Take Your Pet to Work Week

Celebrating All Pets At Work
Take Your Pet to Work Week® June 21 – June 25

Take Your Dog to Work Day ® started in 1999 by Pet Sitters International to celebrate our wonderful companions and to encourage dog adoption. Now cats and all pets are encouraged to participate in this event. Take Your Cat to Work Day® starts the week on Monday, June 21 and concludes with Take Your Dog to Work on Friday, June 25. Remember the purpose of this week is to highlight the wonderful companions these pets make and to promote pet adoptions.

Here are a few tips to help you plan your pet’s visit:

PERMISSION – First, get permission from your employer. Share some of the benefits of pets in the workplace. It is extremely important to make sure your co-workers know that you will be bringing in your pet. If anyone has allergies or other issues talk with them about possible solutions to avoid problems.

PLAN AHEAD – The Pet Sitters International’s website has a wealth of ideas. There is a 7-page downloadable Toolkit which offers helpful tips. Find ways to encourage participation from your coworkers so it can be a fun workplace experience for everyone. (www.petsit.com/takeyourdog)

PICK A PROJECT – Another purpose of the event is to support the local pet community. Consider inviting a local rescue or shelter to visit and bring a few pets along that are in need of a loving home – maybe one of your coworkers will adopt one. Another idea is to collect wish list items for a shelter or rescue and deliver them during the week.

PETIQUETTE – This one is so important. Create a checklist for your pet so you’ll have everything you need for your pet’s visit. Bring water and food dishes, a supply of food and snacks, bed and potty break items. Have a variety of toys to keep your pet busy so they can be good “employees”. Have someone available to pick up your pet in case the visit is a disaster. A successful short visit is far better than a disastrous long visit.

Enjoy your pets at work!

For More Information, visit: www.takeyourdog.com

Increasingly there is a growing interest in allowing pets at work by both employees and employers. As difficult as the past year was, one positive outcome of the pandemic has been an increase in pet adoptions. Working from home created a need for the companionship that pets provide; people also felt they now had the time to properly care for a pet. The closeness and bond between pets and their people became even stronger during this time. Now as more people are leaving home to go to work pet parents are worried about the effect on their pets.

There are many benefits for allowing employees to bring their pets to work. Pets are great stress reducers and help both their owners and other coworkers feel more relaxed. Studies have shown that having pets promotes more cooperation and collaboration among employees. A big plus factor is eliminating the guilt of pets being home alone all day. It reduces the pressure to leave right on time because their companion is right beside them. Employers are discovering that offering a pet-friendly workplace is an added perk that helps recruit and retain employees.

Participating in Take Your Pet to Work Week is a wonderful opportunity to experience having pets in your workplace. However, if having pets in your workplace is not here are a few ideas for starters to celebrate pets at your workplace:

  • Encourage your employees to bring in photos of their pets to display in a central location.
  • Sponsor a pet photo contest with pet-related prizes
  • Host a picnic or happy hour at a dog park
  • Get involved in pet rescue work and encourage employee volunteerism
  • Schedule a monthly visit from a shelter or rescue to bring available pets to foster or adopt.

A great comprehensive resource if you’re considering becoming a pet-friendly workplace – Mars Petcare’s Better Cities For Pets™
website: www.bettercitiesforpets.com/resource/petsworkatwork/