Oz company introduces "pet-ernity" leave for staff to take care of pups!

Melbourne, February 1 (ANI): An Australian company has decided to grant its staff a "pet-ernity" leave if they want to look after their newborn pups and kittens.

Virgin Mobile workers, who have worked for the company for two years or more, will be allowed to take the special leave allowance to take care of their new pet, which is required to be 10 weeks old or younger.

However, the five unpaid days off cannot be made available to those wishing to introduce animals other than new puppies and kittens, such as snakes, rats, turtles, fish and iguanas.

"I will be using it. I am introducing two new puppies into my household in about four months' time,'' the Daily Telegraph quoted Virgin Mobile's human resources director Angela Foskett as saying.

She added: "There is probably not as much need for pet-ernity leave for fish or rats, although we do have quite a number of people in our call centres who have snakes as pets. They are not as high need or high maintenance.'' (ANI)