Pawternity leave is a new thing that some companies are offering. Source: Days of the Year

People who have gotten a new puppy before know just how hard it can be sometimes. Puppies require a lot of attention. They will need time to get used to their new environment and bond with their owners. There’s also the matter of house training. Considering that they have just been taken away from their mother, there may be a lot of crying too. All these things make the entire situation very complicated but it turns out there are some companies that sympathize with this transition.

These companies offer puppy owners what they are calling a “pawternity leave.” The paid leave gives the pet owner some time to take care of the new puppy. A survey by Petplan shows that at least 5% of pet owners were offered a paid leave in order to effectively attend their pet duties.

Mars Petcare is one of the first companies to offer paid leave for new pet owners. Source: Go Banking Rates

Here are four companies that are offering a “pawternity leave” for new pet owners:

Mars Petcare

Mars Petcare is one of the very first companies that has offered paid leaves for new pet owners. Employees at the company are entitled to 10 hours of paid leave if they get a puppy. The company also allows its employees to bring the pets to work if they want.

Mparticle

Mparticle is a leading data platform provider and employees there can enjoy two weeks of paid leave if they adopt a rescue dog. The company says that the leave’s goal is to allow enough time for the pet’s training and walks. Mparticle says that it offers both maternity and paternity leaves to its employees and because pets are also members of the family, it would be discriminatory if they didn’t offer a “pawternity leave.”

BitSol Solutions

BitSol Solutions is a technology company in the UK city of Manchester. Company’s employees who get a new pet are offered a week off from work. The company’s CEO says that pets are like babies these days and when a new one arrives, why not allow staff some time off?

BrewDog

BrewDog gives one week off to employees who get a new puppy. Source: Business Insider

BrewDog is a brewery company in Scotland and is the latest that has started offering paid leaves to employees who get a new puppy. The staff gets one week off and the company says that their love for dogs has been an inspiration for this offer.

There’s also another new trend where companies give employees paid leave when their pet dies. For example, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants gives staff members three days off if their pet dies. Mars Inc., on the other hand, offers one day off. Other companies offer employees flexible hours. VMware and Maxwell Health are two of the companies where employees get flexible hours when their pet dies.

But a Canadian company called Shoppers Drug Mart has taken it to another level. Employees are allowed to take days off when they lose a loved one and this includes a beloved pet.