Taking your pet to work - is it a good idea?

Author picture Pawshake

Dogs, cats, rats, rabbits, birds, fish: Some pets need more personal attention from their human than others, but they all need lots of dedication. How convenient would it be to take your pet with you to work? You spend every day there, so why shouldn't your pet be allowed to join? We have listed some of the pros and cons for you.

Pros:

It's good company for you and your colleagues
A study has found that pets at the office are good for your health: They lower your stress level and increase your feeling of well-being. Thanks to a pet at the office, employees are able to communicate and cooporate better, which means that those who take their cat or dog to work are doing their colleagues a big favour. Even your productivity increases thanks to the presence of having your pet around. So the boss will be happy too!

It's lovely for the pets
If you're at work all day, it's nicer for your pet if they don't have to be left at home by themselves. If possible, it really is both beneficial for you and your pet if you can take your dog to work. You can walk them during your lunch break, or you can cuddle the office cat for a while.

Cons:

Not all your colleagues will like animals
Unfortunately, not everyone loves pets, so it's best to ask your colleagues for their consent before you bring your dog to work or put up a fish tank in the office ... Respect your colleagues opinions and needs.

Not all pets like being at the office
It's nice to take your pet to work, but it's also important to consider whether you are really doing your pet a favour by doing so. Will they be at ease there? Will they have some space to themselves? Some pets are very attached to their own environment and would much prefer staying at home. If this is the case, to make sure your pet gets enough attention at home, you can book a pet sitter at Pawshake. He or she can visit your dog or cat at home while you are at work and give you peace of mind that your furry friend is in good hands!

We asked on our Facebook page whether our users and followers take their pets to work. Here are some of the replies:

Anita always takes her dog along: Our store is like a second home to him and our customers love him”

Petra can take her dogs to work which makes sense, since she runs a dog walking business! These are her dogs all tired out after a hard day’s “work”.

Renates dog has his own little spot at the office.

But not everyone would like to take their pets to work. Rianne told us: No way. No one would get any work done! :-)

Do you take your pet to work? Why do/don't you?