Time off work when your dog passes

[Arabiannights01]

I just think that I love my dog more than most humans and when it is her time to leave, I will be a distraught- mess for a while, I don’t think work will want a sobbing mess in front of customers. There should be a system where you get some kind of compassionate leave imo.

What if you had 12 pets? What if you were emotionally attached to your hamster or gerbil? Where does it end?

That poster doesn’t seem particularly worried about whether it’s paid time, but resents having to fill in while parents tend to their sick children. What else are parents supposed to do? I’m not even sure what sick children have to do with dead pets, but it’s one for the bingo card. Mention dogs and someone will always compare them to children.

I told my boss that I wasn't coming into work the day my cat was due to be put to sleep. I'd spent the whole night crying. It was May 2020 so covid was around. I literally had to hand her over to the vets as not allowed past the foyer. Take her out of her basket, put her in their basket, pay by holding bank card up to a glass door, and leave. Absolutely heartbreaking... I called in sick the day as well. I'd have been no use to work as my eyes were so sore and tired from crying, I could barely see. I don't get sick pay. But needed the time off.

Everyone was very understanding as nearly everyone has or has had a pet.

Whatever next, 🙄. Umm no I don’t think you should get leave if/when yr pets die. Your pet, your responsibility no one else’s.

I can't believe how empathy shy some people are!

How much time would I got off of work if my hamster passes? Does it depend on the size of the pet and their life expectancy?

I don’t feel bad taking time off if I’m not safe to practice. I graft, but I’ve also had 2 months sick leave for my husband’s death, and I think a day’s leave twice for deathbed vigils for my mum. If I felt really unsafe to work after a pet died I’d probably take sick leave but I’m a cold fish where animals are concerned so probably won’t need it.

Exactly this. When my grandparent died a few years back, my lovely boss told me to take what time I needed. Everyone was very surprised to see me turn up after 1 day off. I enjoyed that job. Was part of a small office (5 of us) and it really give me that normality I needed. If it were to happen today where I don't enjoy my job and work from home, being stuck on a laptop all day feeling down with no uplift from doing the job I would not have returned so quickly. If it were to happen years prior when working in a bar, again I could not return quickly. Could not have faced the public and put on a happy face.

There are too many variables with the whole thing. I get it would be too hard to police who were genuinely grieving. I know people who use the sick pay allowance as their holiday allowance. There are some with compassionate employers who will give them time off regardless what is written in a contract. Then there are some, as seen here in some of the comments, who don't get that a loss of a dog can leave you grieving so much you wouldn't be fit for work anyway. But then these bosses that seem cold may have been burnt already with the genuinely work shy as the example I give around sick pay. Unfortunately the lazy lot ruin it for those who would use the compassionate leave only when it is needed.

I have only had 2.5 days off sick in 10 years, but know if I need this compassionate leave for my dog in the future, I may be seen as work shy by many of these heartless posters who see things in black and white

I went back to work 2 weeks after delivering a 21 week baby ( 1 week under what they classed as still born )
If I thought somebody took more leave than me for a dog dying …

No no no. Ridiculous idea.

I don’t think it’s unusual to take time off but I agree it can be annual leave as opposed to bereavement leave

I’m sorry you had to return to work so soon, after a really difficult experience, but it’s not a competition.

And frankly I’ve known plenty of pet owners who were far more invested, responsible and loving than some of the lazy, inattentive and unfit procreators out there.

Don’t denigrate the feelings of pet owners without taking a good hard look around at today’s human parents.

Don’t denigrate the feelings of pet owners without taking a good hard look around at today’s human parents.

Bingo🤣🤣

You are being unreasonable and I say that as someone who has always been an animal lover and who will definitely take time off when my cats eventually die. Bereavement leave is only granted for the closest relatives. For example when my aunt and uncle die I will have to take annual leave despite being very close to them. As another poster says, when does it end

Obviously it depends on the bond you have with an animal, not the size. Bonding is a two way process and cats, dogs, horses, you are more likely to form a close bond with.
So size isn’t really an issue although I did have a couple of rats who behaved very much like mini dogs.

Definitely not unreasonable, especially when the death is sudden and unexpected.

Years ago, a colleague took a day off work when their budgie died. To be honest, I did think that was a bit strange, though I am not a pet person. In fairness, it was annual leave; I don't think they would have expected compassionate leave for that.

Really 🙄

Parents are supposed to have Plan A, B, C and D in place, so their coworkers and employers don’t end up paying the price.

it’s no secret that kids get sick and need to miss school, nursery, etc. so plan for it

I can't speak for the poster you replied to, but no, I wouldn't have taken a day off if there had been a day to be used for that specific purpose. I was sat in front of a computer btw. The very few people I have worked with who wanted time off took annual leave.

No-one is saying people can't have time off, although I don't see why it's necessary myself, but they can take annual leave.

I actually agree with the poster you replied to - there seem to be a lot of work shy people!!!

What are these plans that don’t involve looking after their own children? I don’t think there’s anything beyond Plan A unfortunately. Any ideas?

How does that work in reality?

One of our dogs will be 17 in about 6 weeks time, we've been on the 'he could kark it at any minute' watch for probably the last two years. He trundles on happily, he will absolutely do it expensively over a bank holiday weekend I am certain... How does one keep AL that one can take at zero notice, for a long period like that?

One of our dogs dropped dead a few days short of her 2nd birthday, it was traumatic, she screamed and died. I can't go into the details even now and this was 8 years ago. That fucked us both up for weeks, we were both a total mess.

How do you plan in advance and have AL in hand for that? I was absolutely not capable of doing my job (that is, working with dog owners, talking about dogs and specifically puppies and young dogs).

I am really fortunate that I am self employed as a sub contractor and there is a team that can and will cover for emergencies - not everyone has that.

This attitude that work trumps life is why we have such a mentally unhealthy population. Shit happens, it affects humans and their ability to do their jobs sometimes, they should not be penalised for that nor treated as if they're defective!

Being born isn't really a choice though, is it?

How would this new type of leave be funded?