Over 70% of the population owns at least one pet and that number is expected to grow to 80% in the next decade. But access  to quality pet care has struggled to keep up, with rising costs and limited availability making it harder for pet parents to get the care they need. This is where pet benefits can have an incredible impact. 

But pet care benefits can help pet parents like you manage financial, emotional, and mental stress related to pet care. 

How pet parents can get support in the workplace

Forward-looking employers, like Lyft and Dayforce, are beginning to see pet benefits not just as a nice-to-have, but as a core part of a comprehensive wellbeing strategy. Keep reading to learn about the different pet benefits you could receive (or ask for) at work.

Pet insurance

• What is it? Pet insurance can help avoid big financial costs if something were to happen to your pet. However, unlike some human health insurance plans, which may cover various types of healthcare including routine exams and vaccines, most pet insurance plans are designed to help cover if they get sick or hurt.  

• How does it help? Pet insurance is a financial benefit that can help make expensive vet care, like diagnostics and emergency care, more affordable by offering cash back on eligible vet bills. 

• How do you use it? Pet insurance is great for emergencies and accidents, like if your pet swallows something they shouldn’t or needs an x-ray.

• Do you pay? Yes, usually the pet parent pays for all or part of the cost of a pet insurance plan. However, your workplace can sometimes discount or partially subsidize the cost. Companies like EY and Nestle are leading the way, already offering pet insurance for the last several years as a benefit to their employees. 

Pet wellness plans

• What is it? A wellness plan helps you save money on routine care your pet needs, like wellness exams and vaccinations, to lead a long, full life. It’s the proactive work vets do to catch illnesses early and help prevent them altogether, and it costs less than treatments. 

• How does it help? When it comes to pet benefits, reactive care is not enough to help support pet parents. Just like in humans, investing in preventive care is critical to reducing long-term healthcare costs. Because pets support our mental and physical well-being, the more we invest in our pets health the more we invest in human health.

• How do you use it? Wellness plans are especially great for puppies and kittens as they have to go to multiple visits, receive vaccinations, and may need diagnostic care in a short period of time.

• Do you pay? Yes, usually the pet parent pays for all or part of the cost of a pet wellness plan. However, your workplace can sometimes discount or partially subsidize the cost.

Pet telehealth

• What is it? Similar to Teladoc for humans, pet telehealth provides peace of mind for topics big and small by connecting pet parents to a veterinarian or vet nurse via a virtual chat or video call.

• How does it help? Over 70% of pet parents take their pets to the vet during work hours. But with telehealth providers like Airvet, same-day visits and unnecessary emergency visits can be significantly reduced.  60% of all Airvet cases are solved virtually, or avoid an unnecessary emergency vet visit. Furthermore, with immediate access to a veterinarian’s expertise, 96% of pet parents reported saving time and 90% report peace of mind, making pet care more enjoyable and stress-free.

• How do you use it? Our data shows that 74% of employees have taken time off to care for their pets, which can strain workplace resources. Save the PTO for yourself while you solve your pet’s issues with telehealth.

• Do you pay? It depends! Sometimes pet telehealth is a fully sponsored pet benefit, meaning the employee does not pay for it. Other times, it may be a voluntary benefit where employees pay a reduced cost.

Pawternity leave

• What is it? Pawternity leave is a new category for PTO packages. Employers provide specified days to care for pets, especially new pet parents who may need time off to help their new family member adjust.

• How does it help? Pet parents wouldn’t have to use vacation days or their own sick time to welcome a new pet into the home, lessening stress and allowing their family to welcome their new pet.

• How do you use it? Taking a few days off when you bring a new puppy into the home.

• Do you pay? No, this would be included in your PTO package courtesy of your employer.

Pet bereavement leave

• What is it? Similar to bereavement leave for human loved ones, pet bereavement is dedicated time off work  to mourn the loss of a pet.

• How does it help? Research indicates that the grief experienced from losing a pet can be as intense as losing a human loved one. However, many people hesitate to request time off of work to grieve the loss of a pet, fearing stigma and lack of support in the workplace. With pet bereavement, you can feel comfortable taking time off to properly care for your pet during this transition.

• How do you use it? Taking dedicated time off to care for a pet, regardless of personal vacation or sick days.

• Do you pay? No, this would be included in your PTO package courtesy of your employer.

Pet-friendly office policies

• What is it? Pet friendly office policies may include allowances for bringing a pet into a physical office, flexible hours to support caring for pets, or even a dedicated Slack channel for pet parents to share pictures, advice, and more!

• How does it help? Being able to bring your pet to the office, or having understanding about a daily walk can be helpful for pet parents who want to ensure they show up for both their job and their pet.

• How do you use it? If your office has a pet-friendly office policy you could book a daily afternoon walk with your dog without worrying about judgement from your manager or colleagues.

• Do you pay? No, this ability and/or activities would be at no additional cost to you.

Pet adoption support

• What is it? Pet adoption support is a benefit provided by companies to help make adopting a pet more affordable and approachable. 

• How does it help? Companies like Workday have Shelter Pet Subsidy benefits, where they will subsidize pet adoption from a shelter up to $150, or matching donations to a shelter.

• How do you use it? If you’re looking to adopt a new pet, this benefit can make it more affordable.

• Do you pay? It depends. The cost may be partially or fully subsidized by your employer. 

When it comes to pet benefits, there are many options that could be included in your work benefits package. Interested in reaching out to your HR team and asking for pet benefits? Use this template!