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What’s driving the surge in pet-related workplace benefits? What do the policies include—and who’s pushing back?
From “paw-ternity leave” to pet bereavement time, companies are offering an expanding menu of pet benefits, sparking debate over whether employers are going too far in accommodating workers’ relationships with their pets in the United States.
Continue reading to learn more about the increase in pet perks and why some are against them.
The Growth of Pet Benefits
In recent years, companies have introduced an array of pet benefits to support employees’ relationships with their animal companions.
1. Pet insurance. More than a third of large US companies offered pet insurance in 2022—a 22% increase from 2017.
2. “Paw-ternity” and “fur-turnity” leave. A growing number of companies provide paid time off for new pet parents, offering leave ranging from 10 hours to two weeks.
3. Pet bereavement leave. California, Illinois, Maryland, Oregon, and Washington have pet bereavement policies that give paid time off to employees who lose their animal companions.
4. Pet sick days. A recently proposed New York City Council bill would amend the city’s paid sick leave law to include care for pets and service animals, potentially enabling millions of private-sector workers to use existing paid sick time for their animal companions. Lawmakers haven’t defined exactly which types of pets qualify.
An Increase in Pet Ownership
Americans’ relationship with pets has fundamentally shifted as traditional family structures evolve. While the percentage of households with children has dropped from 48% to 39% since 2000, pet ownership has soared, with 62% of Americans now having non-human companions.
Millennials are driving this transformation, representing both the largest segment of the workforce and biggest group of pet owners at 35%. Their influence has pushed companies to reconsider traditional workplace benefits. The dramatic rise in pet ownership parallels a fundamental shift in pets’ role in American life. As their role has evolved from primarily functional—providing security, for instance—to offering emotional support and companionship, organizations are exploring how these relationships could benefit the workplace.
The Case For and Against Pet Benefits
Supporters point to research showing that pet-friendly policies strengthen companies’ branding, attract prospective employees, and improve work culture. Experts say they also boost worker morale, engagement, and retention.
The Benefits of Pets
Our bonds with our pets give a notable boost to our emotional health. Your dog or cat learns your habits and facial expressions. They also establish daily rituals for greeting you when you get home from work. These moments of connection boost your moods and make you feel more calm. Researchers have found that having a pet can help people cope with negative emotions like stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Even petting a dog or a cat can prompt your body to dial back its stress response, which can reduce the anxiety you feel. The emotional bonds between you and your pet are further reinforced by oxytocin, the “love hormone,” which increases in your system and your dog’s when you look into your dog’s eyes.
Experts say that our pets are valuable sources of emotional support. There’s a reason why people don’t necessarily feel like it’s lying to call their pet an “emotional support animal,” even if they don’t have the anxiety or depression that emotional support animals are shown to ease. A pet’s companionship can reduce isolation and loneliness, give you a sense of belonging and connection, and help you feel more present and mindful. But more than that, taking care of a pet can feel meaningful and can even give you a sense of purpose or “a reason to live and focus on the future”—which can have a profound effect on people struggling with depression and perhaps even help those experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Pet Benefits Are Going Too Far
Critics, however, worry that pet-related leave policies would increase companies’ operational expenses, forcing them to pass costs on to consumers through higher prices. Some argue that such policies can create workplace inequity by giving pet owners additional time off that workers without pets can’t access. Moreover, lengthy pet-care-related absences could unfairly burden team members covering colleagues’ work. Finally, some contend that mandating pet care benefits shouldn’t be a priority when many workers still lack paid sick leave.
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