It’s one of those questions that tends to pop up in HR inboxes when you least expect it:
“My dog passed away. Can I take bereavement leave?”

If you’re an animal lover, you get it immediately. Pets aren’t “just pets” — they’re family, confidants, jogging buddies, warmers of feet and hearts. But when it comes to workplace leave policies, most aren’t written with our four-legged friends in mind.

What the Law Says (and Doesn’t Say)

In Australia, the Fair Work Act sets minimum standards for compassionate leave (also called bereavement leave). It’s generally:

• 2 days per occasion
• For the death or serious illness of a member of your immediate family or household

The sticking point? Under the Act, “immediate family” means your spouse, partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling — or their equivalents for your partner. Nowhere are pets mentioned.

So legally, if your beloved cat passes away, you don’t have an automatic right to compassionate leave.

The Reality in Workplaces

While the law may not recognise pets as family, many employers are increasingly sympathetic. Some organisations have:

• Formal “pet bereavement leave” clauses in enterprise agreements or policies
• Discretionary leave where managers can approve paid or unpaid time off for significant personal reasons
• Flexible work arrangements (e.g., working from home for a few days)

In other words — it often comes down to your workplace culture and your manager’s discretion.

Why This Matters for HR and Managers

Pet loss grief is real. Studies have found the emotional impact can be comparable to losing a human family member. For some employees, coming back the next day as if nothing happened is neither realistic nor healthy. Recognising this doesn’t mean rewriting the Fair Work Act — it means applying empathy within the existing leave framework.

Options could include:

• Allowing annual leave or personal leave for mental health reasons
• Offering flexible work for a short period
• Simply acknowledging the loss and checking in

Final Thoughts

Legally, bereavement or compassionate leave in Australia doesn’t cover pets — but workplace empathy can. In the same way we’d want understanding during other personal crises, recognising the grief of pet loss helps build a supportive, human-centred workplace.

So, if you’re wondering whether you can take bereavement leave for a pet, the answer is:

• By law? No.
• By policy or discretion? Quite possibly — and it never hurts to ask.