Daniel Espeland

Feb 13, 2024

When it comes to bereavement leave, there are generally standardised policies and procedures in place, often coupled with government intervention to ensure employee wellbeing. Employees' time off to grieve can vary depending on the circumstances, especially if travel and time are needed for sufficient planning and funeral arrangements. HR teams are on hand to offer flexibility and support. But what about pet bereavement leave?

We’re here to guide you through a situation that is more common than people expect, how to balance compassion with the loss of a pet with the parameters of workplace protocols.

The impact of pets on your employees

In the UK alone, about 57% of households (16.2 million) have pets, totalling 38 million furry friends, and with the rise of the younger generation favouring pets in lieu of having children, this number is expected to rise. For some, it’s another member of the family. For others, it’s their closest loyal companion and best friend. In fact, the valuation of the UK pet care market has continued to climb, reaching £7.2 billion in 2022, showcasing the importance of our pets. Dogs can be part of our lives for an average of 11 years, cats an average of 15 years, a significant portion of our lives where we build attachments and memories.

The pandemic drew further attention to the necessity of positive mental health, and we saw an influx of employers adopting mental well-being days, apps, and hubs like Ownleaf for counselling resources. COVID also saw pet adoptions skyrocket as we sought out connection and emotional support, with an estimated 3.2 million adopting during this time. Some employers have even introduced “paw-ternity leave”, a set amount of time off to help a new pup or kitten settle into their new home.

Pets have even been identified as a productivity booster, with dog-friendly offices on the rise, and seeing the odd pet stroll in to be an unofficial part of the Zoom meeting. Pets have been widely considered stress reducers that encourage health benefits outside work, such as exercise and fresh air. 

Therefore, the loss of a pet can have a detrimental impact both in and out of the office. Grief, in all its forms, affects our ability to perform, concentrate, and interact with our colleagues. So why should we treat the loss of a pet as an exception from these effects?

How can employers handle pet bereavement leave?

So, how can employers establish a system for handling pet bereavement leave? A termination of employment following a pet bereavement leave request led to an online petition featured in the CIPD calling for a change in employment law.

Unlike dealing with the death of our friends and family, planning the funeral or cremation of a pet takes significantly less time, and support can often be arranged through their vet. Families may also choose to bury their pets in their gardens to keep them closeby. All of which may take a matter of days.

Most employers offer their staff a set number of sick days, which include time off for physical and mental impairments if they are unable to do their jobs. Could we provide employees with the option to take sickness days to allow them to recover from Pet loss? We’ll cover some suggestions to help you identify the best plan of action for your employees.

Are you struggling to break the taboo of death in the workplace? Our guide can help you overcome the barriers to effective communication.

Why shouldn’t you offer pet bereavement leave?

There could be a case for this paid time off being unsuitable for a pet bereavement leave and could be taken advantage of or abused. Companies suffering from existing issues, like short-staffed or strict deadlines, could be negatively impacted by important staff members taking time off to grieve a pet. For non ‘pet-people’, it may also be an alien concept to grasp and struggle to relate to their loss.

We must consider the ripple effect this may have and the perception of the company’s culture and care for employee wellbeing. Being refused a day off to bury their furry family member could lead to disgruntled staff, poor morale, or in extreme cases, push staff members to leave the business. They are unlikely to be able to perform at their usual levels as they are mourning and have been refused time off. A manager offering a day of compassionate leave with the option to extend to sick leave if needed so they can make necessary arrangements and mourn their loss makes a better impression and prevents a sour taste.

Tips for employers

If you have nothing outlined in your employee handbook on how to handle pet bereavement leave, we’ve gathered some helpful tips on handling this situation:

• Open communication: Grief affects people differently, so ensure you discuss how much time the employee needs and align this with the leave you’re able to provide. Some employees may prefer not to take time off at all.

• Embrace sensitivity: For some, pets represent more than a companion and offer significant emotional support, so opt for a sensitive tone and avoid dismissiveness of their loss.

• Share resources: Consider integrating helpful pet grief resources (see below) as part of your handbook and create a system in place

• Remember to reciprocate: Caring about your employees’ well-being and promoting a supportive company culture will help you retain your staff and ensure they work optimally.

Useful resources

Should you, or someone close to you, be suffering from the loss of a pet, here are some helpful resources to offer support during this difficult time.

• Blue Cross

• PDSA

• RSPCA

If you’re interested in offering your employees complete care for bereavement, including pets, book a demo with us today. One of our friendly team members will walk you through the essential toolkit you need to break the taboo of death in the workplace.