Barcelona Court Rules Pet Emergencies Can Justify Work Absences in Landmark Case
Missing work due to urgently needing to take your pet to the vet may constitute a justified absence according to a groundbreaking February 2026 ruling from Barcelona’s 25th Social Court. The court censured Majorel Spain, a contact center company, for wrongfully dismissing an employee who missed work to euthanize her terminally ill dog, applying Spain’s 2023 Animal Welfare Law (Law 7/2023) to employment contexts for the first time.
A Legal Precedent for Pet Owners
The ruling acknowledges shifting societal realities in Spain, where registrations of family dogs (9.2 million) now exceed the number of children under 15 (6.6 million) according to Spain’s National Institute of Statistics. Magistrate Xavier Miró applied a proportionality test, stating: “This wasn’t a capricious absence but an unexpected humanitarian necessity. Requiring the worker to prolong her dog’s agony until her 4 PM shift end would be ethically unconscionable.”
The case involved four absences within two months by a content moderator for TikTok through Majorel. While three previous tardiness incidents triggered the disciplinary dismissal, the court found:
- The company’s time-tracking system recorded implausibly precise 8:00 AM/4:00 PM daily check-ins
- One tardiness couldn’t be verified due to faulty records
- The euthanasia emergency constituted force majeure under Article 20 of Spain’s Workers’ Statute
Critical Flaws in Timekeeping Systems
The ruling emphasized compliance with Spain’s 2019 mandatory time-tracking law (Royal Decree-Law 8/2019). Magistrate Miró noted: “A system showing identical clock-in/out times daily lacks credibility for disciplinary purposes.” This technical failure prevented Majorel from proving three valid absences, ultimately voiding the dismissal. The company was ordered to pay €4,116.42 in compensation.
When Does a Pet Emergency Justify Missing Work?
Legal experts urge caution despite this precedent. Albert Vallribera, labor attorney at Col·lectiu Ronda who represented the worker, explains: “Each case requires contextual analysis. Urgent, unforeseeable situations like life-threatening emergencies may qualify, but routine veterinary care wouldn’t.” Key factors courts may consider:
| Likely Justified | Likely Unjustified |
|---|---|
| Emergency surgery for acute illness | Annual checkups/vaccinations |
| Euthanasia for suffering animals | Grooming appointments |
| Accident-related emergencies | Non-urgent medication pickups |
Oriol Cremades, Professor of Animal Law at Autonomous University of Barcelona, notes: “Spain’s Animal Welfare Law makes protection obligations public order matters. While no specific leave exists yet, employers must recognize these ethical duties under Article 25.3 of workers’ rights.”
The Path Forward for Workers and Employers
This decision highlights growing tensions between traditional labor frameworks and evolving social norms. Since 2023, thirteen European countries have implemented some form of paid pet bereavement leave, but Spain hasn’t yet followed suit. Until legislative changes occur, experts recommend:
- Employees should immediately notify employers of pet emergencies
- Obtain veterinary documentation of urgent situations
- Offer to make up missed hours where feasible
- Employers should update absence policies considering animal welfare obligations
As Cremades observes: “This ruling doesn’t create new rights but recognizes existing societal values. With 62% of Spanish households now having pets according to Affinity Foundation, our legal system must adapt to these caregiving realities.”
For complete details of the ruling, consult the original reporting at Diario de Ibiza.
Images Credit: www.diariodeibiza.es