22 minute read
Woof, Woof, Work! Having a Pet-Friendly Workplace
Woof, Woof, Work! Having a Pet-Friendly Workplace BY TRACY WRIGHT
When feeling stressed, many people would say that cuddling with their furry friend seems to cure all ills. A lick on the nose from your hound or a gentle nuzzle from your tabby cat has been shown to lower stress and bring feelings of intense happiness to owners. Does bringing those pets to the office extend these benefits for workers, especially in times of extreme stress?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, owning a pet has many mental and physical health benefits, including decreased blood pressure and cholesterol levels, less feelings of loneliness and increased opportunities for exercise and socialization.
In a 2012 study, employees who were around dogs in the workplace reported feeling less stressed than employees who have dogs but left them at home, according to researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University. The study also found that pets triggered social interactions that would not normally take place.
For Brad Stumpff, owner of UF Mover Guys, bringing his three dogs was originally to benefit the dogs so they would not be crated all day, every day. He brings Ziggy, his 4-year-old Pit Bull rescue, Marlo, a three-year-old Labrador Retriever, and Gerdie, a two-year-old Golden Doodle to the office on days when he is not out on his moving trucks. Stumpff has found that having his dogs in the office with him has not only made his days better, but has increased office morale. His receptionist also brings her Pit Bull rescue dog to the office most days.
- Human Animal Bond Research Institute
office a lot more fun and enjoyable for all of us,” Stumpff said.
Pets in the workplace can provide an additional source of social support for employees, which has been associated with lower levels of depression and better job performance whereas low social support at work has been associated with diagnoses of depression and anxiety, according to a study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
How can pets improve productivity? Pets at the workplace can make employees happier, lower stress levels and create a more flexible environment, according to the Human Animal Bond Research Institute. Pets can create camaraderie within the workplace and trigger interactions that may not have happened without them. In addition, eliminating the added stress of having to rush home to let a pet out of the house can relax employees and allow them to stay longer to finish projects or collaborate further with work teams. MAIN PHOTO BY DEVIN EDWARDS FROM UNSPLASH.COM. BELLA PHOTO COURTESY OF GINA FOX.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GINA FOX AND BRAD STUMPFF. Left: Brad Stumpff at the UF Mover Guys' office with Marlo, Gerdie and Ziggy. Above: Brad's furry friends taking a break.
workplace. For Gina Fox, owner of Down to Earth Boutique, a local boutique in Town of Tioga that sells unique clothing and jewelry, bringing her dog Bella to work has also had a positive effect on their customers. She brings Bella to Down to Earth two days a week.
“Bella loves going to work and seeing all of her people. It brings me great joy to see all my customers that love to see her,” Fox said. “My customers love to bring their kids and shop, while their kids play with her. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
“My employees love to have her around as well. Our environment is very family friendly, and Bella adds an extra element of fun to their experience,” Fox said.
What’s more is that Bella even attracts and boosts business. Bella often wears some of the boutique’s doggie sweaters, and typically they can’t “keep those sweaters in stock once Bella models them,” Fox said.
While there are many benefits of pets in the workplace, employers need to understand all of the factors involved. Employers need to have honest conversations with all employees to make sure they are all on board and comfortable with the policy. This includes considering allergies, fears and comfort levels. Organizations should establish clear and agreed-to guidelines and policies.
Employees should need to abide by certain factors for bringing their pets to work. This can include having animals on leashes or free to roam; contingencies for pets when their owners have to take phone calls or attend meetings; and how employers deal with complaints or conflicts.
Purina suggests creating an authorization and release form for employees to sign. Part of this authorization form should ensure that dogs and cats are potty-trained and have the correct temperament that will not disrupt the office environment. Animals should be comfortable around other people and pets. Employers should think about their office’s proximity to locations for potty breaks and institute some pet-free locations like bathrooms or kitchens.
For organizations that may want to become more pet-friendly without going “all in,” they may want to consider pet-friendly days for employees on different days to ensure that there isn’t an office full of pets on any given day.
Employers may also be concerned with the legal ramifications of a pet-friendly workplace. This may include personal injury and property protection. A possible solution is to require the pet owner get insurance that will cover any injuries or damages caused by the pet.
While becoming pet-friendly may not always be the correct fit for every organization, having pets at work can certainly work for some employees and workplaces.
Bella, Gina Fox's dog, being cuddled by Selina of Down to Earth Boutique.
“We definitely see a boost in morale having our dogs in the office. It certainly makes a day in the office much happier.” - Brad Stumpff
Jump On In, The Water Is Doggone Great! PHOTOS COURTESY OF T_C PET PHOTOGRAPHY AND DR. SAMANTHA RIVERA
There is no doubt that Dr. Samantha Rivera, a veterinarian at Haile Plantation Animal Hospital has a love for animals. As a veterinarian, her job is to care for other people’s animals, but, at home, she loves and cares deeply for all her animals, including Scuba and Saba. Rivera, together with Scuba, compete in Dock Diving and Canicross. With Saba cheering them on, Rivera and Scuba will be competing in the May 2020 U.S. Canine Biathlon. They have their eyes set on their goals and having fun!
How do you live a 360life? Balance! My career as a veterinarian is my passion, but it can be stressful at times. Taking the time to work out that energy by running trails or splashing in the water at the beach with the dogs keeps everybody happy and healthy. It makes our couch snuggle time all the more deserved.
What is your wellness mantra? Work hard and rush slowly. Always do your best, aim for better, but don’t forget to enjoy the ride along the way.
Tell us about your dogs. Scuba is a 6-year-old “Coconut Retriever” (mutt) who I found as a 5-week-old puppy while I was at veterinary school at Ross University in Saint Kitts and Nevis. He kept me sane through school, forcing me to take study breaks, walks, runs and beach breaks to decompress. He then traveled with me to the United States - up and down the East Coast to finally settle in Gainesville where we have now been for over four years. He has been my rock since day one and I don’t know where I would be without him.
Saba is a 5-year-old “Florida Black Dog” (mutt) who I adopted from Haile’s Angels Pet Rescue, which I work closely with. She was surrendered to Lake City Animal Services with her puppy in 2016. Although I see lots of adoptable animals every day, when I saw Saba, it was love at first sight. She reminded me of Scuba, and they instantly became best friends. She is the sweetest dog I know and very intelligent. She learned all her tricks by watching Scuba and taught herself to open doors!
What is dock diving? How long have you been doing this with your dogs? Dock Diving is a canine sport where dogs of all shapes and sizes run down a long dock and jump as far or as high as they can into a pool to retrieve a toy. Scuba actually taught me what dock diving was when we lived in Saint Kitts of Nevis back in 2014. We would swim out to a floating dock and Scuba would run and jump into the water to retrieve his favorite bumper. Knowing we were heading back to the U.S., I started looking up places he could continue to swim; that’s when I happened across Canine Dock Diving. Although we have been dock diving for six years, we didn’t join official competitions until 2018. Saba loves to swim, too, but would much rather gracefully wade into the water via the pool ramp to chase Scuba, so she doesn’t officially compete.
Tell us about the biathlons. After seeing how much Scuba loved dock diving, I started looking into other canine sports. That’s when I found Canicross. Canicross is essentially cross-country running with your dog. It’s more popular in Europe, but more and more competitions seem to be popping up across the US.
I saw a friend from vet school had posted about the U.S. Canine Biathlon in Anniston, AL, and I instantly signed up. I had run quite a few 5K races with Scuba, but this was the first I had seen that had obstacles. Mud runs and obstacle course races are very popular for humans, but having a course set up to allow for both human and canine teams to be challenged is very rare. The race is 4+ miles and 40+ water and dry obstacles to challenge you and your canine's teamwork skills. Hundreds of teams compete for awards and just for fun. It’s an incredible bonding experience that tests your team’s trust and athleticism in a canine friendly and fun environment.
What is your goal in your events? Next races etc. We will be competing in the May 2020 U.S. Canine Biathlon and my goal is to keep up with the dogs and beat last year’s time! Scuba is always checking back to see why I am not moving faster as he loves passing others on the course. He has perfected his run, but there’s always room for improvement on the human end of the leash. During this upcoming dock diving season our goal is just to continue to have fun. Scuba just LOVES to be on the dock chasing his toy, and Saba LOVES to join him in the pool, so the more splashes we get, the happier we are. Even if we never receive a ribbon or compete in official competitions, it’s still so rewarding to see both pups excited to do lap after lap in the pool.
What do you love about being a pet owner? I love everything about my pets. They are truly my children. Every drop of love, care and training I put into them is given back to me exponentially in their love.
What has owning pets taught you? Having pets has taught me the true meaning of commitment. It’s easy to provide the basic necessities, but the more time and dedication you put into making their lives more fulfilled, the more my own life is fulfilled!
T_C PET PHOTOGRAPHY
What is your favorite food? I have so many it’s hard to pick, but my guilty pleasure is potato chips and dip!
What are your dogs' favorite foods? Anything and everything edible.
What is your favorite vacation spot? The beach! Especially dog friendly beaches such as St. Augustine and Fort De Soto Park.
What is your favorite local restaurant? Dragonfly Sushi
DID YOU KNOW? 10 FACTS ABOUT OUR FAITHFUL COMPANIONS PET'S BY CAMILLE GRAHAM
Cats have what is called a ‘free-floating’ collarbone, meaning that their collarbone is connected to their forelimbs by muscles instead of bones. This allows cats to squeeze through just about any space wide enough to fit their head.
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Despite what viral videos might have you think, cats aren’t specifically scared of cucumbers. Anything unknown or foreign to a cat can spook it and cause a frightened reaction, not just cucumbers.
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While cats are known for their naps, they only sleep about two more hours a day than dogs.
Horses, however, average only three hours of sleep a day, while some pythons average 22 hours a day!
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50 WELLNESS360 | MARCH/APRIL 2020 The word ‘pet’ comes from the Northern English word “petty,” which means “small,” usually in reference to a small, whiny child in the 1500s. ‘Pet’ wasn’t considered a term of endearment until about 1850. 7 8 While you can’t leave money specifically to your pet in your will, you can set up measures to make sure they have a comfortable life no matter what. In a will or a living trust, you can designate a caretaker or an organization to receive your pet and the funds needed to care for them. <
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The smartest dog breeds can comprehend about 250 words or commands, the same as the average 2-year-old! If it seems like your toddler and your dog are speaking their own language, they just might be.
Dalmatians aren’t born with spots! Until they develop spots about a week after birth, they have plain white coats. Technically, the spots are present after birth, but just faintly on the skin until the black hairs replace the white hairs. Dalmatians might even grow up to develop spots inside their mouths! Do you think Cruella de Vil knew this?
Puppies don’t wag their tails. While vets and researches believe they’re able, most puppies don’t start wagging their tail until at least three weeks old as a sign of communicating with littermates, other animals and humans.
51 WELLNESS360 | MARCH/APRIL 2020 Fleas can jump up to 350 times their body length. Because of a flea’s long hind legs, they can leap about 7 inches vertically and 13 inches horizontally. They may be pesky, but that doesn’t mean they’re not powerful!
9 10 If properly cared for, goldfish can live a long and healthy life. In fact, the record for the largest goldfish, Goldie, measured 15 inches long, 5 inches wide and weighed over 2 lbs!
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LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY BEST FUR-IEND
Local pet owners share what makes their relationship so special.
There is no question that these 9 local animals are loved and needed! They have a special place in the hearts of their owners, and now in ours. Each of our 2020 featured pets have unique and inspiring stories that will touch your heart and bring a smile to your face.
BY NICOLE IRVING PHOTOS BY TANYA CONSAUL PHOTOGRAPHY
Casey & Julie Hahn, Rylan, Gracelyn, and Reese with Moxie (AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD)
Moxie arrived in Gainesville on a Friday night as a 10-week-old puppy on a flight from Alabama. The following Saturday, the airline called and asked Casey Hahn, Moxie’s owner, if he even arrived. Apparently there was no record of him actually officially arriving in Gainesville! Luckily the Hahn family was there to greet Moxie with open arms and it has been a life of fun and excitement ever sense. “Moxie is, quite simply, the best and most energetic dog our family could ask for. He has an amazingly upbeat personality, and loves everybody. “Mox” is also very friendly with other animals of all shapes and sizes, and LOVES to exercise!” says Hahn. Today, Moxies’s days are full of playing fetch with his favorite ball, running with his family while they exercise and discovering his new favorite treats.
Don Bailey with Bailey (MIX BREED)
After his dear friend passed away in a motorcycle accident and her children were unable to care for her dog Bailey, the children sought help from their late mother’s friend Don Bailey. “They reached out to me since I was a friend and asked if I would take her. With her name already being Bailey, I felt like this was a sign.” Don believes his friend's spirit lives on in Bailey as they enjoy their time together, playing catch and chasing lizards.
Slater is a 10-year-old Golden Retriever that has lived a life full of adventure and competition with resilience and love for life. Slater is a competitor at heart and competes in AKC obedience trials, achieving many High In Trial awards and hunting tests along side his owner Anney Doucette. At just three years old, he earned his Master Hunter Title. During the course of his training and right before they were ready to trial, Slater was diagnosed with Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis, a genetic condition in the breed in addition to having congenital cataracts. “Six weeks after diagnosis, Slater woke me up early one morning freaking out with a bloodshot left eye… overnight he had a glaucoma event, a giant spike in pressure which rendered him blind in that eye. For six months we fought a losing battle against controlling glaucoma in that eye,” says Doucette. “In November of 2018, Slater underwent surgery on his left eye at the Institute of Veterinary Specialists in Gainesville. All the inner working parts of the eye were removed and a silicone prosthetic ball was inserted in his eye.” Today, Slater is full of life, happy and finds his way into the hearts of everyone he knows. Anney Doucette with Slater (GOLDEN RETRIEVER)
Arianna León Uberti with Eclipse (QUAKER PARROT)
Arianna Leon Uberti says that Eclipse, the rescued Quaker parrot, couldn’t have come into her life at a better time. “She means the world to us because she arrived in a moment when my husband and I were feeling a little alone,” said Leon Uberti. Found in a Miami parking lot on August 8, 2017 ,walking all alone, Leon Uberti thinks that Eclipse fell out of a window. “She was super used to being with humans… we just put a finger up to help her, and she jumped on it!” Eclipse has settled right in and has become the boss of both their hearts and home, according to Leon Uberti. Eclipse lives cage free at home, and her “cage” is really a room she uses for sleep time. Today, Eclipse is an egg binding survivor. This is caused when a bird cannot expel an egg on its own naturally. “She got emergency surgery eight months ago (at UF small animal hospital), but she is as strong as our love for her.”
“Grayson is
Leslie Florence with Grayson (TOY POODLE)
Leslie Florence adopted Grayson, her toy poodle, four years ago when he was just 8 months old. “Grayson is my buddy, he and Elle (another poodle) are a great source of happiness and relaxation for me.” says Florence. When they aren’t taking walks or sharing his favorite treat, ice cream, Grayson and Florence can be found traveling, visiting festivals, shopping and taking bike rides, where Grayson will sit snugly in the bicycle basket. For Florence, Grayson is a source of happiness and companionship. “ I live alone and the happy greetings I get when coming home are priceless. Besides my grown son, they own my heart.”
The Bentley Family, Elle, Blake & Hudson with Asher (FRENCH BULLDOG)
With their busy on-the-go lifestyle, Amanda Bentley knew that when the time came to introduce a dog into their family, they would need a small dog that could keep up and be a part of their travels. They also knew their children were getting older, and they wanted to add a puppy to their family of five sooner rather than later. Enter Asher, a 5.5-month-old French Bulldog. “We bumped into Asher, and Tom knew that he was the one!” said Bentley. Today, you can find Asher and his family enjoying a latte at Starbucks, catching a light brunch at a local pet-friendly restaurant and or the baseball field. Always the momma’s boy, Asher is sweet as pie and according to Bentley. “He is EXTREMELY friendly and people loving. He thinks anyone approaching or nearby is there FOR him. He loves his belly rubs, treats and attention!”
Jenn Garrett with Prince Bun Bun (REX RABBIT)
This past December, Prince Bun Bun, (aka Mr. Bun Bun), went to his forever home when he was adopted from the humane society by The Garrett Family. “He’s a great fit for our family of five,” said Jenn Garrett. Today, you can find Prince Bun Bun snacking on his favorite food, bananas, of course, or in his favorite spot in the house, the Barbie dream house! “When we are home he has the run of the house, and at night he sleeps in his hut in the laundry room,” said Garrett. Prince Bun Bun’s spunky personality shines at breakfast and dinner time, and most importantly, he loves being pet and held by everyone at home. “We are so glad we found him at the humane society.”
GRANT
CHECK OUT GRANT'S INSTAGRAM: @GRANTTHEPOINTER
Alex Wigglesworth & Samantha Campos with Jetty & Grant (GERMAN SHORTHAIR POINTERS)
German Shorthair Pointers Jetty and Grant are two peas in a pod. Their owners, Alex Wigglesworth and fiancée Samantha Campos, met while both working for the UF Small Animal Hospital. Samantha already had Jetty when the two met, and Alex and the sweet pup formed a close bond as he often babysat Jetty while Samantha had to work long hours in her residency. “Soon enough, I fell in love with the both of them,” said Alex. They knew that when adding to their family they would need a dog as just as energetic as Jetty, so they decided to welcome Grant into their home. “They are technically siblings (same dad), and we love them both more than words can describe” said Wigglesworth. “They both have such different personalities and are what we look forward to coming home to daily!”
Samantha Rivera with Kane (DOMESTIC SHORTHAIR CAT)
Samantha Rivera considers herself a “foster fail.” And how could you blame her? Kane, a “differently-abled” Domestic Shorthair cat quickly made his way into her heart when he was in her care during his time as a rescue cat at Haile's Angels Pet Rescue. Officially becoming hers in November 2018, Kane, who was born paralyzed from the waist down, makes his way around the house in his own way. “We call him Swiffer cat because he scoots around sweeping up whatever didn’t get vacuumed,” Rivera said. Today, you can find Kane “making biscuits,” napping on his favorite blanket and living the life playing with his favorite catnip mouse that he has thrown in nearby shoes. His disability does not slow him down one bit. “He scoots around very quickly in his dapper diapers and enjoys playing with toys and sunbathing.” According to Rivera, “Kane has no idea he is differently-abled. He doesn’t know what he can’t do, just lives life to the fullest enjoying what he can do!”
KANE'S NICKNAMES: "SWIFFER CAT" AND "HANDI-CAT"
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