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?

I work for a major global company, and the UK offices have all been dog friendly since 2018.

This sounds bonkers to me?! I like dogs but I wouldn't want one running around while I was working....... what if everyone started bringing theirs in? Or their cats? Or guinea pigs? Where would it end?!

I had not read the bit about a customer facing desk. Don't know the nature of the business but that seems to make it more unacceptable. If it is something such as a utility or government department it is not like a coffee shop where you can decide not to go in.

I so want to take my cat to work with me tomorrow now. She can hiss at all the toxic people I work with.

Since 2011 I have worked in three offices where dogs were allowed, but I definitely think it’s more prevalent now.

I don’t think I have worked anywhere since the early 1990s that didn’t require a pre employment health questionnaire where you would state any allergy. I suspect OP didn’t disclose her allergy otherwise they surely wouldn’t have offered her the job.

There is a lot of whinging about it but whatever your views, the facts are that dogs are more frequently in office spaces, cafes, retail, everywhere so people will have to adjust to the new environment they find themselves in.

Society changes over time and this is just another change.

I absolutely could NOT work in a room with a dog. Allergies and just general dislike. I would be mortified if I started and someone had their dog with them.

YANBU I would not want to deal with dogs at work (beyond assistance) like WTF! It should have been made clear before you took on the job at interview. All this highlights though is why WFH is better (where a job can be done) as I'm all for this as well and people saving money over child care/commutes/pets/less anxiety and so on.

I would hate having dogs wandering around an office. It’s not necessary. Lots of people don’t like dogs.
It would never have occurred to me to ask about it in an interview.

If the office is officially dog-friendly that should be explicit somewhere in the advert or made known to candidates before an offer is made.

Please can you explain the allergen controls?

What is the ' good behaviour passport'?
I do hope includes proof of good flea control, worming, etc

“thanks for your response. We had hoped that this might be an opportunity for X and my son to get to know each other a little better outside of school as they appear to enjoy the time together at school and extra curricular club. If X changes his mind, let me know”

Fully agree. No way I'd work anywhere that has dogs in the office. The only exception I'd make on that is a service dog.

They should have told you when you applied and shouldn’t have hired you if you can’t be around dogs. They’re totally in the wrong for not disclosing this info.

There is a lot of whinging about it but whatever your views, the facts are that dogs are more frequently in office spaces, cafes, retail, everywhere so people will have to adjust to the new environment they find themselves in.

You can't actually be serious? The OP has an allergy to dogs and SHE is the one who has to somehow 'adjust'?!

I have an allergy to pollen, I adjust by taking antihistamines. Most allergies are easily manageable in day to day life and many people easily go about their business without fuss.

Haven't RTFT but I used to work in a very large office, and a senior manager occasionally brought their dog in. I asked if I could bring mine in, said he would stay under my desk on his bed. My manager said no, dogs weren't allowed in because of health and safety. I searched for the policy and couldn't find it, and in this office, if there wasn't a written policy then it wasn't a thing.
Told senior manager in passing and she over ruled it, making it known that everyone could bring dogs in. From then on we had about 3 dogs a week in.

To answer your question OP, the dog was there before you, so I would look for another job if it really bothers you, or you won't be very widely liked.

Wow nothings sacred is it? You can't even go to work now without having to deal with other people's dogs.
YANBU at all. I wouldn't like it and not because I have allergies, I just am not keen on dogs.
I'll never understand why this is treated like some kind of crime...why? We don't all have to like dogs.
People shouldn't bring them into the office. If you have a dog that can't be left, don't work full time, or pay for a kennels or dog walker. That's the price you pay.
All this bringing them to work stuff is nonsense, unless it's a one off event or something.
Unfortunately, I don't think you'll make yourself very popular with your colleague if you say something.
Try to move desks when the dog is in, not that you should have to. Would you consider searching for another job?

Many insurance policies don't cover dogs at the workplace unless the underwriters have specifically endorsed the policy.

Our puppy is hopefully going to be an assistance dog for DD2. We are insured with PetPlan and I had to telephone them to inform them of our intentions. They went to their underwriter who endorsed her policy with the statement that she was covered for all clauses of the policy in connection with assistance dog duties, including at the workplace.

I’d like to see what the risk assessment is for having a dog in the office. Being bitten by a dog, tripping over a dog or flea bites in addition to employees who might be phobic or allergic. I think there could be a claim there. I love dogs actually but some of the posters are so obnoxious.

It's not a particularly new thing I don't think. I worked in a few different offices 20/30 years ago, where the owners all brought in their dogs. My first job was in a converted country house, with several different dogs in situ. My second job in the local town, with two dogs. I loved it. Especially in the winter. Nothing nicer than requisitioning the nearest lab to sit under your desk as a foot warmer!

However, you should have been made aware, and been given the chance to say you were not comfortable with it.

Is it only dogs that are allowed as what about the cat people, can they bring in their cats? Then the hamster people might want to bring in their hamsters which might play havoc with the falcon people !

Sounds like a recipe for disaster!

I would absolutely hate this, OP. The only workplace I would expect to see dogs is a vets (obviously apart from assistance dogs)! I do not like dogs and would be seriously pissed off if someone's dog was placed higher in the office hierarchy than an actual.paid employee.

There is zero equivalence between the disruption caused by a reasonably behaved dog and a reasonably behaved toddler. I often dog-sit my sister's dog while I wfh and after it's morning walk it just sits quietly next to my desk all day or takes itself for a stroll to the kitchen. My DC needs constant attention and stimulation and will rightly gripe if they don't get them, so I never wfh when they are in unless someone else is here to care for them.
The error here was with the recruiting manager who didn't inform that this was the norm in that office during the hiring process.

Weird. I had to speak to about fifteen people to be allowed to take my sister's dog to visit my mum who was in a side room (so away from other patients) and was end of life and had asked to see him. Even then it was "only for a short time and he must be very well behaved" (he was, but we stayed half the day and all the nursing staff came to see him, because he's lovely, but we were acutely aware that he couldn't bark or run around, not that he would).

It certainly didn't seem like a dog friendly environment. In fact, it's odd what you say because with mum being in hospital the best part of nine months last year and me visiting nearly everyday, sometimes twice a day, I think I saw one dog (other than ours). So it's not that common in the NHS.

I'm very allergic and being in a dog friendly office would trigger asthma attacks. I would have to leave 😞 I think at the very least they should have mentioned it at your interview!

Op these answers are nuts. Of course they should have told you and you shouldn't have to leave because you have an allergic reaction (or frankly even if you were scared of dogs. It's ridiculous that you now have to take medication and risk having an allergic.
Dogs in offices is not common at all - I work in the busiest business district in the UK and have yet to see someone bringing their dog into the office.
It is incredibly selfish to bring a dog to a large office like that. I would definitely let them know you have allergy and you now have to take medication, it's really unacceptable.
The majority of people do not want dogs in office, bad enough they seem to be in most restaurants now.