I'm sure all pet lovers can agree that losing your furry friend is a pain akin to losing a family member.
Yet that being said, if our pet passes away we're expected to go into work the next day and get on with our jobs - in the UK at least.
Now, pet lovers in Australia could soon be entitled to time off to care for sick pets and for grieving.
The move has received backing by union and grief councellors in Victoria, where some companies are already implementing the pioneering policy.
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Ivana Stachowicz, from Melbourne, told Seven News she is still struggling to deal with her grief after having to put down her 10-year-old pooch Tia.
"It's been really hard to process and find comfort," she told the news service.
Victorian Trades Hall Council, the representative body of trade union organisations in the state, is supporting the push for pet bereavement leave.
"As trade unions, we will always stand in solidarity to support working people who are fighting for things that are important to them," secretary Luke Hilakari said in a statement in Daily Mail Australia.
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"For many people, pets are dear loved ones and losing them can be emotional and traumatic.
"We understand why some people will need time to grieve the loss of a pet, and bosses should show compassion and decency to support them to do that."
Australia are a nation of pet lovers, with one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world. According to the RSPCA, a massive 62 per cent of Aussies own pets, meaning there are an estimated 24 million pets in the country.
Dogs are the most common pet with 38 per cent of households owning one (that's 20 dogs to every 100 people), and cats are the second most common with 29 per cent of households owning one, making that 16 cats for every 100 people in the country.
According to research, 13 per cent of Aussie households are planning to get a pet in the next 12 months.
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