[heehee61]

A death of a pet IS a "death in the family" for me. I have my human kids and I have my hairy kids. Would you leave you children sick at home without anyone to care for them? Particularly if they have head injuries? But of course this depends on how strongly you feel about animals. For me, having a pet is committing yourself to caring for a living thing that depends on you. My dogs and cat are my other children.

[rnin02]

I haven't had to yet, thank god, but I totally would. I had a coworker who left work early once to help her mom whose dog had died. Pets are family too!

[justme1972]

I've called out sick for my dogs before...one I was about to leave, took him out to "do his business" and he came back with blood all over his rear...sorry, that is a pet emergency!

I was very honest about it...and I look at it this way...it's perfectly legit, if you don't take your animals to the vet during a bona fide emergency, technically, you can be charged with animal cruelty

[Hospice Nurse LPN]

No. I haven't even called in but once in the past 8 years and that was the morning my aunt passed away. Calling in just puts too much pressure on the other staff.

[pixlpn]

yes, I called off work one night when my golden retriever was giving birth. My DH could'nt handle it so someone had to be there with her. She's my baby. Turns out she only had 2 and kept both of them. one big family.

[rnanm]

Our pets are a member of the family and I would not hesitate to put one of them first if the need were there. I do however have a network of pet loving colleagues and we provide vacation care, medical care and emeregent care as needed. We cover each others shifts and find this service is invaluable. Might I suggest you look around your unit and see if you could initiate one for yourself.
Hope your Kitty improves.

[RNperdiem]

Very interesting post and responses. I wonder what the responses would be like if posted in other countries outside the USA.
I remember a friend of mine from Korea who just didn't get the concept of pets. Animals that live in your house seemed a strange and unhygenic concept.

[evilnightwitch]

I would call off, you should not have to give explaination.

[Sheri257]

I would have called out sick but, didn't because I needed to work so I could pay the vet bill.

[elle112253]

Yes, I have. I run a small shelter and my animals are my kids. I've rescued what others have thrown away, some sick, some not. Just because they have 4 legs and a tail doesn't make them any less worthy of getting good nursing care from the nurse that saved them from a certain death. I too, would not explain my absence, just use a personal day off. After all, that's why they're called "personal"...........Elle