It’s Bring Your Dog to Work Day This Month! (June 2023)
There are a tremendous amount of awareness days and events that we, the British public, champion each year. From raising awareness about health issues, to celebrating the nation’s favourite drink. You could look through each day of your calendar and find something attributed to each day if you looked hard enough!
One of our favourites though is “Bring Your Dog to Work Day”. At PBS Pet Travel, we love dogs. Our canine companions are among the animals we enjoy the most and if you were to walk into our office on any given day, you are more than likely to find one of our team members with their dog playing games and helping organise the dog travel for other pet owners.
With many of these events and awareness days though, there is often little known about what they achieve and why they exist.
Well with our love for dogs, we thought we would share a little more about “Bring Your Dog to Work Day” so that you can enjoy it just as much as we do!
When is bring your dog to work day?
Bring your dog to work day is to be held on June 23rd, 2023 and is normally scheduled to be held on the same day each year.
When did bring your dog to work day start?
Bring your dog to work day was started in 2014 by well-known pet product company, HOWND. It is held nationwide to raise money for various animal welfare charities. With celebrities getting involved alongside the general public, it is a great way to showcase your love for your pooch but also help out some vital charities.
The idea was taken from the original ideation set up in the USA that is known as “National Take Your Dog to Work Day.” This USA version began back in 1999 and was created by the company Pet Sitters International.
At their first attempt, an estimated 300 companies took part! So big did the event become in America that the words “take your dog to work week” were even made registered trademarks! Tracking the numbers of participants these days in the USA event is no longer possible as the PSI does not require you to sign up to take part, instead, you can tag them on social media to show you have got involved. The amount of media coverage it now generates as well as the web traffic it brings constantly show that the numbers are always increasing.
In the UK, our version is approaching its 10th birthday next year but across the pond, the USA equivalent is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023!
Why do we have bring your dog to work day?
In the UK, bring your dog to work day is in place to raise money and awareness, for certain animal charities. This year, the event is raising money for:
All Dogs Matter – A charity that rescues and rehomes dogs in London, Norfolk and the surrounding areas.
Animals Asia – A charity that works to improve the welfare of animals in China and Vietnam whilst promoting compassion and respect for how they are treated. It focuses specifically on the dog and cat meat trade as well as the bear bile farming industry.
Surge Sanctuary – A sanctuary located in the midlands that offers a safe haven for abused and unwanted land animals.
The USA equivalent exists out of one lady’s aspiration to start a pet-sitting business. Saddened by the number of animals being left at home, Patti Moran started her own pet-sitting company. 11 years later she launched it as Pet Sitters International (PSI). Five years on, take your dog to work day was born with the aspiration of encouraging people to take their dogs to work and help the bond between human and canine remain strong. Whilst PSI does not make money specifically from the event it gives the businesses that are embracing the day, the tools and ideas to run their own fundraisers through the initiative.
How can I take part in bring your dog to work day?
If you want to be part of the fun here in the UK on June 23rd, simply find out if your employer will get involved and then take some pictures of you and your dog at work, upload to social media and add the hashtag #BringYourDogToWorkDay. You might even find that your dog ends up the recipient of some amazing prizes. This year, the mega prize is worth over £700 with 2nd place winning £30 worth of prizes and 3rd place picking up prizes worth £20.
You can also make donations via the links that appear on the website and social media.
Businesses can also sign up to be official partners, or “pawsome partners” by donating a minimum of £100 to one of the three designated charities. The bring your dog to work day team will then promote you on the day!
At PBS Pet Travel, as we mentioned earlier, we just love dogs and will be joining in the fun of the bring your dog to work day this year! If though at other times of the year, you need to give your dog a little extra pampering and take it away on holiday, speak to us! For years, we have led the way in safely transporting pets across the globe. We can help with specialist dog flights that ensure your pet reaches your chosen destination ready to enjoy some time away. Taking pets abroad is our speciality so get a free quote today and see how easy it is to have your pet travel with you!
If you’d like to get involved with bring your dog to work day, check out the website for more info.