Canine Resources: Pets and Service Animals in the Workplace

Preparing a workplace for a pet is one thing, but the pet should be prepared for the workplace environment as well.

Michele Forto of Alaska Dog Works and Dog Works Radio has decades of experience training therapy dogs to work in healthcare offices, schools, churches, and more. She advises her clients who take dogs to work to make sure that their animals meet the minimum American Kennel Club standard of “Canine Good Citizen” before allowing them into the workplace.

“This program, which has been around since the 1980s, encourages people to make sure that their dogs are polite; have proper greeting behavior; do not become upset, agitated, or overly excited at the sight of another dog; and that the owner knows how to police these and other behaviors,” she explains of the ten-step training. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a pet, emotional support, or therapy dog; they should all meet these standards.”

She adds the program disqualifies dogs that exhibit barking, baring of teeth, and biting, as are dogs that defecate in public spaces while being tested. “If a dog can’t handle these minimum things, they cannot handle being in an office,” she says. “If a dog is under six months old, which is the base age to do this testing, they should also not be in the workplace, as they do not have all of their shots and are probably not completely potty trained.”

She notes that employees are not only responsible for the care and control of their dogs in the office but for the safety of anyone who encounters their dog surrounding the job site, even in the parking lot. She adds that not every working environment is conducive to having dogs onsite, as there may be health ramifications for both the animal and other employees.

“People usually think of the food service environment, but I also have clients who work in labs, where there can be cross-contamination by animal dander, and in the gas and oil industry, where static electricity from a dog’s coat can be problematic. It’s also not good for animals to be around hazardous materials,” she explains.

While dogs have been shown to reduce employee stress in the workplace, some dogs become more stressed in certain environments, and it’s important to monitor their health to ensure that they are comfortable in an office or work setting.

“If the dog is panting, pacing, shaking, whining, or obsessively chewing on objects at work or seems tired and fatigued after you get home, the workplace may not be conducive to your dog’s health,” says Forto.

She also believes that, before bringing a dog into the office, the idea should be discussed in a team meeting, allowing everyone to weigh in on the pros and cons of having animals at work.

“Should the pet owners all do training together so that their dogs are familiar with each other? If someone in the office is allergic to dogs, how do you make them feel not left out?” she asks. “You need to recognize that you cannot encroach on the rights of others just because you like to have your best buddy sitting under your desk keeping your toes warm.”

As enticing as pet-friendly perks might be, some animals are better off at home. “Pets are wonderful additions to our lives, but they also help us decompress when we leave the work environment, and sometimes that’s the best thing to come home to after a hard day,” Forto says. “Sometimes bringing your dog to work is not always the best therapy for you.”