Pet Friendly Companies

Pets have a unique way of lifting your mood. A wag of your pup’s tail or the snuggle of your cat’s head against your leg can put a smile on your face and a special warmth in your heart, no matter how your day has been going. For this reason, many people enthusiastically welcome pets into the workplace.

In fact, in a survey conducted by Wellness® Natural Pet Food, nearly 60% of respondents felt that they would get to know their colleagues better if pets were present at work, 75% said pets would help diffuse stress at work, and nearly half of dog parents indicated that “pet perks” are an important consideration when taking a job.

Let’s take a look at what makes a company pet-friendly and why pets are a beneficial part of the workday.

What Makes a Company Pet-Friendly?

Being a pet-friendly company is about more than simply declaring your love for furry family members. It is all about the benefits you offer to back up this claim. While these might differ from business to business, a truly pet-friendly employer should at least offer a few of the following.

• Bring your pet to work policies: This is the big must-have to be considered a pet-friendly company. Whether it is allowing dogs in the office on a specific day each month or allowing employees to bring their pets to work every day, having pets in the workplace is top on the list of paw-tastic perks.
• Providing pet insurance: Sure, it’s nice to have your own medical expenses covered, but what if your dog or cat received coverage from your company as well? Many pet-focused organizations have opted to provide a stipend toward pet insurance or foot a portion of the monthly bill.

• Hosting “yappy” hours: Say goodbye to the traditional happy hour with only humans for company. Many pet-friendly offices are extending post-work party invites to the dogs.
• Offering doggy daycare: As an alternative to having dogs roaming the office, some pet-friendly businesses are providing doggy daycare instead. Many of these daycares are hosted on office campuses, allowing pet parents to visit their pups on breaks.
• Offering new pet parent leave: When you welcome a new pet into your home, it can take a little time to establish a bond and new routines. For this reason, some offices allow workers to take a few days off when they adopt a new pet.
• Providing pet bereavement: Losing a pet is truly losing a family member. Many pet-friendly companies understand the difficulty of this loss and are providing their employees with time off to honor their pets.

The Benefits of Working at a Pet-Friendly Company

Working at a pet-friendly company is full of advantages for both you and your pet. For starters, working with your pet can improve your mental health. According to research published by Mental Health America, having pets around can provide all of the following benefits:

• Improved cardiovascular health.
• Decreased stress.
• Lower blood pressure.
• Reduction in loneliness.

Additionally, in another study conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University, researchers found that the presence of pets at work led to a significant reduction in stress. The benefits extended to co-workers as well, with people reporting that they enjoyed their interactions with pets in the workplace and even asked to take colleagues’ dogs on a walk.

Just in case that’s not enough, the Human Animal Bond Research Institute released research that showcased an improvement in trust, cooperation, and cohesion in work groups where a dog was present.

We think that’s ample reason to welcome our pets into the office! 

Wellness Pet – An Example of Pet-Friendly Policies in Action

At Wellness Pet, we are committed to a shared life of wellbeing being pets and pet parents.  Our Wellness Pet products aim to keep pets happy and healthy and through our Wellness Foundation, we are working to improve the mutual wellbeing that comes from the comfort, joy, and companionship of our pets.  As such, we are also proud to welcome pups that come to work at our home office with their pet parents. There’s no shortage of treats, love, and the happy exclamation of “who’s a good boy/girl!?” in our office. We never get tired of seeing our furry friends! We also love celebrating Take Your Dog to Work Day annually with lots of festivities focused on the pups.

In addition, we have pet insurance available for our employees. Why? Because we care about ensuring that our pets are healthy and never miss an important visit to the vet.

Also, through our Wellness Foundation and partnership with Pet Partners, we offer access to a unique learning experience for Wellies who may be interested in becoming registered therapy pet handlers.

What about you? Do you get to take your pet to work? If so, we’d love to see you and your pet hard at work. Be sure to post your favorite pet-friendly work pics and tag our team on Instagram @wellnesspetfood!