'Just move back in with your parents': Employees Refuse To Leave Dogs At Home For Allergic Associate, Boss Demands She Work From Home

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Aug 1, 2023 2:00 PM EDT

We don't know what we would do if we were allergic to doggos. They're practically our one source of joy in this world. But unfortunately for this employee, this happens to be the case. Soon after the long work-from-home period that we all experienced, people in her office started bringing their dogs to work. She's allergic and lives in a tiny studio apartment that is not conducive to working from home. She refuses to work from home, and all of her coworkers refuse to stop bringing their dogs.

Her boss says that "It can't be that bad" and "Who gets migraines from the smell of dogs?". Her coworkers, mad that they can't bring their dogs, tell her to do trivial things to save money to move into a bigger place so she can work from home like, "Stop ordering food" or "Stop buying Starbucks", as if these things actually will solve the issue. Scroll down to read this doozy of a Reddit Thread below!

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  • 01
    Font - AITA for refusing to work from home, so now people can no longer bring their dogs to the office?
    via u/nomoreofficedogs
  • 02
    Font - Hi, I'm a 32f. Here it goes: Everyone working in the office, dogs were never even an option shut down, working from home People trickle back in, and they are allowed to bring their dogs to ease the transition My group stays back for another year. Everyone's finally called back to the office I'm allergic to dogs, and the smell gives me migraines. Huge bummer, because I do like dogs, but it explains why in one foster home I was always feeling sick. Boss says we'll figure something out.
    via u/nomoreofficedogs
  • 03
    Font - People with their own offices are not willing to give them up. Boss tells me that maybe it's best if I work from home. I live in a tiny studio that barely fits my bed, and I have to sit on it or on my floor to have a workspace. I have one window. It's suffocating and I was starting to go crazy living there during the pandemic and WFH. So, I say that if I can negotiate a raise that will be enough to help me to move to a larger place, I will consider WFH. Boss takes that to their boss, come
    via u/nomoreofficedogs
  • 04
    Font - I say I'm not going back to WFH. Boss insists it couldn't be as bad as I'm saying and that everyone had to make adjustments. Mind you, boss and most of my other coworkers live in houses that they own, most have huge backyards, entire rooms to dedicate as an office, etc. So of course they don't think it's a big deal. I stand firm, and remind them that someone can give me an office, but no one would. So unfortunately, everyone has to stop bringing the dogs to the office. Coworkers and other
    via u/nomoreofficedogs

    There are so many solutions here that no one is taking. For example, if one of the people with a dog would give her an office, everyone could bring their dogs! It's not her fault at all, it is the employees who are making the situation worse for themselves

  • 05
    Font - When I've told people about the tiny apartment and how I can't afford more, they say things like "just move back in with your parents" "just stop buying starbucks" and "start doing uber/uber eats after work" and "move to X suburb" even as though I'm CHOOSING to be in this position just to spite them. Others have been like "why can't you just take a claritin" and tell me making up the smell causing migraines. Each of them has a suggestion about how I should go out of my way to make all the
    via u/nomoreofficedogs

    Wow, wow, wow. People can be really harsh sometimes! As if any of these small changes would alleviate the problem. It's her office, she should feel comfortable working there too. We understand wanting to bring your dog to work, but let's be realistic and nice to everyone, okay?

  • 06
    Font - mrs_rabbit_0 1 yr. ago · edited 1 yr. ago this needs to be higher. what does "AITA" mean? because you are NTA here. you deserve to use the office. dogs are not part of office culture for a reason (the possibility of one peeing on a carpet, for example). so, you aren't the asshole. you are right and within your legal rights. but this "win" isn't going to help you. your office is full of entitled people ("take on a second job for my personal comfort!") and your office life will be hell. you
    via u/mrs_rabbit_0
  • 07
    Font - EDIT: I understand that this sub is to get a reality check, and as such OP's takeaway should be that she's in the right. OP, I also understand how frustrating it is to come here for help and get told to "change jobs!", because if that were an option you probably wouldn't be asking internet strangers for advice. but I do want to reiterate that even if the situation at work changes, it will remain a hostile environment for you. I'd suggest going to the ADA and looking at animal allergies an
    via u/mrs_rabbit_0
  • 08
    Font - it's your workplace's responsibility to provide you with the tools you need to perform that work, and that includes a space to do so. you should not be forced to work in a place that affects your physical and mental health (ie your apartment...sitting on the floor can't be good for your back). it's also your workplace's responsibility to accommodate your health requests, and asking for dogs to *not* be in the office is more than reasonable. I'd guess that in a couple of months people will
    via u/mrs_rabbit_0
  • 09
    Font - but until dogs stop coming to the office, your employer has to take your health into account. there's a number of compromises that could be reached: dogs are only allowed in certain areas of the office (and the office provides pet daycare), or your employer arranges for you to work elsewhere (some satellite office?). maybe all the dog owners can pay for you to have a coworking space. I would love for you to say "hey, I can't take antihistamine on a regular basis for health reasons. but wo
    via u/mrs_rabbit_0
  • 10
    Font - niennabobenna • 1 yr. ago Professor Emeritass [97] ΝΤΑ If they want to be with their dogs so much, one of them should make the sacrifice of giving up their office or they should be given the option to work from home. 4.2k Share
    via u/niennabobenna
  • 11
    Font - 4everawikkid1. 1 yr. ago NTA. Dogs weren't permitted pre- pandemic, they shouldn't be permitted now. Yeah, it sucks leaving the fur babies at home, but it is what it is. I may be out of line with my thinking, but this could technically be considered. discrimination (because of a known medical condition) - maybe the threat of an EEOC complaint would straighten your boss out? 2.6k Share
    via u/4everawikkid1
  • 12
    Font - bissastar 1 yr. ago Certified Proctologist [21] Exactly. Why dogs can't come into the office shouldn't be spread around. The boss's job is to take any medical considerations seriously, tell everyone they can't have dogs in the office, and be done with it. I'm an instructor at a university, and if I were to tell the class about any student's personal issues, I'd be in a big trouble, and rightfully so.
    via u/bissastar
  • 13
    Font - [deleted] 1 yr. ago S NTA. But I'd start looking for a better job. People are in an office and they won't get over this. Your environment there is only going to get worse. 15.5k Share
    via u/[deleted]
  • 14
    Font - Euphoric-Round-5182 1 yr. ago Partaipant [3] While you are NTA....(as a person who has three dogs and would love the opportunity to bring them to work!)....just be prepared that being not the is not the same thing is 'everyone decides OP is not the and becomes immediately nice to OP.' People are gonna be mad and gonna resent you. And even if everyone is totally on their best behavior and doesn't do anything actionable to you, hostility is hostility. And that's going to be a suck work envi
    via u/Euphoric-Round-5182
  • 15
    Font - DimiBlue 1 yr. ago . I'd be nipping the issue in the bud and inform HR they need to advise staff the issue is now closed and it not to be discussed further.
    via u/DimiBlue
  • 16
    Font - 1000% NTA. This is your health. I love dogs too but I would not bring mine to a place that would cause someone else discomfort. I occasionally bring my dogs to work. However, I always let coworkers know that they are coming and ask if it is ok. When we hire new staff, I ask them how they feel about dogs in the workplace. If it made one single person uncomfortable, I would not being the dogs. (Fortunately, we are all dog obsessed, so it's all good!) It is not as easy as "take a Claritin."
    via u/sawta2112
  • 17
    Font - [deleted] 1 yr. ago . ΝΤΑ BUT I would suggest you be very prepared for a hostile work environment. The way you wrote it pretty much suggests YOU vs WHOLE OFFICE type of situation.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 18
    Font - LoveBeach8 1 yr. ago · edited 1 yr. ago Prime Ministurd [444] ΝΤΑ Dogs shouldn't be allowed to go to the office every day. It's not fair to the dogs or everyone else at work. They can be a distraction, have an accident on the floor, some of them need to be taken outside more often than employees get a regular break and their fur/slobber/odors can be off-putting as well as cause allergies for other people. What if some of the dogs don't get along and there's barking and fighting when every
    via u/LoveBeach8
  • 19
    Font - EDIT: Check your company's policy on bringing pets to work by asking HR. The Labor Laws should be posted somewhere at your office. Read them over and see if there's anything applicable.
    via u/LoveBeach8
  • 20
    Font - ΝΤΑ Also this is an unpopular opinion but as much as I like dogs I really dislike the trend of people bringing them everywhere. I'm allergic to dogs. My reaction is a massive asthma attack. Pet dogs in the office and other shared indoor spaces puts me in a position where I have to be the buzzkill so I don't have a life threatening emergency
    via u/Mighty_Fine_Shindig
  • 21
    Font - Ok Job_9417. 1 yr. ago Colo-rectal Surgeon [48] NTA - dogs do not have a place at work unless it's a specific pet environment. It never should have been allowed to "transition" to begin with. Allowing dogs just seems like a horrible idea to begin with. Are they active? Walking them? Feeding them? Pooping accidents? Chewing on equipment?
    via u/Ok_Job_9417
  • 22
    Font - Key-Bit1208 1 yr. ago Colo-rectal Surgeon [42] ΝΤΑ You didn't ask to have this allergy and you tried to find a reasonable accommodation with the company. If everyone else is so desperate to have their dog with them at work, why don't they WFH?
    via u/Key-Bit1208

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allergy animals dogs boss demands refuse work work from home wfh reddit thread
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