Sick as a dog
Released 04/02/2010
Pet sick leave costs UK businesses £18m a year
British businesses are losing £18m a year in lost workforce hours, according to a report by LV= pet insurance, as thousands of staff take ‘pet sick leave' either to look after their sick animal or to grieve because their pet has died.
The UK is well known as a nation of animal lovers with nearly half of all adults in the UK owning a cat or dog and new research reveals that ‘pet sick leave' is having a significant impact on business bottom lines across the country.
One in 10 dog or cat owners interviewed said they had stayed at home to nurse a sick pet, while a similar number (11%) had stayed off work because they were so upset after their pet had died.
The 1.1m pet owners who called in sick last year because their dog or cat was ill or had died, each took an average of 2.4 days off.
But rather than admit the truth to their employer, nearly a quarter of those who took time off for their pet (24%), told their boss they were staying off work due to their own ill health.
Of the more honest pet owners wanting time off work, nearly half (46%) opted to take precious holiday leave, while one in eight (12%) were given compassionate leave by their bosses.
Close to half of those whose dog or cat had died (44%) said they grieved for their lost pet as severely as they would for a best friend or relative. A further one in five (19%) confessed that they didn't feel they would ever get over it.
Of those bereaved cat and dog owners who did make it into work, more than a fifth (22%) admitted they had been upset and unproductive in the workplace. One in eight (13 %) said that they had not been able to concentrate at work at all.
Emma Holyer, LV= pet insurance spokesperson, said: "It's clearly an upsetting time when a beloved pet is sick or dying, and this report shows that many people suffer as much they would for a friend or relative. This has a significant impact on employers across the UK, as staff take time off because of their pets."
Belinda Hall, counselling services manager at Medicals Direct Group, which runs a bereavement helpline on behalf of LV=, said: "The pet bereavement counselling service is designed to assist pet owners come to terms with the loss of their animal. Callers can access the service at any time of the day or night and their call is completely confidential. Losing a pet can be an extremely painful time and the staff on the helpline are trained to offer support and advice to help callers through the grieving process."