I am a dog person. Love them. They give so much joy to me personally, and therapy, to be honest. I work very hard, and the pleasure I feel coming home to my family includes the unconditional love I get from my dog, Yabby.
But bringing pets to work? Would never have crossed my mind.
Until I met Meg, my PA, in 2021.
She had come up to Queensland from Victoria, and finally moved into a rental property that allowed pets. An avid believer in rescuing unloved animals from shelters, Meg spent time looking for her future fur companion during the Covid lockdown. When she saw Ally’s big brown eyes looking at her from a pack of rescued puppies at the Animal Welfare League Qld (AWLQ), she knew she had to have her.
A speedy drive to the Gold Coast saw the wonderful staff at the AWLQ supporting Ally’s transition into Meg’s life, and just like that, they connected… best friends forever.
Fast forward a few weeks, when Meg started working for me as my PA here at Place Property, Paddington. I started noticing that she would disappear from the office every day for her lunch break… not realising that Meg was racing home to give Ally, then only six weeks old, some time and attention, taking up the whole hour off with pet care.
It was a no-brainer for me… Ally had to come to work. We have an inclusive office, where our staff are recognised for their values, and taken care of, holistically. It wasn’t good for Meg to be stressing out about her new puppy, and the relief she felt at my suggestion was palpable.
It wasn’t easy at first to have Ally in the office, as she was a little vocal, and not quite toilet trained, but the joy her playfulness brought far outweighed any of that. Therapy dogs can work so well for people who have busy working days dealing with lots of people and high-stress situations.
We are all benefiting from having Ally visit from time to time. No longer a puppy, she can be left at home for longer periods now, but when it’s quiet, Ally spends the day here at the Paddington office, as a bona fide member of the Place Property team. She is a welcome relief from the pressures at work, which means we get to hang onto staff members like Meg, who we can’t manage without.
Even Yabby comes in with me now!
It’s not for everyone, or every workplace, but if you’ve done it, we’d love to know how it’s worked for you!
And if you’re thinking of bringing in a new addition to your family, please consider a rescue pet… the shelters in Queensland are full. Give them a go, share your love with those who need it most.
#petsatwork #animalrescue #AWLQ #pettherapy #workplacehappiness #placeproperty #paddingtonpets