It is VALHADEN’S (here-to-in, referred to as VHN) policy to provide a safe and healthy work environment for all employees, visitors, and animals. In accordance with this, all animals are prohibited from all VHN facilities, with the exception of animals who have first been authorized by a VHN Upper Management member. "Facility" means any VHN-owned or leased facility, including the associated parking lots, grounds, and common areas. In order for an animal (Primarily dogs) to be authorized, a completed Animal Resume form is to be submitted to a VHN Upper Management member, the animal is to pass an interview, and its owner must sign the Animal Waiver of Liability form. 

The Animal Resume requirements include the following: The animal is owned and housed by its owner for at least 30 days, current on vaccinations including DTP and Rabies, parasite-free, spayed or neutered, and licensed. The animal interview will be looking for some of the following: The animal has good hygiene, does not exhibit aggressive behavior toward other animals, humans, or with regard to food, would not be disruptive to co-workers and/or inhibit work productivity, and does not bark excessively.

This policy applies to all employees, contractors, and visitors of VHN facilities. This policy covers all areas and businesses of VHN's domestic and international business operations. This policy is provided for the health and safety of employees and company facilities by restricting animals in the workplace as follows:

• Unauthorized animals are not permitted at any VHN facility, including the parking lots and grounds.

• Employees and visitors are reminded that bringing animals to work and leaving them in a car is neither appropriate nor safe and is prohibited in all jurisdictions. It is the responsibility of all VHN employees to report to your direct supervisor, who will, if appropriate, contact local authorities about any animal left in a vehicle or otherwise left unattended. If the vehicle can be identified as belonging to a specific employee, Upper Management will attempt to reach that person prior to contacting the authorities.

• We love animals, but we do not allow them inside our workspaces without first filling out the:

  • (1) Animal Resume

  • (2) Animal Waiver of Liability form (dutifully signed)

  • (3) Meet and greet entrance test

  • (4) supplying all required vaccinations.

• If any of the four requirements are not met, the animal will sadly not be allowed in any VHN facility.

• Service Animals: Employees with a service animal must obtain the same authorization as all other VHN employees prior to bringing their animal to the worksite. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs, pets, and other animals, trained or untrained, whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, do not qualify as service animals under the ADA and are not permitted at VHN facilities. (For more information, please visit www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm)

• Only authorized, clean, trained, well-behaved, non-aggressive animals are allowed, and they are to be leashed and kept under control at all times.

• Unleashing your animal is only permitted in designated areas, private office spaces, or an individual cubicle with a pet gate up to contain your animal. 

• It is 100% the animal owner's responsibility 100% of the time for their animal’s well-being, behavior, and biological needs.

• It is the animal's owner’s responsibility to ensure that their animal relieves itself outside and solid waste is bagged or scoped into the outside receptacles. Owners must not call upon co-workers for assistance with the bodily functions of their animals. 

• All authorized animals must be at least 12 months old.

• One animal limit per employee.

• Individuals are reminded not to touch, feed or pet a service or working animal when the animal is working, as it distracts the animal from the task at hand. These animals will be clearly labeled via some means, including but not limited to labeled vests.

• All animal owners who are authorized must carry a homeowner’s/renter’s insurance policy that does not have an animal bite or breed exclusions.

• Working animals are permitted under the direction of VHN Security.

• Authorized animal owners shall be respectfully attentive to coworkers who may be uncomfortable or distracted by their animal’s behavior and proactively address distractions, as well as be open to co-workers’ suggestions on how to improve distractions.

• VHN reserves the right to remove the authorized status of any animal at any time, with or without cause, and authorized animals are free to come to work or not come to work while their owner is still employed by VHN.

• When a VHN employee’s employment is terminated, their pet’s authorized status is terminated as well.

• Biting is grounds for an animal's immediate expulsion from all VHN facilities. This animal will have its authorized status revoked permanently and immediately. 

• VHN has a 3-strike policy for complaints regarding authorized animals. Complaints can be submitted anonymously to any VHN Upper Management member. Complaints may include excessive barking, whimpering, defecation indoors, or excessive playing with squeaky toys. We encourage employees to proactively talk to owners before submitting complaints.

• Owners receive complaints immediately when a complaint is filed. An animal that accrues 3 (three) cumulative strikes is not welcome at VHN facilities for 2(two) months to 4 (four) months, depending on the severity of the complaints but may return on a trial basis if the owner can show a change in behavior.

• It is the animal owner’s responsibility to keep their Animal's Resume information up to date.