On “Colleague Dog” Day, the German Animal Welfare Federation and the Cesar pet food brand are promoting dogs as companions in the workplace. Companies that allow dogs on their premises are invited to participate in the event on June 11 to set an example for other employers. Registration is available at www.tierschutzbund.de/kollege-hund. All participating companies will receive a Cesar surprise package and a certificate.
“Many dogs have to stay home alone for hours or are cared for by dog sitters while their owners are at work. We want to change that and promote greater acceptance of dogs in the workplace. When companies allow dogs to be brought to work, they simultaneously relieve the burden on animal shelters because fewer dogs are surrendered due to lack of time and because shelter dogs have better chances of being adopted,” says Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Federation.
“Dog-friendly offices can be a real asset for animals, employees, and employers, while also enhancing a company’s appeal in the competition for skilled workers. We’ve seen this work firsthand for over 25 years in our own offices, where dogs are welcome. With the ‘Colleague Dog’ campaign day, we also want to encourage other employers to open their doors to dogs,” says Tomasz Pawlowski, Managing Director of Mars Pet Nutrition Germany, which is co-organizing the campaign day with its Cesar brand.
Many working people see caring for their dog during work hours as a problem. One-third of people choose not to have a pet due to time constraints—this is the finding of a survey by Mars Petcare¹, the company behind the Cesar pet food brand. The campaign day addresses this issue by demonstrating that work and dog ownership can indeed be successfully combined—with demonstrable benefits not only for the dog and its owner: Studies show that dogs in the office can promote social interaction⁴. More than half of employees report that their stress levels² decrease when a dog is present. In addition, many employees³ say they feel more integrated into the team when shared breaks and conversations occur. However, these effects only occur when consideration is given to everyone involved.
CLEAR RULES FOR THE WORKDAY
For the workday with a dog to be successful, the dog in question should be suitable for bringing to the workplace and feel comfortable there. A dog bed or blanket in a protected spot and fresh water must be available at all times. Owners should exercise their dog before work begins so that it can settle down in the office, and dedicate the entire lunch break to the dog. The German Animal Welfare Federation encourages companies to introduce clear, official guidelines that generally allow dogs to be brought to work. Any allergies or fears among other employees must be taken seriously. A guideline for harmonious coexistence could, for example, include a leash requirement for certain areas while simultaneously ensuring workplace safety and infection control.
The “Colleague Dog” campaign day has been taking place for 19 years now and has established itself as a catalyst for an animal-friendly work culture. Participating companies are setting an example by demonstrating how easily dogs can generally be integrated into everyday work life.
Note to editors: An informational flyer for the “Colleague Dog” campaign day 2026, which includes additional facts and figures about dogs in the workplace, and a social media toolkit that companies can use to showcase themselves as attractive employers, can be found here.
Sources:
1 State Of Pet Homelessness Index – Befragung im Auftrag von Mars Petcare (2023):https://cms.stateofpethomelessness.com/s3media/2024-01/soph-germany.pdf?VersionId=IOhnwBTOIYukiHAu4dOj81H4hext.DXD
2 Repräsentative Online-Befragung von Statista im Auftrag von Mars Petcare zum Thema „Haustierhaltung“ (2019): https://deu.mars.com/news-stories/articles/umfrage-hamburg-ist-tierlieb-stellt-tierhalter-aber-dennoch-vor-huerden?language_content_entity=de
3 Nationwide/HABRI study (2018): https://habri.org/research/mental-health/workplace-wellness/
⁴ Hall SS and Mills DS (2019) Taking Dogs Into the Office: A Novel Strategy for Promoting Work
Engagement, Commitment and Quality of Life. Front. Vet. Sci. 6:138. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00138
