Sea You at Fetch Long Beach
Logo Image
|Articles|June 26, 2008

More employers allowing pets at the office

Want to keep your team members? Let them head to work with their dogs--or fish.

More pets are heading to work with their people these days, or so says a recent consumer survey commissioned by The HON company, a leading designer and manufacturer of office furniture. According to the survey, 30 percent of U.S. employers allow workers to bring their pets to the office. A wide range of companies offer this benefit, including some natural candidates, such as PetSmart and IAMS Pet Food, as well as big names like Amazon.com, Google, and Darthmouth College.

Which furry-or scaly-friends get to hang out under desks? Most workers bring dogs (24 percent), fish (12 percent), and cats (8 percent).This animal presence appears to be a boon for employers. People who go to work with their pets in tow exhibit lower absenteeism and get along with their coworkers better, according to this survey and one by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

Want to reward your team members-and reap some rewards yourself? Welcome their pets at your practice. But before you do, follow Phil Seibert's advice.

Related to this article

View more
Q&A: Caregiver burden can begin early in pet illness. Are veterinary teams equipped to support clients, and how can veterinary social workers help both parties?
Q&A: Caregiver burden can begin early in pet illness. Are veterinary teams equipped to support clients, and how can veterinary social workers help both parties?
Caroline Cox, LSW, MSW, and Erika Krick, VMD, DACVIM (Oncology), discuss the role of veterinary social workers in supporting clients, communicating with veterinary teams, and helping practices address the human side of veterinary care in this Q&A from an interview at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference.
Read more
Inside veterinary social work
Inside veterinary social work
In a slideshow drawn from an on-site dvm360 interview at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, a veterinary oncologist and a veterinary social worker walk through how the role supports owners and staff across a pet's cancer diagnosis, treatment, and end-of-life care.
Read more