Santa Monica Business on List of Most Pet-Friendly Companies

At home, Fido is often the first one to greet you at the door, tail wagging and smiles abound. What if you could bring that same enthusiasm to the workplace?

A new survey from Wellness Natural Pet Food found that 41 percent of pet parents say a pet-friendly workplace is important to them.

Pet-friendly offices are even more important for millennials (52 percent), compared with Generation X (31 percent) and baby boomers (33 percent). This new research makes a strong case for pets in the workplace in advance of the forthcoming holiday Take Your Dog to Work Day on June 23.

While June 23 is a major celebration for Wellness, complete with dog grooming and massage, a doggie ice cream truck, presentations, vendors and more, the company has a year-round policy allowing dogs at its headquarters. And the benefits are clear─pet parents are less stressed not having to leave their furry friends at home, and pets in the office boost overall workplace morale and even performance. As like-minded companies across the U.S. gear up to celebrate Take Your Dog to Work Day, Wellness released today a "petiquette" guide from its on-staff veterinarian Dr. Danielle Bernal to help pet parents and employers alike navigate the upcoming holiday. The company has also unveiled America's Most Pet Friendly Companies of 2017 so other employers can learn from leaders of the pack.

"We know pets are a part of the family and having them in the office is not only a fun way to spend more time together, but it can have a tremendous impact on office culture," said Dr. Danielle Bernal, Staff Veterinarian for Wellness Natural Pet Food. "There are many factors for pet parents and employers to consider when inviting dogs into a shared work environment, and our 'petiquette' guide helps ensure everyone co-exists in a healthy, safe way."

America's Most Pet Friendly Companies include:

- Kimpton Hotels (San Francisco, CA) – At every Kimpton boutique hotel, the pet policy is a simple one: if the pet can fit through the hotel doors, they're welcome to stay. At a minimum, all 60 hotels provide water bowls, treats, pet beds, toys and pooper-scooper bags. Some have Directors of Pet Relations (pets!) who greet guests and test the pet amenities.

- Tradesy (Santa Monica, CA) – The peer-to-peer marketplace has over 30 dogs that come to work on a regular basis. Dog owners choose a dog "buddy" who promises to help watch or walk their pup on busy days or during meetings. They also feature a Pup of the Month and have quarterly Dog Owner Town Hall Meetings where all of the dog owners get together to plan fun events. It also offers pet insurance as part of its benefits program.

- Life is Good (Boston, MA; Hudson, NH) – Dogs are an integral part of the day to day team at Life is Good. The company says that dogs are not only humans' best friends, but best co-workers-they encourage employees to get up from their desk for quick breaks and connect people who otherwise might not get to know each other.

- HubSpot (Cambridge, MA) – Its headquarters is dog-friendly, and you'll often see pups wandering the halls with their owners, including the company's CEO and his dog Romeo. This year, the software company put out a "PupSpot" calendar featuring dogs from the office, and donated a portion of the proceeds to local animal shelters.

- Kurgo (Salisbury, MA) – Kurgo, which makes apparel, gear and accessories for dogs, not only allows pups in their offices, but features them on the company website, too! They include Garp, "The Escape Artist," and Baxter, "The Office Lap Dog," among many other pup-loyees.

- Clif Bar & Company (Emeryville, CA) – The company is in its 25th year as a business, and they've had a dog-friendly headquarters since its start. The reason? The company says it helps employees live full, complete lives at work, creates community, and helps people save time and money.

- Etsy (Brooklyn, NY) – Its dog-friendly office policy has been in place since Etsy began in 2005, and it's one of the ways the company strives to maintain a casual, creative, and inspiring work environment. The online marketplace says it keeps spirits high and fosters a sense of community and connection.

- The Nerdery (Minneapolis, MN) – In addition to allowing dogs in the company's headquarters in Minneapolis and across offices in Phoenix, Chicago and Kansas City, the software company is also committed to pets in need. The Nerdery Foundation has had the opportunity to create pro-bono websites for 207 nonprofit organizations, including 10 pet-focused nonprofits.

- Bitly (New York City) – All of Bitly's offices, in New York, San Francisco and Denver, are dog friendly on Take Your Dog to Work Day and every day of the year.

While these companies rise to the top in providing a pet friendly office, Wellness' annual Take Your Dog to Work Day Survey revealed that more than half of pet parents (56 percent) can bring their pet to work. For those who cannot, 65 percent of pet parents surveyed said they resort to some other form of pet caretaking, like leaving work to check on pups at lunch (20 percent), hiring a dog walker or sending them to doggy daycare (16 percent). 53 percent of pet parents whose office celebrates Take Your Dog to Work Day said they do not have official "petiquette rules" in place.

To learn more about best "petiquette" practices for Take Your Dog to Work Day, visit http://www.wellnesspetfood.com.