Again this would never happen in my company or any company I have worked.

The office is no place for animals or children.  You are dicing with danger if you think or do otherwise.

What happened if an animal attacked or bit someone, or got mangled in a machine/piece of equipment?  Who would be liable then?   

Not to mention the stench.  People seem to forget animals smell and carry germs.  They don't bathe or shower like humans, they walk in all sorts of dirt and muck.  Is that acceptable in a workplace, no, definitely not!!

It doesn't surprise me that this topic stemmed from the US in the first place.