Bringing a dog to work can increase morale and productivity, says DSPCA

As if we needed an excuse in the first place.

If you're looking for a reason to bring your canine companion to work, then you're in luck, as the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has outlined the many positives of having a dog in the workplace. During RTÉ's Morning Ireland, the charity's Corporate Relations Manager Susanne McGovern spoke about the benefits of canine colleagues and urged dog-owners to sign up for their Pets At Work Scheme, or, PAWS. Ms McGovern said: "There's lots of research there to tell us that (having a dog at work) does actually increase employee morale, socialisation, engagement and productivity." She went on to outline the programme which comprises of six steps to allow for the introduction of pets in the office. One necessary element of PAWS is to ensure that there are pet-free zones in the office to accommodate those who do not wish to be near animals at work. The programme also suggests that all dogs in offices must be socialised and toilet-trained. On top of that, the dog's owner must sign a waiver promising to clean up after their pooch. "It's not a thing of opening up the doors at the office and all the dogs run in on the first day, so it's a little bit of a process," McGovern added. Recently, the DSPCA urged those returning to in-person work to not forget about the pets they may have adopted during the pandemic. In a social media campaign, the charity wrote: "For the last 2 years we all turned to our pets for emotional support, companionship, someone to talk to, someone to help us through the long days and someone to walk with when family and friends couldn't. "Now that we are slowly returning to the work place you need to have a plan in place for your pet so that they are not left alone. Our pets are like family and they were there for us when we needed them, now it's our turn to be there for them."