Newtown Square, PA (PRWEB) June 03, 2014
Better get out the good collar, because your dog’s got a big day at the office! Take Your Dog to Work Day bounds into America’s workplaces this June 20 on four fluffy paws. But not every office is prepared for the pet fest that comes with this FURbulous work day.
Just ask longtime advocate of a pet-friendly workplace, Chris Ashton, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Petplan pet insurance. “Every day is Take Your Dog to Work Day at Petplan,” says Ashton. “We love having pets in the office. It keeps our teams happy and more likely to stay and build their careers with us. Plus it’s just great fun.” After ten years of dogs in the conference rooms and cats on the copiers, the Petplan team learned some helpful hints along the way.
Here’s what Chris – alongside wife, co-Founder and co-CEO Natasha Ashton – wish they’d known when they first opened their doors to man’s best friend.
- Trash Can Trouble – Breakfast sandwich wrappers, used tissues, broken binder clips – what self-respecting dog can pass up these tasty treats? Spare your furry officemates a trip to the vet by investing in trash cans with pet-proof lids. Otherwise, just remember to keep the garbage baskets off the floor and out of paws reach when furry co-workers come visiting.
- Pee-Free – Let’s face it, most dogs have accidents, especially if they’re a little nervous in a new environment. That’s why Petplan keeps a pet stain removal kit on paw at all times. “To discourage repeat offenders, you want a device that doesn’t just clean up the mess but completely neutralizes the odors,” says Petplan’s office manager, Francine Tryka. “The trusty Bissell® Spotbot gets the job done for us. And Febreze® zaps the odors every time.”
- New Leash on Life – Just like people, not all dogs love sharing their workspace. But they might not be as gracious about it as your human coworkers. To discourage wandering, barking and other behavior that could disrupt the work day, all Petplan dogs stay on leashes while in the office. This way the dogs are always within reach so pet parents can address behavior issues quickly and prevent any unwanted interaction.
With treat jars around every corner and pet play areas for supervised off-leash fun, Petplan’s suburban Philadelphia office is a doggie dream come true. “It’s easy to create a fun, safe place for pets at work,” says Dr. Jules Benson, Petplan’s Chief Veterinary Medical Officer.
Just follow along for his top three tips for a pet-safe office.
- A Wheel Nightmare: “Rolling office chairs can be a real problem,” says Benson. “Tails and paws are often easily run over if people aren’t extra careful. If pets are in the office, get in the habit of looking around your chair before rolling away from your desk.”
- Don’t Share Your Lunch: Benson also recommends keeping human food away from dogs to prevent accidental ingestion of onions, avocados, grapes and other dangerous foods, adding, “If you have ‘human’ treats in the office like we do, be extra careful about pets getting access to chocolate, which can be very toxic.”
- Watch the Door: Finally, it’s a good idea to have someone stand guard at the office door so that pups and kits can’t dash when the door opens. Benson says, “Our office policy is that all pets must have a collar ID and be microchipped, just in case there’s an escape.” Check out Petplan’s full Pets at Work pledge here, and visit the “Just a Day at the Office” Pinterest board to get a glimpse inside the office!
Pets bring so much joy and delight to the workspace. With Take Your Dog to Work Day just around the corner, Chris Ashton suspects more and more companies will extend the holiday to an official office perk. “It’s pretty simple, really,” Ashton explains. “A pet-friendly office makes people friendly too. It’s hard not be happy with your job when you get to work with your best friend.”
ABOUT PETPLAN
Petplan is the only pet insurance company to have been included on Inc. Magazine’s list of 500 fastest-growing, privately held companies in America. For the second consecutive year, Petplan was listed among the top 50 companies on Forbes annual ranking of America’s Most Promising Companies – a list of 100 privately held, high-growth companies with bright futures. Petplan’s fully customizable dog insurance and cat insurance policies provide coverage for all hereditary and congenital conditions for the life of the pet as standard, and meet the coverage requirements and budget for pets of all/any age. Petplan pet insurance policies are underwritten by AGCS Marine Insurance Company in the U.S. and by Allianz Global Risks US Insurance Company in Canada. The Allianz Group is rated A+ by A.M. Best (2012). For information, about Petplan pet insurance, visit http://www.gopetplan.com, read the Petplan “Vets for Pets” blog, or call 1-866-467-3875.