These Companies Give Staff Paid Time off When They get a Puppy

Anyone who has gotten a puppy before knows that it can be a tough transition. Much like a baby, puppies need time to settle into their home and bond with their new parents.

And then there’s housetraining and the constant peeing, pooping and getting into trouble. They can be a pretty big handful.

Some companies have sympathised with this transition, and have offered paid leave known as “pawternity leave.”

In fact research from Petplan found that 5% of owners have been offered paid leave from their job to adjust to their pet owner duties.

Pawternity leave is offered to any employee who’s just adopted a new dog, cat, hamster or whatever other type of pet they want.

They can use this time to help their new friend settle in to their home, attend vet appointments, or just hang out all day cuddling.

As you’d probably expect, the majority of companies offering the work perk are pet-themed companies. This includes Mars Petcare (they make pet food including pedigree and whiskas), who offers ten hours leave.

However, there are also non-pet- themed companies which offer this deal, including tech company BitSol Solutions and brewing company BrewDog. They offer a whole week’s paid leave to bond with your fur baby.

They believe pets are part of the family, and you should have time to welcome them in.

What do you think? Great idea or ridiculous?