Some companies offer pet bereavement leave too.

There's also a growing trend to offer employees time off when their pets die. Losing your furry friend is devastating, and more and more companies are sympathising.

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in San Francisco offers three days leave, Mars Inc offers one day and flexible hours, California-based software company VMware and Boston-based Maxwell Health both offer flexible days, and Trupanion, a Seattle-based pet insurance company, offers employees one day. Canadian company Shoppers Drug Mart lets employees take days off if they have a loss in the family, and they say that includes a beloved pet.