London appears to be ‘taking the lead’ as Britain’s “most canine friendly area”, according to the Kennel Club dog welfare organisation.
It has more firms willing to let you bring your mutt to work than any other part of the country, the canine charity discovered when preparing for ‘Bring Your Dog to Work’ day on June 20.
Two-in-five owners in London said in a survey that their workplace is dog-friendly — one in five businesses even have specific policies, well above the national average.
“Dogs in the workplace help morale and foster a positive atmosphere for pet owners and dogs alike,” the Kennel Club’s Charlotte McNamara points out.
“Of course, it’s the owner’s responsibility to have their dogs ‘office-ready’ for their needs, such as exercise and regular breaks, as well as making sure they are house-trained.”
The Kennel Club has tips on bringing your pet to the office, such as being careful about any work colleagues who may not want to interact with it. Owners should follow the company’s policy and keep dogs away from any off-limit areas like toilets or kitchens — but especially make sure the animal has been toilet trained as a puppy. It also suggests dogs should be able to sit quietly and ‘stay put’ if needed.
Making time to take the dog for walks is on the list and to bring essentials to work such as lead, collar, identity tag, water bowl, food, toys, blanket — and of course ‘poo’ bags.
Benefits cited by the Kennel Club on bringing dogs to work, based on the survey of 2,600 owners, include boosting morale, job satisfaction and even improving productivity.
The organisation for canine welfare wants to make sure dogs live healthy lives with responsible owners. It organises the world’s greatest dog show, Crufts, aimed at responsible ownership, and runs a health screening scheme with the British Veterinary Association.
The ‘Open for Dogs’ campaign encourages businesses and public places to welcome canines, offering tips on “thekennelclub.org.uk” website — just look for the “openfordogs” lead, as it were.
