Should Companies Allow Workers to Bring Pets Into the Office?

If many pet owners had their way, every day — not just last Friday — would be Take Your Dog to Work Day. According to a recent survey, half of pet owners would like the right to bring their dog or cat to work, at least some of the time.

(Photo Credit: Know Your Meme)

WellPet, a natural pet food maker, surveyed 1,179 dog and cat owners to see how they felt about the idea of pets in the workplace. Sixty-four percent said that the right to bring their furpals to work would reduce stress, 50 percent said it would improve their mood at work, and 40 percent said it would create a more positive work environment. However, only 12 percent of those surveyed said they currently had the right to bring their pets to work.

Of course, having pets in the workplace is not without its challenges.

“I would love to bring in one of my dogs to work, but we have four, including a foster dog, and I’m wary of hurt feelings,” writes Greg Walsh, Associate Managing Editor of Boston Business Journal.

In addition to the fear of hurting Fido’s feelings, there’s the fact that non-pet owners might have some legitimate beefs with the idea, including triggering allergies. There’s also the potential for distraction: even if you don’t take care of an animal full-time yourself, it’s more fun to play with your co-worker’s new puppy than to crank out those TPS reports.

Finally, if you’re not an animal lover, you might not appreciate having the morning meeting derailed, while everyone coos over a real-life avatar of internet memes. When it comes to bringing pets into the office, the bottom line might be that everyone in the office has to be in favor, in order for it to work.

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