Companies offering 'pawternity' leave for new pet parents

Managers decided animals were just as important to employees as human babies

Companies across the country are starting to offer "pawternity" or "furturnity" leave ... which is paid time off for new pet parents.

An employee at a Minnesota marketing company recently asked for a schedule adjustment after he adopted a puppy.

Managers then decided that animals were just as important to their employees as human babies, which led to a change in policy, allowing pet owners to work from home for one week to bond with their new addition.

"We really wanted to focus on what would make their life better, what would enrich their family time, what would make for a better day today living working environment for them," said Nina Hale CEO Donna Robinson.

"Having Bentley understand, 'Hey, outside is where I go to the bathroom is a big deal,' Also, him understanding where he sleeps at night and his place in the house, that was really crucial," said new pet owner Connor McCarthy.

The policy doesn't apply for pets in cages or tanks.