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New Hampshire lawmakers have reportedly been told to keep their pets away from Zoom calls and remote hearings while working from home, according to theAssociated Press.
Amid the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic, with many still working remotely, pets owners have often found their furry friends making impromptu appearances during video meetings. While the furry interruptions are hard to control, one lawmaker from the town of Glen, New Hampshire, told the AP that she has received some pushback regarding her cats' appearances in virtually work meeting.
Though none of her colleagues made a fuss about Yoshi’s appearance at the time, Burroughs detailed that one later shared a message from the committee chair, Republican Rep. John Hunt, who said he did not want to see any animals onscreen during meetings.
“The chair talked to her and said no animals in the room,” Burroughs told theAP. “I can try to keep the cats off the screen. Keeping them out of the room is going to be impossible.”
State of New Hampshire via AP
Burroughs also noted to the outlet that at least one other member in attendance during the group’s virtual meeting had a cat in view, and another member’s dog was heard barking in the background as well.
According to Burroughs, lawmakers kids have similarly made appearances on-screen during virtual meetings.
“That’s part of the life we’re living right now, and pets are part of it, too,” she added to theAP. “For me personally, it’s just calming having my animals sit next to me so I can pet them, and it doesn’t distract me in any way. I’m fully attentive to what’s going on.”
Hunt, however, denied issuing a ban, according to the outlet. In an email statement, the representative from Rindge said, “I simply asked the ranking Democrat: Do we really want to have cats parading in front of the legislator’s computer? Let alone stopping and getting petted so that someone may assume the cat is sitting in for the legislator?”
source: people.com
