UK employers offering paid 'paw-ternity' leave

While United States businesses can’t agree on a paid maternity leave policy, the United Kingdom already has moved on to the next level – fur parents.

A handful of UK companies now offer their employees paid time off – or paw-ternity leave – to take care of their four-legged dependents.

Officials estimate 60 percent of people in the U.K. own some kind of pet.

The benefit period can be as short as a few hours to a couple of months, depending on the pet’s needs and the company offering leave.

Read more from USA Today.