Woman Gets Paid Leave To Care For Her Sick Pup

Dog mom, Anna, lives in Italy and was recently allowed to take time off of work to care for her ailing Old English Setter named Cucciola.

Anna had found out that her supervisor at Sapienza University in Rome had marked the days off as vacation days and reached out to the animal advocacy group, Lega Anti Vivisezione (LAV) for help. With their help, Anna made her case and brought it to her employers. The University reversed their stance and gave Anna two days of paid leave for the time she was at home with Cucciola, 12-years-old.

Cucciola had had surgery and needed to be cared for afterward – since Anna lives alone, she had no one she could ask for help. LAV said that if she had not stayed home, Anna could have faced charges for animal mistreatment and abandonment under Italian law! The laws are known for being incredibly strict. After getting documents from the veterinarian to attest to the needs of Cucciola, the university granted her the paid leave.

Gianluca Felicetti, the chairman of LAV, said that this ruling is a step forward for animals. People are starting to realize that animals are not just pets, but members of the family. Some companies even offer health insurance for pets and offer paid time off for employees who adopt a new pet, and paid leave after a pet passes. LAV is hopeful that the word of Anna’s case will set a precedent for other employers in Italy.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay