ITV This Morning presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford were just some of participants in a different kind of day at the office, as Britain went barking for its very first Bring Your Dog To Work Day.
Held last Friday, companies across the nation welcomed their dog-loving employees into the workplace, along with their loyal four-legged companions.
The idea took hold in businesses of all kinds, including film studios, hair salons, dentists and boutique wine stores.
Businesses and employees both made donations of £50 and £2 respectively to participate, with all proceeds split between All Dogs Matter, Animals Asia and Pup Aid - three organisations that make a huge difference to the welfare of animals.
“Bring Your Dog To Work Day was a fantastic success,” says Jo Amit, co-founder of natural grooming product company Butch & Bess, one of two pet industry businesses behind the initiative.
“The participation was out of this world and we’re very proud to have raised money for our three official charities. Some fabulous businesses adopted the idea and planning has already started for next year’s event, which is scheduled for Friday 26 June 2015.
“We’re very hopeful that we can build on the success of 2014 and raise money for even more animal welfare charities the next time around.”
Both businesses and individuals can still submit donations too. In return for a minimum donation of £50, a company logo and website link will be displayed on Bring Your Dog to Work Day’s homepage. For a minimum donation of £2, an individual can submit a picture of their dog to be published on the official website’s gallery entitled the ‘Dog With A Job Hall of Fame’.
The initiative was also backed by one of the UK’s leading pet insurance companies, Animal Friends, who made a £5,000 donation as headline sponsor.
Leean Young, director of LoveSniffys, the other pet company behind the initiative, adds: “Attracting a business like Animal Friends Insurance as the headline sponsor for the first year of Bring Your Dog To Work Day was incredible. Their donation has made a huge difference to each of the charities.”
The animal organisations that stand to benefit from Bring Your Dog To Work Day were chosen because of their noticeable work for protecting and promoting the welfare of vulnerable animals.
For instance, All Dogs Matter rescues and re-homes more than 300 dogs a year in London, Norfolk and the surrounding areas. The dogs in they care for are usually homeless, or come from local dog pounds. A mixture of foster homes and kennel spaces are used to take care of the dogs.
International charity Animals Asia is devoted to ending the barbaric practice of bear bile farming, as well as improving the welfare of dogs and cats in China and Vietnam.
Pup Aid is an organisation that aims to end the practice of puppy farming in the UK. Last year it launched an e-petition to help ban the sale of young puppies and kittens. Over 100,000 people provided signatures and the topic is guaranteed debate in parliament.
Please visit bringyourdogtoworkday.co.uk for further information.
