A third of animal owners confess to '˜throwing sickies' to tend to poorly pet

Nearly half of all animal owners confess that they've pulled a '˜sicky' to pander to a poorly pet.

A poll of 2,000 pet-lovers found that 42% have lied to their boss and bagged a day off to attend to their ailing animal.

And 33% of respondents admit that on their return to ‘full health’, they sneak off during office hours to comfort their cuddly companion.

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Despite feeling guilty about it, a third of people think it should be a company policy to have time off to look after their sick pets, as the average Brit forks out £75 per year on dog sitters.

The new research, compiled by animalfriends.co.uk, revealed that dog and cat owners use up 23% of their sick days to tend to their pets - amounting to 2 days every 5 years.

But it seems that men are the most honest with their gaffers, as 63% are more likely to tell them the truth compared to just 54% of women.

However, men are less likely to think their employers should give the time off for pet sickness - just 27% compared to 35% of women.

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Five per cent of men admit they’ve taken as many as ten days off over five years, to mind a furry friend.

Westley Pearson, Managing Director of Animalfriends.co.uk, said: “It’s nice to know that people are so attached to their pets that they’re willing to spend so much time with them - especially when their companions are ill.

“Our stats show that the average person is only leaving their pet alone for 6.5 hours per week - getting neighbours or friends to check on them while they’re at work.”

The poll also divulged that women are more likely leave their sick pet home alone than men.

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And 40% of 18-24 year olds have taken time off to care for a sick pet, compared to only 18% of over 55s.

The younger generation are more truthful than their elders too, with just 29% hiding the secret sick days versus 41%.