A third of animal owners shirk work for their pets

A third of animal owners confess they’ve dodged work to pander to a poorly pet.

According to a new survey, 42% of employees have lied to their boss and bagged a day off to attend to their ailing animal. One in three respondents admit that on their return to ‘full health’, they sneak off during office hours to comfort their cuddly companion.

Despite feeling guilty about it, a third of people think it should be a company policy to have time off to look after their sick pets, as the average Brit forks out £75 per year on dog sitters.

The new research, compiled by animalfriends.co.uk,  revealed that dog and cat owners use up 23% of their sick days to tend to their pets – amounting to two days every five years.

It seems that men are the most honest with their gaffers, as 63% are more likely to tell them the truth compared to just 54% of women. However, men are less likely to think their employers should give them time off for pet sickness – just 27% compared to 35% of women. And 5% of men admit they’ve taken as many as 10 days off over five years to mind a furry friend. The poll also divulged that women are more likely leave their sick pet home alone than men.

Westley Pearson, Managing Director of Animalfriends.co.uk said: “It’s nice to know that people are so attached to their pets that they’re willing to spend so much time with them – especially when their companions are ill. Our stats show that the average person is only leaving their pet alone for 6.5 hours per week – getting neighbours or friends to check on them while they’re at work.”

And 40% of 18-24 year olds have taken time off to care for a sick pet, compared to only 18% of over 55s. The younger generation are more truthful than their elders too, with just 29% hiding the secret sick days versus 41%.