dogs but offices are for people, not dogs (apart from service animals, of course.)

This attitude of “well people would have to pay for dog walkers and it would piss them off” - well, that’s life and the responsibility of owning a pet. Saying “just manage your allergy with an antihistamine” is a piss take really.

In fact we were once having a walk I summer and he had flip flops on, a cat came out of nowhere and scratched his foot, we needed an ambulance because the reaction was severe and instant!

I used to love dogs and had dogs my whole life until DC were born but it’s increasingly hard to not dislike them when they’re badly trained, jumpy and everywhere

I'd be getting a boa constrictor just to make the point.

I can’t breathe. And if l stay in the room the asthma gets worse and worse until l guess it would kill me. Even with an inhaler.

But take a likkle anti histamine to stop it happening. 🙄They make no difference, it’s too severe.

A person with severe asthma would get a fair amount of support. A person with severe dog induced asthma is villified.

One of my (many) ideas of hell. And that's without an allergy.

Do you warn candidates there will be a dog in the interview before they attend? Anyone with allergies or a phobia has a strong reaction, you're okay with that?

Haha! I have a friend who has a boa and years ago he met me for a coffee and we sat outside the cafe as it was sunny, he brought the snake along and put it around his neck. The police actually approached us and had a word with him! He rightly pointed out that there were 3 dogs also sitting in the seated area so what’s the difference. They were causing a LOT more bother than the snake (who he called Doris 🤣). “People are scared of snakes” is what the police said. I’m pretty sure tbeyr laugh if I said I am scared of dogs so can they have a word with dog owners.

The two dog friendly offices i worked in were way before Covid. it's not a new thing.....

Dogs in offices?! Jesus, I'm so glad I work from home. Can you ask to do this OP?

Yes why are crazy dog people taking it SO personally when people have allergies to dogs?

How could it not be reasonable to exclude dogs, other than assistance dogs? The only downside to excluding dogs is that some dog owners might have to pay a dog sitter if they can't train their animals to survive on their own during daylight hours.

I have to say I’d probably walk out of an interview that had a dog sitting in on it. So unprofessional and very much a sign of “we a dog friendly, so lump it”.