My manager was off today because her dog died on Saturday morning.

[IwishIwasacaterpillar]

Am I being an arsehole to think this is a bit ridiculous?

It seems like it sets a precedent. I have three cats, will I get a day off each time one of them dies ?

I think this is one of the cruellest and most unfeeling comments I've ever seen on here.

It doesn’t really matter why you don’t get why she took the day, the point is she needed to.

I’d assume, with that in mind, she would extend the same courtesy to you if you needed a day after losing a pet.

Being a manager doesn’t magically make you impervious to human emotion, by the way.

It's not a competition
People deal with stuff in different ways

This comment is breathtaking. You really, genuinely shouldn’t be a pet owner, particularly of a dog who require an immense amount of love & affection. You speak of them in such a chillingly passive manner 😨

I was given a day off- I needed more as he had been with me every day for 13 years.
That’s all my manager gave even though I was in bits and crying all day at work.

However when his dog of 5 years was pts he gave himself the week to deal with it.

I worked with a woman who had 2 weeks off when her dog died. Utterly ridiculous.

Yes you're an arsehole. Their mental health is important

I'm sorry you have a lot of upsetting stuff going on in your life OP. I've got a lot going on in mine too, that and general life experience has made me realise that work is not the be all and end all, your empoyer doesn't care about you and you owe them nothing bar giving them a fair amount of work in return for your wage. But don't ever put their wants above your own mental health, they will never appreciate you for it.
If someone needs time to recuperate from a difficult event, then they should take it, I don't understand judging others for doing this.

My company allows a day off for animal/pet bereavement. Pets are part of the family, I’d be devastated if my boy died.

YABU. Everyone deals with loss differently and you don’t know how much this dog would have meant to her.

My SIL desperately tried to get pregnant for years (including IVF). After her final miscarriage, my SIL and BIL decided to get a puppy. When I say this dog is her LIFE I’m not exaggerating. I hope her colleagues have more compassion than you when her dog eventually passes.

My sister needed a day off because of her cat because she was a right wreck and was not functioning. She is never off sick and she gets massively stressed about not working before she goes on leave. She didn't even take a full day off for our grandparents funerals, just half the afternoons.

Everybody is different. I don't have pets because I couldn't cope with the thought of them dying. You're not a bad person though for questioning it, so don't think that. It's harder to feel empathy at times when you've got your own shit going on. I hope it gets better for you.

This just makes you sound like a dick OP. Just because she’s a manager she shouldn’t feel bad for her pet dying?

How so? I'm merely highlighting that everyone has their problems.

when my dog dies, I will cry none stop for a week and more & possibly need bereavement therapy! 14 years of love of a family member (how I see him) is not something I can turn off tears for! I have a full attendance record, I went to work the morning after a miscarriage but not the death of a pet.

Surely we have to draw a line somewhere. I can understand that when sad news arrive, you may need a few hours to compose yourself. So well done for providing for that emotional support to your subordinate.
OP here is talking about a dog that kicked the bucket on Saturday! They have had the whole weekend to mourn the animal.

Asking If it’s ridiculous for someone to take time off for the death of a pet is like asking if it’s ridiculous for someone to take time off for poor mental health or depression. Or do you not believe in that either? Glad I don’t work with you.

You cannot compare a goldfish to a dog.

I know when my old dog died it brought up a lot of grief about my Dad that I fully wasn't expecting. When my little dog died in traumatic circumstances, both DH and I took 3 days off because we were dealing with our traumatized children. So, you can't just dismiss it as "her dog died and she's being a twat". Grief is grief.

I’m a dog person and I think it’s a bit much to take time off for it yes.

I'm pretty heartless so none was more surprised than me when my dog died and I had to take two days off. I couldn't stop crying and was having full blown panic attacks. Conversely when my dad died I was back at my desk same day. You just don't know how grief can affect people differently. Yes, you might get some people taking advantage but for those in genuine distress we should extend compassion surely?

Exactly. All these people having sick days for kids and compassionate leave for grandparents they never knew.

i knew one person who had 2 weeks paid leave when a neighbour died. It’s getting ridiculous now.

most workplaces have 2 weeks bereavement leave.

You don’t think it’s traumatic to watch your own pet die and not be able to fix them? Then continue at work in the exact room you just injected him
to end his life? Of course that’s traumatic!

Yes, you're an arsehole.

Christ. Some of these replies are shocking.

Honestly I think so many replies to my post were disgusting. No wonder so many grieving owners say they are being silly/are blatantly trying to hide how hurt they are when the end is near.

It makes me feel so sad. I didn’t realise how awful some people were.
I never had grandparents but I can still sympathise with someone who has just lost one