Staff pets

Re: Staff pets

Ashley Rubens — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 21:08:45 GMT

Here the two branches with offices are generally overrun with dogs, all have a trial period and especially badly behaved dogs are banned, but we're lucky to be a rural practice with plenty of opportunity to get them out to burn off any energy and a very low staff turnover so the pack is stable (most of the dogs have been coming since they were puppies) and to have separate staff rooms for people to eat / hide from dogs in! Does mean the main office had to be rearranged to reduce the hours wasted plugging wires back in after stampedes under the desk... Have to agreeing with Michael though, to an extent, in that the decision on which dogs are banned is made by senior staff and the very worst dog belongs to the senior partner! I did locum once at a practice where dogs weren't allowed, a couple of vets had dog walkers for £5-10 a day who would take their dogs for an hour at lunchtime, so actually a dog ban at work need not be a barrier to having one if it's causing upset to the OP!

Re: Staff pets

Alet Engelbrecht — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 20:11:52 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]You would all hate me- not only do I bring my dogs in every day till lunchtime, I also bring my children in the school holidays and sometimes after school if my dad isn't around!!! [/quote]

Don't worry, Julie - I am one of the brats that grew up in a veterinary surgery (my mum's). Be prepared that at least one of your kids may follow in your footsteps... Start saving!

Re: Staff pets

Bob Russell — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 17:59:01 GMT

Our office generally has one or more dogs in. No real problem.

Re: Staff pets

ChrisBVSc — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 17:04:31 GMT

I work in 2 relatively small branches, and staff are allowed to bring dogs in as long as their behaviour is appropriate & the boss is happy with it. The only reason they wouldn't be is if the dog was known to be a problem, or caused problems during its trial period. Several dogs are regulars up in the staff/office areas but due to fairly low staff numbers & part time staff the dogs don't often overlap with each other. One or two of them can be a bit of a pain if you're having lunch but they can easily be shut in another room! Seems to work well on a common sense basis here, but I can see how a big practice could have problems & decided to impose a ban!

Re: Staff pets

Julie Innes — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 16:07:55 GMT

You would all hate me- not only do I bring my dogs in every day till lunchtime, I also bring my children in the school holidays and sometimes after school if my dad isn't around!!! To be honest, it's (child/ dog-care) one of the reasons I decided to set up my own practice. My locum vet often brings her dog in as well- the dogs are kennelled and I see no problem with it (we have spare collapsible cages too in case we need the room). I am a little surprised that so many animal-loving vets don't like having animals around, to be honest!

Re: Staff pets

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 14:11:25 GMT

One of my ex-bosses sometimes brought his ill-disciplined toddlers in-------------aaarghhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wynne

Re: Staff pets

Alet Engelbrecht — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 12:41:37 GMT

Personally, I did not mind staff animals as much as I did clients' (and occasionally staff) children!

As a locum that travelled a lot, I could not have my own dog and I enjoyed the interaction and lunch time walkies with some staff dogs. One dog wasn't very nice, though - so I understand your point!

Re: Staff pets

bob lehner — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 10:46:52 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]nd the room smelled 'doggy[/quote]

Indeed - I visited a practice a while ago - two fat, greasy labradors in the staff room - goodness knows what was wrong with them, but the smell was truly rank (pseudomonas ears I suspect).

Staff dogs in communal areas area are generally a pain - they invariably occupy the most comfy seats, they beg for food and may be malodorous.

One of my colleagues had a typically psychotic border collie - our staff room was up a flight of metal stairs and as I was always in a hurry I would race up the stairs, making a considerable noise with my galumphing size 12 boots. The nutty dog developed a phobia about this and would try and bite my ankles whenever I entered the room. Another collie had OCTD (Obsessive Chucking Toys Disorder) and would endlessly pester everyone to play with it.

Best banned I'd say.

Re: Staff pets

Dagmar Steele — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 09:35:03 GMT

I have a small surgery and I am the boss. I bring my two dogs to work, they stay in the office/staff room. Both are well educated and sleep on their beds at my feet as long as we work. Staff members are allowed to bring their own pets as long as they behave and don't cause any havoc. One of my techs had a very aggressive American Bulldog which had to stay in another room as she would bite my dogs otherwise. nonstop barking dogs would be banned, I am the boss after all... Bear in mind though that we are only four people and most of the time there's only two of us here at the same time. It would be another cup of tea if we were ten or more I guess!

Re: Staff pets

Wren — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 09:22:26 GMT

My two dogs come to work with me all day every day but generally stay in the car. I am out and about in the car most of the time so it's not an issue. They actively choose to come with me and get much more interaction/quick 5 minute walks than they would at home. I would feel uneasy leaving them at home for such a long time (although I know the rest of the general population has to cope!). Very occasionally they come and sit in my office if I have a lot of paperwork to do but they never move far from my feet. A lot of the other staff bring dogs - some have beds behind reception (gated so they can't wander around) and some go out in a run. It's not a huge issue.

Re: Staff pets

Holly Norman — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 09:22:02 GMT

At my previous practice, I was allowed to bring my dog in as long as there was space (it was up to me to check op schedules etc and leave her at home if no dog kennels available) and as long as she stayed in a kennel and I cleaned the kennel daily. We wouldn't have been allowed to have dogs loose in the office or communal areas. At my current place, I could bring my dog in but won't, as there isn't the space. She now gets taken out by the dog walker on days when both me and my partner are out all day. Costs me an arm and a leg but I think that it shouldn't be a right to bring dogs to work, should be a privilege! And yes, if my boss brought his dogs to work... well he's the boss, it's his practice!

Re: Staff pets

An On MRCVS — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 07:18:15 GMT

I agree with Michael too - but none of the staff who bring their dogs in own or have financial share in the practice. I just have the dubious benefit of being younger. Another vet has been with the practice two years less than me but can bring their dog in...

Re: Staff pets

Mark Holmes — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 23:00:58 GMT

I would agree with Michael - if you own the kennel do as you like with it! Although occasional staff days seem fair (so many per year) if staff run into temporary logistical problems.

Re: Staff pets

Rob Loxley — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 22:57:05 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]Otherwise follow the rules.[/quote]

Fine if the boss makes a rule that is different for themself, but the if the rule is 'nobody' brings their dog to work they should follow it?

Re: Staff pets

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 22:20:18 GMT

Anon - see my reply to the thread.

Re: Staff pets

An On MRCVS — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 22:04:55 GMT

The point that annoys me the most is 'one rule for one, one for another' with staff pets. I live alone and would like a dog for company. Several senior staff members bring their dogs to work to run riot in the office and kitchen all day, yet I am definitively not allowed to bring a dog to work with me. Hence no dog for me as no one at home to let it out, and I work too far from home to pop back. Seems grossly unfair to me! (Nor original poster)

Re: Staff pets

Rob Loxley — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 20:28:33 GMT

No pets unless they're in for an appointment/op reason - we've just not the space. Most with dogs live close enough and organise themselves to see them at lunchtime, or are working part time.

Re: Staff pets

Hanna Bennett — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 19:42:01 GMT

oh, and the dogs spend the day in our study not staff room.

Re: Staff pets

Hanna Bennett — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 19:41:17 GMT

My version of leading by example is not leaving your dog alone at home for twelve hours a day. And given we have 40 staff members i'm with Gillian that there is a recipe for disaster if everyone brought their dog in. The rest of my staff work nine hour days and know they will finish on time, I know I'm likely to be there much longer than that and don't have anyone else to let my dogs out for me. Personally I consider it a perk for all the extra hours I put in.

Re: Staff pets

Mark Holmes — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 18:46:27 GMT

If you want to take your dog to work get a van with a sliding side door and get an internal kennel door fitted. It's very easy to build in a kennel so the dogs can stay in the van. If you are worried about the internal temperature leave the van door open. Why should your employer provide kennel space?

Re: Staff pets

Gillian Mostyn — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:35:17 GMT

We have had a couple of issues, so, as a rule, staff cannot bring their animals to work on a daily basis.

- one former nurse used to bring her Golden Retriever in to our smaller practice and leave it in the staff room/kitchen - although she was lovely she would beg constantly and the room smelled 'doggy' and was literally coated in hair. The rest of the staff started taking their breaks in the office.....

-a different former nurse (the 1st one's replacement) brought her 2 dogs to work. We thought we'd learnt our lesson- and told her they would need to stay in the walk-in kenel. They barked whenever someone went past and were a nightmare for the other (ill) patients.

Staff can only bring them in if it is for a handover, workmen at home etc..., and so far this has worked out fine. My own opinion is that a good dog (mine included) would rather be at home on the sofa than stuck at work anyway!

Re: Staff pets

Mark Hedberg — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:33:27 GMT

It's not a question of 'guilty party' or not - it's the point of 'you need to obey your own rules' - if you're ok to bring your own pets in, your staff should be allowed to. Certainly you can make exceptions for that but leading by example is important.

Re: Staff pets

Marie Kubiak — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:21:16 GMT

[quote user="Liz white"]Good for you Wynne,after all who would want to be a vet if it was impractical to have their own animals?

[/quote]

Surely that's not the employers concern - I don't have a dog/rabbit/bird because I know I can't, as an owner, provide the level of care needed as I work long days. I don't see why my employers should be expected to compensate for this. So I have cats and reptiles that I don't need to inflict on anyone else as I can manage their needs without relying on anyone else's support.

If all our staff brought one of their dogs in we'd have no free kennels for patients. Great for blood donor recruitment in an emergency but a massive inconvenience for 99.9% of the time. And as a less reasonable argument, but still relevant, I really wouldn't appreciate having my precious break time interrupted by the staff pets trying to steal my food/climb on my lap etc.

Re: Staff pets

Liz w — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 16:46:17 GMT

Good for you Wynne,after all who would want to be a vet if it was impractical to have their own animals?

Re: Staff pets

Gillian Mostyn — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 16:35:29 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"] I allow staff to bring dogs in, and think it's mean not to do.[/quote]

hang on Wynne.... we can have up to 10 people working in the main practice at any one time - if one person can bring their dog, everyone can. Simply not feasible - or fair to the dogs! Not everyone owns jack rats and pugs!!!