Anyone who has a new puppy or kitten knows it takes time for them to settle on. "Pawternity" has been making headlines in the news as a modern concept. A few select employers, such as Brewdog, allows its staff to take one week's paid leave.Brewdog is the pioneer of this trend; it has allowed staff to take their dog into the office and its pubs are dog friendly. Other companies either allow owners to work from home or take the dog into the office until they're housebroken. Staff who take pawternity may use this instead of maternity if they do no not have children.
Pros of pawternity:
If you have a kitten or rabbit, you can quickly train them to use a litterbox. Cats can also also use a catflap to let themselves out of the house. If you do use a catflap, make sure it's a microchip one.
You can also use this time to find a pet sitter in the longer term. 1 week will give you long enough to do a meet & greet and arrange bookings before you return to work.
Older dogs and cats who have had prior training will take less time to settle in. You can walk a dog around the neighbourhood, register them at the vet and get them used to sleeping arrangements within a week.
Cons:
Because you only get 1 week, this means that a puppy cannot be housetrained in this time. Puppies can be left alone for up to 4 hours; you can use a crate during the time the puppy is alone. Puppies under 4 months can hold their bladder up to 2 hours, and up to 4 hours under six months.
Furthermore, your pet will still have to wait inside until their vaccinations are complete (if they're still young). This will prove more of a challenge for dog owners since cats are more independent, and can exercise and toilet themselves without supervision.
Conclusions:
Pawternity is fine for a short term solution, but dog owners in particular will need to consider walks and home visits once their week is up. Not every employer will be able to provide pawternity, but it's a step in the right direction.