Dogs in the workplace

[Strumpetpumpet]

i work in a fairly small open plan office. One of the directors has taken to bringing his dog into work - not every day, just on days when he can’t get a dog sitter. I have some allergies though mainly to cats, rabbits etc though some dogs have affected me in the past, but I’m just not a dog person, I’m not used to them and I don’t particularly like them, and I don’t think it’s appropriate to have dogs in the workplace obviously apart from guide dogs. If I had known there would be a dog in the office I wouldn’t have taken the job. Do I have any rights to object or should I just start looking for another job?

We have two dogs at work. In the past they were allowed to roam around as they please.
I don't like dogs and when I told them to please put them on a lead the owners got quite offended at the fact I didn't like dogs. I wasnt popular and I know people made jokes about it. I spoke to the manager and now they are kept on a lead, as long as they don't come near me they don't bother me.
Speak to someone and tell them openly about your allergies.

That's completely shit. I wouldn’t have taken the job either. It's crazy that it even has to be a consideration!

I don’t think it’s appropriate to have dogs in the workplace obviously apart from guide dogs

Service dogs not guide dogs. There are many more types of service dog than seeing dogs.

I don't think it is appropriate to have pet anythings in a workplace, but that's just an opinion. There is nothing in law that prevents it. You may have a case to argue if you can show an allergy to dogs under H&S legislation. But honestly - this person is a director, and I am not sure how wise it would be to stick your head above the parapet on this one unless there really is signioficant risk to you. Easier to get another job.

Loads of dogs in my office. It is always mentioned at interview that we are dog friendly workplace so people have the option to not join if they wish but no one ever has. Most see it as a positive and bring their dogs in too. There is no legal requirement to not have dogs in a workplace so I don’t think there is much you can do op.

What would your manager say if an employee started bringing his/her child to work on days when he couldn't get a babysitter?

Thank you all, I know I’m not the only member of staff who finds it inappropriate but no one else has dared to raise it so I guess I might just need to start looking for another job. Might be easier said than done, I’m in my late 50s and had hoped this would be my last full time job 😢
Sometimes I’m quite glad I’m old as the world is getting stranger by the day. I’ve always considered myself fairly liberal and tolerant but never dreamed I’d have to consider dogs in the workplace 😬

It's not a new thing you know. Nearly 20 years ago when I was an office junior one of the senior staff members used to bring her dog as she lived a fair distance from the office. I used to walk the dog for her.
No one mentioned it at interview either.
I have sympathy for your position though x

Probably that dogs and children are different? You wouldn’t find a child that would happily snooze in a bed under your desk for most of the day, nor could you pop your child in a crate when you were going into a meeting and ask your colleagues to keep an eye on it…..

I do wonder where this would come under health and safety at work legislation. It might not directly apply to you in this case OP (as you haven't suggested you are allergic to this dog) but I know people who would have significant problems (asthma) with a dog in the same room.

Does anyone know what would apply?

I don’t trust people who don’t like dogs (with exception of those with a phobia)

ny general - non statistically valid - experience is that those who like dogs are kinder. But of course I’ve met horrid who like dogs and kind people who don’t - it’s just a generalisation.

a dog in office is a massive plus for me

I hate it. I really love dogs but I can't stand them being at work and 4 places I've last worked in had them.

I'm in my late 60's and there have always been some dog friendly workplaces. Not saying I support that or I don't - just an observation/ My dogs have always come to work with me - but initially they were working dogs so went everywhere, and latterly service dogs who also go everywhere.

I'd hate that OP, not a dog person at all and would feel on edge the whole time.

What's the director like? Would he be ok with a cheery "to be honest John I'm just not a dog person, and then I have allergies as well. Would you mind keeping him away from my desk?". Sometimes it's better to tackle these things directly and informally before speaking to HR.

Can you or do you want to work from home OP? Just wondering if it was amenable to you to work from home a few days a week you use this to ask for that adjustment on the basis a dog in the office is triggering allergies? And you need notice of when dog is in to plan your wfh days? Not worth asking if you don’t want to or it’s not to your benefit in any way but it would mean there would have to be a discussion about how they resolve this for you

Every sympathy - workplaces are not the place for dogs. Are they under control or wandering about, I would hate to be sniffed, licked and jumped on by them as I am trying to do my job. If they are under control I might be ok with it on occasional days.

On a separate note, while I do like dogs (vis CollieDug), I also think there are places where dogs should not be. A recent visit to a favourite bookshop was marred by a dog pooing on the shop floor in front of me.

Is it open plan? I have a dog and I can't work out how it would work in an open plan office, he would be wandering around annoying everyone!

I think that should be mentioned in the job advertisement, not just an interview. I like dogs but know plenty of people who don’t. It’s totally wasting their time to apply, prepare for and attend interview if there are dogs roaming around the office.

We use the same two recruitment consults or word of mouth through existing employees. It is made clear to everyone before they attend interview. I don’t want to waste my time either!

I prefer dogs over humans. Personally wouldn’t care about dogs in the workplace. There’s a person at work who brings her dog in. No one cares. The dog is happy and no one has complained.

Is the director also an owner? I would just ignore the cat and take some more antihistamines if it was me.

It works fine. I have my own office so technically, they are with me. They never are though! I actually don’t see them much during the day. They are usually under someone else’s desk (by invitation) sat on someone’s lap, “attending” a zoom meeting etc. One (massive burly) man takes turns on which he walks to the shop with him at lunchtime to get his sandwich. Appreciate the fact that op doesn’t like it, but a lot of people do.

We had a therapy dog in training turn up.at work. I'm not a dog person, and just avoided it, but did say sonething when it turned up in the kitchen as I was reheating my lunch. About a month after that, it found an alternative place for socalising.

I used to work in an office with a dog. She was a very lovely dog and extremely well behaved but she was very smelly and she shed hair a lot. There were meant to be three of us working in the room but everyone apart from the owner found the smell unbearable. Two of us had to find other spaces to work in which was not always easy. It was far from ideal.