Employee Gets Pet Fox, Big Stink Ensues, Boss Calls Her Out, She Complains

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mattstaff
Jul 18, 2021 9:00 PM EDT

Something is awry in this scenario. Of course, people should be encouraged to embrace whatever pet they've chosen to add to their home. Even if it's something atypical like a pet fox. But if you decide to roll with the fox for your pet, it sounds like you've got to go the extra mile to ensure that you're not carrying around that fox's stink with you wherever you go. Unfortunately, this employee assumed a defensive stance when she was called out. 

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  • 01
    Font - 1 e 2 3 7 4 AITA for threatening to terminate an employee if she doesn't surrender her pet fox? Not the A-hole For context, I work in Engineering and am a manager of 4 employees, out of 40 or so at our office. A while back, one member of our team was talking about how she was planning to get a pet fox. I didn't think much of it - I looked it up and they're legal in our state.
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  • 02
    Font - She apparently got the fox about a month ago, and has been sharing pictures of it frequently with others (including keeping one on her desk), but we've also been noticing several problems. Firstly - when she first got the fox, she was missing from work quite often. She was leaving early, taking 3- hour lunches, and arriving late almost every day. She was aware of it and apologized, saying "sorry, I had to take [the fox] to a vet 1 hour away " or "sorry I'm late, [the fox] peed on me this
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  • 03
    Font - But then the other issue - the bigger issue now - is the smell. After she got the fox, I got a couple of complaints from others that she smelled bad. I only noticed it at times, but it was definitely there. Most notably on that day when she said she was late because she had to re- shower when the fox peed on her - I'm not sure if she actually showered, but it certainly didn't smell like it. But more recently, it's become almost constant. When she walks into the room you can smell it. Even
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  • 04
    Font - I had an uncomfortable conversation with her about it a week ago and said it was becoming a problem, and she seemed very upset and promised that she's showering right before work every day and washing her clothes frequently to make sure it's not an issue. But again...over the past week it's gotten much worse, not better.
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  • 05
    Font - So after talking with my supervisor for advice, on Friday I had another talk with her and told her the issues weren't really improving despite her efforts and that something has to change, and it seems like it's impossible for her to meet attendance and hygiene requirements while caring for a pet fox, and if this doesn't change, we would have to consider firing her. This made her very upset and she started crying and saying how heartless that was, and how I was unappreciative of everythin
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  • 06
    Rectangle - I do feel bad for making her that upset, but I wasn't sure what else to do...l'm wondering if I handled it correctly. AITA? tl;dr Employee got a pet fox, now she's late for work and stinks all the time, I threatened to fire her, she sees this as heartless 12.5k 1.2k 1, Share
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  • 07
    Font - Focus on the behavior (being absent from job and unpredictable about whether she'll be there when expected) and let her sort out the root cause. The smell of the fox is going to linger though which is why a lot of rescues won't let people adopt until they can prove that the smell is something that is compatible with their lives G Reply 4 385 ...
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  • 08
    Font - NTA - but your wording is confusing. If she surrenders the fox but keeps coming in late and smelling, you would still fire her. The fox it appears, is no fox at all but a red herring. You are threatening termination to an employee that is becoming habitually late and has grooming issues that mean she is bothering others with her smell. These issues need to be fixed and it is reasonable to terminate someone for failing to do so. G Reply 3.5k 3
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  • 09
    Font - 3 Awards NTA - Fox urine is enough to clear a stadium of people. Seriously, it is horrific. And while I get that it's "legal" for her to own a fox, it's completely unethical and horrible for the fox. Maybe - MAYBE someone with a lot of land and money who is available all day could care for a wild animal properly, but someone working a regular 9-5 cannot. G Reply 4 17.0k 3 ...
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  • 10
    Font - 3 Awards If you phrased it as "Get rid of the fox or you're fired," then YTA. If you phrased it as "You must be here consistently on time and not stinking up the place in order to continue working here," then you are completely in the right. The fox isn't the issue. Her lack of attendance and vile smell are the relevant points. When she started crying that you were mistreating her "child" you could have easily said "Hey, I don't care if you adopt a whole DEN of foxes. Knock yourself out,
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  • 11
    Font - Glamma1970• 17h If you want to fire her, start the paperwork NOW. Write her up for her tardiness and absences. Write her up for the poor hygiene and keep track when fellow co- workers come to you about her smell And do not say "get rid of the fox or get fired" You must say "you've been late 10 times in a month and gone 2 times and co-workers came to me about your body odor 6 times. I'm sorry, but that's unacceptable. You are fired" G Reply 4 64 3 ...
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  • 12
    Font - I hate to say it, but NTA. While I don't know if you can require her to surrender a pet, you can use pet-related incidents as a reason to terminate her. If she's unable to perform her job or if she's interfering with the ability of those around her to perform their jobs, then I think you did what you had to. Foxes are cute, but they're not housepets. Their urine (so l've read and heard) is unbearable, and they can't be housebroken. G Reply 1 321 ...
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  • 13
    Font - No_Proposal7628 · 17h NTA. The employee has been coming in late, leaving early and taking 3 hour lunches. You say she's improved somewhat but is it enough for management to be okay with it. The smell from the fox is bothering the other employees a great deal no matter how much she cleans her clothes or showers. You really don't have the right to terminate her for having the fox or the right to tell her to surrender it or you'll terminate her. You do have the ability to terminate her for b
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