“My Dog Was Simply Sitting”: Remote Worker Maliciously Complies With No-Dog Policy Using Hilarious Zoom Background Hack

Another day, another pointless workplace policy. In a post on r/MaliciousCompliance, one remote worker shared how their company took their no-pets rule to ridiculous levels.

Here’s how they got the last laugh with a simple, yet brilliant, solution.

After getting a strike for their dog sitting quietly in the background during a Zoom call (in their own studio apartment, mind you), the company expected them to stash the dog somewhere out of sight. Their only option? Locking the poor pup in the bathroom.

Hit with a Strike for Their Dog Quietly Sitting on Zoom, They Were Told to Hide It

But instead of playing along, they took a better route: setting a Zoom virtual background of a dog park.

The Only Solution? Locking It in the Bathroom

So, while their dog chilled out just off-camera, their boss unknowingly had a call with a bunch of dogs in the background anyway. Talk about malicious compliance at its finest.

When in Doubt, Use a Dog Park Background to Bypass Silly Work Rules

You can check out the full story here. Because if you’re gonna have dumb rules, expect people to follow them in the dumbest way possible.

Most People Are Cool with Pets on Zoom—So Why the Outdated Rules?

Working from home has become the new normal for many, but it seems like some companies still haven’t caught up. The whole point of remote work is the flexibility to create a comfortable, productive environment, yet strict and outdated policies like a “no-dogs” rule during Zoom calls show that not every employer gets it.

Instead of focusing on performance and results, companies like this seem more concerned with controlling every little detail, even within an employee’s personal space. When your pet sitting quietly in the background is seen as a problem, maybe it’s time to reevaluate what actually matters in the workplace.

This kind of micromanagement, especially in a work-from-home setting, is why employee satisfaction can take a hit. Studies have shown that workers thrive with autonomy, and arbitrary rules like these only create unnecessary stress.

Allowing employees the freedom to manage their own space—not to mention their pets—has proven benefits for morale and productivity. If the dog’s not barking or causing a distraction, enforcing a no-pet rule on Zoom feels more like a power trip than anything practical.