The startup company Scratchpay is giving its employees another reason to adopt a shelter pet: five days of paid leave.
Scratchpay, which helps veterinary clients pay for pet health care, joined a small number of companies that offer so-called pawternity leave. Industry giant Mars Petcare, for example, grants 10 hours of paid leave when an employee gets a new pet.
Scratchpay goes a step farther by issuing vouchers good for in-home obedience training.
Co-founder Caleb Morse advocates pet adoptions, saying he and his wife found their cat in a trash bin.
“We were fortunate enough to be able to pay for his medical bills, but it was a really tough experience,” Morse said. “I still remember being exhausted the next day at work.”
Company CEO John Keatley agreed that bringing a pet into a household requires an adjustment period.
“When our people adopt, we want them to have the time they need to help their pet settle into their new home,” he said.