The presence of pets at home is increasingly widespread, for example in our country there are around 65 million dogs, cats, birds and fish which make our days much happier.
Anyone who has an animal knows perfectly well the joy it feels to share days and experiences in its company and among the most widespread desires is that of never having to say goodbye to the pet. The pain of losing your pet who has been by your side through thick and thin can be profound and for many it is a moment to experience in solitude.
This need to face pain or in any case to have a moment of contemplation before saying goodbye forever to one’s cat, dog or any other pet has entered the center of the political debate in Chile. In the South American country, the possibility is being taken into consideration to grant a day’s leave to those who go through this tragic experience.
Paid time off for pet care: what the law says
The idea was born from a social appeal
The proposal called the Duque law was born following an appeal on social media launched by the television host José Antonio Neme, who, following the loss of Duque, his 10-year-old French bulldog, addressed the political world directly.
In the post, the presenter invited the authorities to enact a law so that those who have lost their pet can experience a day of mourning to honor their memory and experience the pain.
The reaction of the political world
José Antonio Neme’s appeal did not go unheard, indeed it found some supporters such as the deputies Daniella Cicardini, Daniel Manouchehri, Pamela Jiles and Diego Schalper.
In fact, they proposed the Duque law starting from the assumption that the animals present in the home are to all intents and purposes members of the family. For this reason, just as it is possible to grieve when a loved one dies, so must it happen when a pet passes away. According to MP Manouchehri, the disappearance of a pet is an unspeakable pain and for this reason we must have the necessary time to process it adequately.
If the law is approved, in Chile you will be able to have one day of work leave and a justified absence from school in the case of students. To have all this, the deputies know well that the Labor Code and the General Law on Education will still have to be modified. Furthermore, to obtain the permit, pets must be present in the national register.
If given the green light, the law will represent an important step forward in recognizing the central role of animals in people’s lives.
Original article on Today.it
