Is this an office or a pet shelter?

The BBQ Pit
1

Ahem. At the office meeting two months ago, we took a vote on getting a cat. Two of you voted for it; three of us voted against it. So why do we now have not one but TWO kittens?

And who’s paying for all the stuff these kittens need? Cause if it’s coming out of the office budget that’s designated for supplies or salaries, there are three of us who are going to be mightily pissed off. We’re already over budget - God knows we hear that often enough - and now you’re going to pay for cat toys, food, kitty litter, spaying, and declawing? Care to explain how?

We have some clients with delicate health that quite possibly should not be around animals. (I phrase it this way because I do not know which, if any, of our clients have allergies. That’s not my function in this place and in fact would be an invasion of privacy for me to investigate.) Also, we have other visitors - applicants, board members, and so on. Is it necessary to take the risk of someone having an allergy attack for you to have pets in the office?

And Lord, the bathroom. What a delightful sight to have the litter box - which you promised you would clean before leaving today and then didn’t - placed underneath the sink in full view of everyone who uses that bathroom.

Last but not least, your cats have the run of the office. This means that those of us who do not care to have kittens leaping up on us and snagging our clothes and then strolling around on our desks before settling down on our paperwork have to keep our doors closed, which hinders not only air flow but causes staff members to think we are not available when we are needed. If you want the cats that bad, then why not make the effort to keep them with YOU?

And a special note to the boss - who’s in charge here? If you were going to grit your teeth and get pissed off because cat #2 was added to keep cat #1 company, then why didn’t you make your feelings clear in the first place instead of allowing the secretary to do whatever the hell she wants? Grow a pair, man; it won’t hurt her to have you actually assert some authority once in a while!

I have dogs at home. The key words here are at home. Take your cats there, and keep them there, where pets belong!

2

Cats…

…they’re NOT just for breakfast anymore!

3

Kittens in your office? That’s just plain weird. If the secretary wants cats so bad, she should have some at home. Pets in the workplace are okay if you’re a pet shop; if not, it just ain’t right.

4

Although cats in a warehouse do make a certain amount of sense (if they’re mousers).

5

Please ask your co-workers to help take care of them, or take them to a no-kill shelter. I do agree that pets belong in homes as opposed to businesses, with the exception of vets or small shops.

6

Our local comic shop has a shar-pei behind the counter but she’s obedience-trained, leashed, not allowed out among the customers and merchandice, and she’s the owner’s dog. The OP’s situation sounds like someone’s just being plain inconsiderate for the sake of having cute kittens about.

Suzene

7

I have to admit that I like shop cats. However, I’m aware that there are many people who are sensitive to cat dander, and so it’s really not a wise business decision to keep cats in the workplace. Kittens are adorable, but very distracting, and can cause all sorts of problems.

8

I work in a hardware store, and we have a cat. She’s great - I get along with her better than the other employees! Anyways, sometimes customers complain about their allergies or the cat scratched their kid or she’s in the way, or whatever. Well, tough titties, people. She lives here! If you don’t like it, you can leave. Oh, and don’t let your three year old pet the nice cat when it’s got it’s ears back.

Having said all that, my boss got the cat, so at least he had the authority.

9

Suse, I agree with you.

Cats? In an office? What sort of work do you do? If it’s not something to do with animals, it’s inappropriate. I would be very put off by it if I were a customer.

10

I adore cats, and I think it would be charming to have kittens in the office, but since most of the people there don’t want them I think you’re perfectly justified in your irritation.

11

I’m with matt_mcl. There’s a bookstore in town called the Wee Book Inn who have at least one cat at every store, which I think is great. OTOH, not everyone needs one, especially if the boss vetos the idea. :eek:

12

I hope your boss has a shitload of liability insurance. If somebody’s three-year-old gets a good scratching, and his or her parents decide to make an issue of it, the settlement is going to cost the store owner plenty. Sounds like a “tort-in-waiting” to me.

13

Our company provides supported living services to people who have disabilities of one sort or another. This means that we have many consumers who are medically fragile, in wheelchairs, and/or cannot speak or write. Although the consumers do not spend a great deal of time in our office, it isn’t unusual for them to visit.

(Our office - which was selected by the secretary - isn’t handicapped-accessible, either. But that’s a different rant.)

A couple of the businesses I frequent do have workplace pets, but they make sure that notices are posted and that the pets are leashed or otherwise kept away from patrons (the library cat doesn’t care to hang around people and spends most of its time curled up near the fireplace). Accommodations are also made for those who have allergies. None of this is being done or even considered in our office.

I didn’t have an issue with the aquarium, because it was already in place when I started this job. I didn’t complain about the cost of having the tank cleaned, or replacing the fish that all died because the guy who cleaned the tank screwed up. But this isn’t Noah’s Ark, it’s an office. And she needs to realize that.

14

We have a similar problem with dogs. The site manager brings his two dogs to work every day, and leaves the office doors open so they can come and go at will. In the winter, so we’re all bundled up trying to work in our offices, and in the summer the A/C is running full blast all the time.

The irony here is that I also bring my dogs. It’s a construction field office, and it’s not unusual to have dogs on the job site. MY dogs, however, stay put in the back of my truck or strictly in my (separate) office.

I actually work for a different company, and I am the one that pays the electrical bills on the building. None of the other manager’s employees had the guts to request that he leave the doors shut. They would complain to him, but he’d just say, “well, I’m the manager here.” Who cares if the eldery secretary is freezing, obviously your dogs are much more important. I had to rescue the water delivery guy the other day because he was afraid of the dogs. I have personally tripped over one of them who always lays like a speedbump in the middle of the hallway.

So, armed with last month’s electric bill, I requested and required that he keep the doors shut. Solves one problem, but not the liability issue. What a pain in the ass! If you can’t keep your pets from bothering people, leave them at home!

15

Well, I never even knew of an office or job where you could bring your animal companion. That’s a good thing. Can you keep out people you don’t like.

16

I don’t know much about your place of employment, but isn’t this in violation of the ADA laws?

17

Not necessarily. Older existing facilities are given some leeway. New(er) construction and rertofit of existing spaces are where ADA regs mainly can be enforced although circumstances vary.

See -
The Americans with Disabilities Act: A Primer for Small Business

18

There is a store here called the Book Bin that has three cats running around. It’s cute and makes a very comfortable atmosphere.

19

Y’think?

Man sues council for library cat’s alleged assault on his dog

20

Ever seen the map of library cats?