Bringing your dog to work beats ruff-day blues

International ‘Bring Your Dog to Work Day’ takes place this year on Friday June 23rd, offering a fun opportunity to celebrate dogs and encourage pet adoptions.

Having dogs in the workplace can be an incredibly positive experience for everyone (animals included). They have been proven to:

• Boost employee morale and productivity: Animals are guaranteed to boost morale and increase productivity in the workplace. Plus, with man’s best friend close by, employees won’t want to leave work. Imagine that – a workplace where employees want to stay past 5.00pm. Revolutionary.
• Encourage healthy habits & creativity: Our sedentary lifestyles mean Australians don’t do nearly enough exercise. However, having Fido in the office means regular ‘pee’ breaks to get some fresh air … resulting in fresh ideas too.
• Foster team bonding: Let’s be honest, in every office there are people who don’t see eye-to-eye … except when it comes to bonding over adorable pooches! Having dogs in the workplace will help employees put their differences aside and come together and also improve communication.
• Decrease ruff-day blues: Scientific research indicates having dogs in the workplace will help employees de-stress when they’re having a ruff day. Just stroking a dog’s fur lowers blood pressure, and purring cats also have a similar effect.

Be aware though, there are also rules to follow before you bring your pooch to work:

• Check with your boss first!
• Some work environments may not be appropriate or safe for pooches, so it is important to find this out in advance.
• Check that no one at your workplace is allergic to dogs and discuss with them if bringing your pet to work would adversely impact their health.
• Make sure your pet is socialised with other animals and people.
• Supervise your dog and make sure they won’t be able to escape and get lost by accident.
• Don’t forget to pack your companion’s essentials for a day out.

If you can’t bring your dog to work, but want to help other homeless pets, perhaps your workplace can donate to the RSPCA to help animals in their care find the purr-fect fur-ever home?

Check our Knowledgebase for more information: https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-should-i-consider-before-taking-my-dog-to-the-office/