A new bill moving through the New York City Council would eliminate at least one major stress point for pet owners in the city.
A bill just introduced would allow people to use their paid sick leave to take their pets with them if necessary. Supporters believe the bill would change current law and help improve the mental health of city residents who own pets.
City Councilman Sean Abreu, who represents parts of the Upper West Side and West Harlem, said the change does not specify which species would be affected, only that they would be considered “legal pets.” He said it was only limited to “companion animals.”
“There is no denying that we are facing a mental health crisis, and one of the best ways to address it is to make pet ownership more accessible.” said owner Abreu.
If passed, the bill would amend the city’s current paid vacation and sick leave laws. The law guarantees workers at companies with 100 or more employees 56 hours of paid leave per year for personal illness or to care for a family member. Employees of small businesses are given 40 hours.
This move would be almost completely unprecedented. Most companies only allow employees to take time off for personal or family reasons. Some employers across the country have voluntarily changed their policies in recent years to give people more time to care for the needs of their pets, including bereavement.
But traditionally, asking your boss for time off to go to the vet is generally uncharted territory.
“Pets are not people. I don’t know that you can take time off to take care of a pet. That’s unreasonable,” said Conrad Kuo, a second-year pet owner from Montville, N.J. says. – Old Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
Others objected and thought it was the same as parents taking time off for their children.
Chelsea’s Mia Toledo said: “I think it’s fair. It depends on the severity of the illness, but it’s natural to take time off for a sick child.”
Only a small town near San Francisco has a similar system, but even then the law only applies to the care of service animals.
