15 Pet-Friendly Companies Where You (and Your Dog) Will Love to Work

Although dressing your dog in office attire will do little to convince most employers that Fido is an essential part of your work team, some companies are more accepting of fur babies than others.

And pet-friendly companies may even have a leg up over competitors: pets in the workplace can decrease employee stress levels and improve trust and communication between co-workers, which increases productivity. The benefits don’t end there either — having a pet can also help you lower your financial stress. According to a recent FinanceBuzz survey, 93% of pet owners agree that having a pet improves your mental health. 

If you’re interested in making a career move to a company where bring-your-dog-to-work day is every day, here are 15 of the most pet-friendly companies and the policies that make them unique.

Amazon

Amazon employees working at the Seattle headquarters share their workspace with as many as 7,000 dogs. This unusual job benefit has been part of the office culture since the company’s inception. In fact, one Amazon dog, Rufus, launched some of the early Amazon pages with a paw on the mouse. The Amazonian dogs not only get plenty of attention, but they can also visit the reception desks for treats.

There’s even a doggy deck in one building with a fake fire hydrant and plenty of clean-up stations and doggy water fountains. Amazon also recently opened a community off-leash dog park and often hosts dog-friendly events, such as Barktoberfest, which features a dog Halloween costume contest. Some Amazon employees also volunteer their time with local animal rescues.

Zynga

Zynga, the San Francisco-based online gaming company that created Words with Friends and other popular games, allows dogs in the office every day. It’s so pet-friendly that it was granted the 2018 DOG Award from Dogs at Work, an advocacy group spreading awareness about the benefits of having dogs in the workplace. In addition to allowing dogs (plus cats, ferrets, and lizards) in the office, the company provides free treats for employees’ pets. There’s also a play area on the roof of the building.

In addition, Zynga provides pet insurance as a benefit along with health care coverage for human employees. If you’re wondering wwhether pet insurance is worth it, consider this stat from a recent FinanceBuzz survey: 93% of pet owners indicate that they are happy with their pet insurance coverage.

Tito’s Vodka

If you’re wondering how to make money and advocate for your favorite animals at the same time, Tito’s Vodka may be your dream company. It recently partnered with advocacy group Dogs at Work to provide advice to other businesses interested in implementing pet-friendly office policies. It serves as a role model for other companies looking to reap the benefits of a dog-friendly workplace. Employees can bring their dogs to work (furry friends in the office are known as co-woofers), and they even have a resident distillery dog, Taki.

You may recall seeing “Vodka for Dog People” on a bottle of Tito’s. That’s a program aimed at rescuing and protecting animals. The company works with nonprofit organizations across the country that transport dogs out of danger and into safe and loving homes. Some of those dogs end up as co-woofers. If you and your dog are fans of this mission, you can purchase this Tito’s Dog Toy to help support it.

Trupanion

It’s not exactly surprising that Trupanion, the pet insurance provider, allows both cats and dogs in the office. Trupanion has grown from being just the founder and his dog, Charlie, to more than 400 employees and 230 pets. There’s even a designated Pet Team of employees, including some workers with veterinary and pet care experience who offer help and advice to pet parents.

Trupanion even has a free on-site dog walking service for employees, along with perks like discounted pet care. And as expected, Trupanion provides employees with a free, $0 deductible pet insurance policy for one of their fur babies. If you’re looking to add pet insurance as a benefit at your workplace, Trupanion has you covered.

Kabbage

Kabbage is an Atlanta-based financial technology company supporting small businesses. Aside from the dog-friendly office, there aren’t any other perks for dogs, but there are plenty of benefits that will make their owners happy — beyond all the happy pups at work. Daily catered lunches, on-site fitness and meditation classes, and unlimited PTO are just a few of the many perks that make working at Kabbage one of the best jobs.

Redtail Technology

Redtail provides web-based client relationship management products to financial advisors. The company was named after the founder’s red-tailed golden retriever, and the company’s logo is a red dog. Redtail also notes that dogs are a symbol of the company’s values: “work/fun balance and loyalty to our core users.”

Because Redtail recognizes research into the benefits of dog and human interaction, it welcomes its employees’ dogs in the office. Not only that, but it also has an on-site dog park, and co-workers communicate over a dedicated Slack channel when they’re about to bring their dogs out for a romp.

mParticle

mParticle, a New York-based software company providing a customer data platform, cites benefits such as positive relationships among co-workers as reasons for opening their office doors to dogs. They also offer an innovative benefit for dog owners, which it calls pawternity leave: If an employee adopts a rescue dog or cat, they get two weeks of paid time off to help with the transition. That can be especially helpful if you’re housetraining a new puppy or kitten.

If you’re not ready to adopt but still want an opportunity to foster an animal, you can do so through mParticle’s partnership with Front Street Animal Shelter.

VMware

San Francisco-based software company VMware provides cloud computing and visualization software, and it also provides an open campus that allows friends and family members to attend work events. In 2014, it also introduced a policy that allows four-legged companions to come to work with their owners every day.

The company has also long offered pet insurance as an employee benefit, and VMware recognizes pets in its bereavement policy as well, allowing workers two business days to grieve the loss of a family pet.

Ben & Jerry’s

The ice cream company not only sells a plethora of delicious flavors, but also welcomes dozens of employees’ dogs into the office each day. You can even view pictures of its so-called k9-5ers on the company website. These happy dogs can start their day with a treat from the reception desk. Throughout the day, the dogs get plenty of pets, cuddles, and walks, and Ben & Jerry’s employees enjoy the reduced stress that comes with having their furry friends nearby.

Zogics

Zogics is a fitness supply company serving more than half of the country’s gyms. It also has a line of natural pet care products. Dogs are welcome daily in the workplace, and they both accompany their owners at their desks and attend company meetings. There are currently 21 canine members of the team at Zogics.

In addition to maintaining a dog-friendly office, Zogics has an impressive pawternity policy. If you’re the parent of a new puppy, you’ll get an extra week of paid time off, a $200 pet store gift card, and a lifetime supply of Zogics pet shampoo.

Mars Petcare

Mars Petcare aims to support healthy pets with quality nutrition and veterinary care. They use data analysis and transformational technologies to bring innovations to the industry. So it’s probably not surprising that employees of Mars Petcare cherish their own pets, and the office has been pet-friendly for a decade. Many of Mars Petcare’s pet-loving associates bring their pets to work under the company’s Petiquette policy, and the office is uniquely designed to accommodate them.

There are dog-walking routes, playgrounds, dog-friendly meeting spaces, and activity areas. Mars Petcare also offers pawternity leave, allowing associates to take 10 hours of paid time off to help their new pet adjust to their surroundings.

Modernize

Modernize, an online platform that connects homeowners in need of renovation projects with local contractors, has an official bring-your-dog-to-work policy as a perk for employees. To protect against too much chaos, however, the company allows only one dog per floor. Pet owners can schedule days with their dogs on a shared calendar.

There are some attractive benefits for humans as well, including flexible PTO, flexible hours, catered lunch three days a week, and craft beer always on tap.

Google

Another recipient of the DOG Award from Dogs at Work, Google has been dog-friendly since it first launched. Employees from 70 offices around the world can bring their dogs to work, and Google affectionately calls these furry friends Dooglers. The company cafe sells specialty treats for pups.

Google is known for some impressive benefits for humans as well, though jobs at Google are notoriously hard to get. In fact, research indicates it’s more competitive than applying to Harvard.

Build-a-Bear

Build-a-Bear is yet another recipient of the DOG Award, and the DIY stuffed animal retailer has some of the best dog-friendly policies around. Build-a-Bear offers unique perks for pets, including dog birthday celebrations, free treats, and a canine concierge service, which allows dogs to be taken out of the office for grooming or to attend a day camp.

Employees in the St. Louis office can also bring their dogs to work, but they must sign a Doggy On-Boarding agreement and commit to following certain rules. Build-a-Bear also partners with Canine Companions, a nonprofit that provides assistance dogs free of charge.

Petsmart

At Petsmart’s Phoenix headquarters, employees can bring their pets to work every day. Given that pets are welcome in Petsmart stores around the country, this might come as no surprise. But the pet-friendly perks for Petsmart employees go beyond an office full of furry friends with wagging tails. There’s also an on-site dog park and other fun perks like Halloween costume contests for pets. Employees also enjoy human-friendly benefits like an on-site fitness center and an on-site child care center.

The bottom line

With all the benefits that come along with spending time with a furry friend, it’s no surprise that some companies are taking the lead on welcoming pets into the workplace. If you are interested in making a career move to a pet-friendly company, there’s no shortage of great options out there. And whether you’re looking to simply bring your pet to work occasionally or for additional perks like dog parks and pet insurance, there’s likely a company that will meet your — and your pet’s — needs.