When Will Pune’s Animal Lovers Get ‘Furternity’ Leave?

In a landmark initiative, a Minnesota based company granted ‘Furternity’ to allow for their employees work around their schedules and spend time with their young pets to ease their settling in process.

According to an Associated Press, the policy was inspired by this companies (Nina Hale) senior account manager Connor McCarthy, who had recently adopted a pet dog named Bentley and wanted to comfort him in his new home. He requested to his manager of making changes in his schedules so that he could work and spend time with his pet.

His request was quickly approved by the authorities, as they believed that animals were just as important to their employees as human babies, said Allison McMenimen, executive vice president for client services at Nina Hale.

Pune’s animal activists and lovers are jubilant with this initiative and shared their belief in the difference this can make with Pune365.

Mojdeh Arab Farashahi- Bodhisattva NGO says, Adopting a pet is not easy, it as tough as handling a human baby.

It takes time to care to help them get adjusted and to be able to train them.

I wish Indian companies would also encourage people to adopt pets and give them a short and convenient furternity leave or provide alternative options. Many startups in India are pet-friendly and allow employees to get their pets to work or the companies have a creche for employee pets.

There are many educational organisations, schools and corporate companies adopting pets as well. Pets are definitely therapeutic to have around and help employees and students de-stress, Mojdeh added.

Anushree Chowdary, Animal Activist, says Organisations in Pune also should provide furternity leave to employees as a pet is similar to a newborn child.

They need to adjust to a new home and also get to know their parents. Young pets do have separation-anxiety issues, so it’s not good to leave them all alone just after adopting.

At least 7 days leave or at least flexibility of work from home should be given because a furry baby is as good as having a baby and needs constant care and love.

Preeti Agarwal, Owner of Petville echoes this sentiment and says, A pet needs more love and attention especially for the first few days till they settle into the house.

It will be a lot easier for pet parents to give that required time to the young ones, if they are allowed furternity leaves.

It is a win-win situation for all, pet parents will get to spend quality time with the furry baby and the companies will have a happy and satisfied employee. After all, as the saying goes, ‘a happy employee is a productive employee’.

Natasha Asnani, Pet Baker says, “As an animal lover, I longed for the day when our pets would be accepted into society as not just animals, but as family members and an extension of ourselves.

When the news of the concept of furternity leave was announced by the Minnesota company, I couldn’t have been happier.

Not just because our pets have been introduced into society at a business level, but also because it totally makes sense. When you adopt a pet, it’s as big a responsibility just as taking care of a newborn, if not harder.

They need to get accustomed to their new surroundings. They need time to get accustomed to us. And unless we are there for them, this will never actually happen.

Nina Hale took the initiative and found a way to give its employees an incentive to work more effectively by helping them during this taxing process.

Pune Organisations should also adopt this decision and encourage people to adopt more pets. As I’ve said before, this move is a stroke of genius. It gives pets their place in society. It helps the employees during the feeling out process with their pet, and in turn, motivating them to work more efficiently.

Natasha added that, However, the truth is that Pune or for that matter India, is just not there yet. Our mentality towards animals needs to change collectively.

Animals are more than just four legged creatures. This country lacks empathy and care for animals. That’s where the problem stems from. That’s the reason why I don’t see this being implemented in Pune anytime soon.

However, there is always hope that Puneites will eventually accept that animals deserve a place in society. Only then will we see this initiative implemented here too.

Only time will tell.

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