A nurturing work and home environment are essential in making employees and managers more productive. In order for ideas to flow smoothly, employees must be in a place where they are calm and relaxed. One way to achieve this is to encourage a pet-friendly work environment.

In group problem-solving, research shows that improved trust, cohesion, and cooperation as well as stronger employee engagement and morale thrive in pet-friendly workplaces. Even brief and random encounters with pets prove to be helpful in managing employee stress, thus decreasing chances of absenteeism and increasing productivity.

Businesses often overlook the potential of pet-friendly workplace in attracting and retaining talent. A study by Nationwide Pet Insurance found that 90 percent of employees feel more engaged with their work and more connected to their company’s mission in pet-friendly environments.

In order to align business values with the goal of creating a suitable pet-friendly environment, companies should support organizations that share the same sentiment in caring for pets. 

There are many animal rights groups that are committed to making sure pets find a home that will nurture them. PAWSsion Project is one example. A Bacolod-based, non-profit group, PAWSsion Project’s mission is to rescue dogs from pounds and care for maltreated and abandoned dogs until they get adopted.

On Sept. 27, F&B Report’s publisher Hinge Inquirer conducted a corporate social responsibility activity together with PAWSsion Project in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

Our team was greeted by over a dozen unadopted dogs looking for new homes. We started the day by segregating leaves, plastics, and glass to clean the area. Others painted walls and transferred tires and large pieces of wood to their rightful places while the rest bonded with the dogs by giving them baths. The rest of the morning was spent playing with the dogs and walking them around the area.

By participating in these types of community projects, we are helping animals live better lives. The “Adopt, Don’t Shop” trend didn’t simply come out of the blue; it is deeply rooted in a noble cause of providing a safe environment for pets.

If you’re thinking of getting a pet for your home or your workplace, here are reasons why adopting is the better choice:

Saves a life

Most animals in animal shelters are victims of abuse or are neglected and abandoned. As much as staff from  shelter try their best to nurse traumatized dogs, sometimes the number of animals is too much to handle. Because of a lack of resources such as medicine and food, some dogs (even healthy ones) are euthanized. Adopting saves animals and gives them a life far from what they’ve experienced. 

Saves money

You don’t have to worry about the spaying, neutering, or vaccination anymore—the shelter has most likely taken care of all that already. This means the pet you are taking home is healthy and safe, plus the adoption fee (which is generally cheaper than what buying from pet shops would cost you) will help the shelter take care of the remaining animals better.

Eradicates puppy farms and pet shops

People operating puppy farms are only concerned about breeding, regardless of the animals’ condition. Sooner or later, animals bred in such places will contract diseases and problems as they aren’t treated in the best possible way. When animals can no longer breed and reproduce, they will most likely be put to death. Products of these puppy farms are often found in pet shops; adopting will save dogs from these malpractices and reduce funding for this illegal trade.

Improves health and makes you happier

It’s been scientifically proven that playing with animals increases serotonin and dopamine levels. Doing physical activities with animals such as taking them out for a morning jog or an afternoon walk can be a good exercise for both of you.

Benefits children

Having a pet at home can teach children a sense of responsibility. This also helps children to be empathetic to animals and also aid those dealing with depression and anxiety.

They are housetrained

You can save time and effort because there’s minimal hassle in training adopted pets —they’ve most probably already been housetrained in their previous homes. 

Supports spaying and neutering

Spaying and neutering pets are procedures overlooked by many pet owners. But they’re part of responsible pet ownership as they can potentially help reduce the number of dogs in shelters. Lastly, these procedures also improve pet behavior and provide life-long health benefits.

If you’re a business owner, you know that it’s not enough to just generate profit. It’s also important to keep certain principles intact and fulfill social responsibilities. So try giving back to your community by supporting organizations with worthwhile advocacies such as PAWSsion Project—you’re not only doing something good for animals in need, you’re also creating better work environments.