BARK & RIDE: TAKE YOUR DOG AL-DESKO WITH A FREE TAXI TO WORK

Heading back to work might feel like a welcome change from the monotony of WFH – but, in reality, over half (58%) of those returning to their workplace feel anxious about it, according to a new study by ride-hailing app, FREE NOW.

The biggest reasons for feeling anxious include returning to a busy commute (47%) and preferring home working (51%). But, for those who own a pet pooch, over a quarter (28%) said that leaving their dog home alone was one of their biggest worries.

Dog ownership has boomed during the COVID crisis, with 44% of all dog owners surveyed purchasing or rescuing their pet during lockdown – and almost half (49%) say they’ve never left their side for more than five hours.

A separate study from The Kennel Club also revealed that a fifth of new dog owners are unsure whether their dog will suit their post-lockdown lifestyle – and separation anxiety among dogs is expected to rise as normal life resumes following a year of lockdowns and constant companionship.

As more people start their return to the office in the next quarter, 40% of Brits think that having dogs al-desko will benefit the animals’ long term mental wellbeing. However it’s not just dogs who would benefit, but humans too, as office workers see four-legged friends as a welcome addition to the post-COVID office. And ahead of National Dog Day on 26th August, one in four say that having an office dog would make them feel less anxious about the change, and 47% would love their work to introduce an office dog policy.

The presence of pooches might even make us better employees, as those surveyed by FREE NOW said that office dogs would make them happier (47%), boost their mental health (44%) and improve productivity (20%).

However, getting a pup to the office can be a logistical nightmare. Over two thirds (63%) feel anxious about navigating public transport with a dog, with the biggest fears including getting on escalators (20%), navigating crowds (29%), overheating due to lack of air con (15%), and having to carry lots of doggy paraphernalia, such as their bed and food (25%).

So to help ease both commuters and canines back to ‘normal’ working life – FREE NOW is encouraging owners to spread the joy of their four-legged friends by offering free black cab rides to the office with a dog in tow from Wednesday 25th August to Friday 27th August 2021, between 7-10am in all of its locations: London, Brighton, Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Derby and Leicester.

An initiative endorsed by the welfare experts at The Kennel Club, all pooch parents have to do to claim their free ride is post a picture on their social media of them bringing their dog to work in a FREE NOW ride and tag FREE NOW (Facebook @FREENOWUK, Instagram @freenow.uk, Twitter @FreeNow_UK). FREE NOW will then refund the cost of their last ride*.

Mariusz Zabrocki, General Manager at FREE NOW, comments: “We’re pleased to be launching this brand-new initiative to assist the UK’s return to the office. Going from seeing your owner 24/7 to not seeing them for the majority of the working day is likely to be unsettling for dogs. This is why at FREE NOW we have incorporated a dog-friendly office approach that allows our returning employees to bring their pooches into the office, so I can personally attest to how they can boost not only employee wellbeing but also productivity. As more workplaces look to adopt a hybrid home/office approach employers should also consider, where feasible, taking this more flexible approach.”
Bill Lambert, Welfare Expert at The Kennel Club, comments: “Following a year of lockdown restrictions impacting businesses and workforces nationwide, dog-friendly policies can reap benefits across the board. FREE NOW’s research is crucial in demonstrating that dogs in the workplace can improve morale and productivity, encouraging socialisation among employees, proven further by existing scientific research revealing that being in the presence of dogs lowers stress, heart rate and blood pressure.

Of course dogs need to be able to get into the office – a notoriously stressful experience for both owner and pet – so we are delighted that FREE NOW is launching an initiative to not only help with the transition for dogs while their owners return to the office but also to boost morale for employees.”