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Take Your Pet to Work Week 2023 - June 19-23




Ahead of National Take Your Dog to Work Day (23 June), new research reveals 58% of young pet parents advocate for bringing their furry friends to work.

With pet ownership in Australia at a record high, nearly 60% of young pet owners are advocating for pets to be allowed in the workplace for the purpose of providing an emotional benefit, according to PetSure, Australia’s leading pet health company and insurance underwriter.

Pet owners were asked which public places trained pets should be allowed for the purpose of providing an emotional benefit to people, with respondents citing retirement villages (77%), mental health clinics (67%), hospitals (55%), the workplace (50%) and childcare centres (45%).


When it comes to bringing pets into the workplace, the research shows more women (56%) believe trained pets should be allowed in the office compared to men (43%) while younger respondents aged 18-25 more likely (58%) to support pets in the office compared to just 47% of those aged 46-55 years.

This research comes ahead of National Take Your Pet to Work Week (19-23 June) - a great initiative from Pet Sitters International, which is growing bigger year on year!


PetSure’s Pet Health Monitor report 2023 also highlighted the emotional benefit of the human/animal bond including greater socialisation opportunities and improved mood so PetSure strives to be a place of choice for pet lovers offering their staff: 

Robyn takes Teddy to Petbase regularly
  • A pet-friendly workplace where pets are welcome every day of week – dogs are welcome every day except Tuesday because that’s cat day! The team enjoys free on-site parking for convenience on the days they bring their pet.
  • Premium waived and discounted pet insurance policy with petinsurance.com.au, helping to keep their furry friends happy and healthy.
  • Free health checks and vaccination programs at Sydney-based on-site vet clinic, called ‘Petbase’.
  • Pet-specific leave policies for staff including pet carer’s leave, pawternity leave and pet compassionate leaveAll these leave benefits are generally available for all employees employed on a permanent or fixed term basis.
        
There are situations where team members who are pet parents, need to care for their own cat or dog that is suffering illness or injury and requires veterinary attention; they may access up to 2 paid days Pet Carer’s Leave.

Team members who are welcoming a new dog or cat into their household can receive 3 paid days of Pawternity Leave

There are also situations where people need to be present for the people and the pets closest to them. PetSure provides Compassionate Leave to Australian-based team members who can access up to 4 paid days of compassionate leave per occasion of need.

PetSure has a booking system for staff to book in their pet for their office days and team members must ensure that their pet is vaccinated and parasite free. Staff cannot bring their pet into the office if the pet is sick (no vomiting or diarrhoea in the last 72 hrs) or if the pet has an infectious condition.

PetSure’s Vet Advisor, Dr Betty Chan shared the following tips for bringing your pet into the office for a successful day:

✔️ Stay up to date with vaccinations and preventatives
If your dog will be socialising with other dogs in the office, make sure your furry friend is up to date with vaccinations and flea/tick/worm preventative medications.

✔️ Ensure their microchip details are updated
If you have recently moved home or changed your phone number, make sure you update your details on the pet registry as this means if your pet gets lost, their microchip details will help you locate them.



✔️ Check the office pet-safe and secure
Whether it’s computer cables, chargers or open rubbish bins – make sure any potential hazards are removed from your pet’s reach. It’s also a good idea to secure a designated area for your pet to roam, to ensure they won’t escape to another level or down the lifts!

✔️ Make them feel comfortable
Bring your pet’s bed, favourite blanket and chew toy to provide them with comfort and enrichment. Keep their bed at your desk so you can keep a close eye on them. Ensure they have access to water at all times.

✔️ Schedule toilet breaks
Your working day could be non-stop, but ensure you schedule the time to take your dog for a quick walk and remember to provide them with regular toilet breaks to avoid any accidents in the office.

Robyn & Cavoodle Teddy's Tips:

PetSure employee, Robyn Ross, brings her black toy Cavoodle Teddy into the Chatswood office every week on a Wednesday, including regular visits to Pet Base for health check ups and vaccinations. 

Robyn enjoys bringing Teddy into the office as it means he can experience greater enrichment and socialisation throughout the day. To ensure a successful office day with Teddy, Robyn:

Robyn Ross with her Cavoodle Teddy,
a regular visitor in the office
✔️ 
Provides Teddy with a designated spot near her desk: Robyn brings Teddy's bed into the office so he has a dedicated spot to rest (including her lap!) during the day.

✔️ Ensures Teddy has access to water and enrichment toysRobyn has a water bowl for Teddy that she tops up regularly so he has access to clean, fresh water. 

Robyn also brings plenty of treats and chew toys to keep him occupied. She keeps these belongings in a locker in the office so everything is ready each time she brings Teddy in.

✔️ Schedules regular toilet breaks: She takes Teddy out for regular toilet breaks every couple of hours to try and avoid any accidents in the office. 

She also brings waste bags so she is ready to pick up after Teddy should he accidently go to the toilet in the office.

✔️ Ensures the office space is secure: As a pet-friendly office every day of the week, PetSure offers secure gates that can be moved to block off certain areas or zones in the office for pet safety. 

Robyn ensures the gate is in place near her desk so she has visibility of Teddy and so he doesn't roam down the stairs or near the lift area!

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