#Workers choosing pets over returning to office

As companies across the country begin to return to the office, workers are finding it impawssible to leave their furry friends home alone.

An estimated 12.6 million households adopted new pets during the pandemic, according to a study by the American Pet Products Association.

But now, as the world begins to shift away from remote work, pet owners are concerned for their furry friends who have only known a world where their human is home 24/7.

A Petco survey conducted in the spring found that 69% of pet owners now fear their BFFs will develop separation anxiety.

The survey found that the majority of employees reported lower stress levels due to working in close quarters with their pets and had a positive attitude toward companies that implemented pet-friendly office policies.

While 67% of employees said they would begin looking for another job if they were not offered remote working options, 78% said they would stay if they were allowed to bring their pets to work, according to Honest Paws.

Despite the workaholic mentality that many Americans were raised on, our pets are finally getting us to reconsider. Financial analyst Gus Azusenis, 24, told Time that he used to prioritize work above everything else, but his pet helped him see life in a new light. “Getting a dog has really made me question how I’m working, from now and beyond,” he said.

Rue Dooley, an adviser with the Society for Human Resource Management told Time that while companies may be feeling pressure to initiate pet-friendly spaces, there are reasons they weren’t implemented sooner.

“The risks are too variable and too manifold,” Dooley said. “Just because it’s good for the employees doesn’t mean it’s best for the organization.”

As more workers begin to leave home for daily job duties, some pet parents worried about their fur babies have even gone as far as hiring therapists to help them cope. One NYC trainer told The Post a client spent nearly $5,000 to help their mutt adjust to non-pandemic life.

But some pet owners have taken the opposite route. Last spring, pets were being returned to shelters in record numbers as it became clear that pandemic pet owners were unable to continue to care for their four-legged friends.