Every day is Bring Your Dog To Work day at the League

My wife is very jealous. Every day we get in the car and go to work, I drop her off at her job before heading towards the League Against Cruel Sports offices. And here’s where the jealously sets in, as we are not the only passengers in the car…

In the car with us are Winnie and Hope, two big beautiful black ex-racing greyhounds. And I am a very lucky man as every day they accompany me to work. But it’s not just me who is lucky, Winnie and Hope have a lot to be thankful for too. I was not a dog owner before I joined the League, and thanks to its dog-friendly office policy, two victims of cruel sports were given a new lease on life.

But they are not the only ones. On any given day, there may be up to 10 pampered pooches in the office. I’m going to see if I can remember them all. In addition to Winnie and Hope, there is Stanley and Doris (two schnauzer crosses), Bertie (a Norfolk terrier), Harley and Benji (podengo medio crosses), Tui (a boxer), Bella (a cockapoo), and Lenny (a chocolate lab).

Having 10 office dogs sounds like a recipe for chaos, but it really isn’t (mostly). There are so many advantages to having our canine companions with us as we work. They help us relax, they make us laugh, help us focus and provide a convenient excuse to get away from our desks for five minutes.

There are advantages for the dogs too. As I mentioned before, some of these dogs would not have homes if not for League staff being able to bring them to the office. These dogs, who are mostly rescues, are learning to socialise with each-other and learning to socialise with people. Some of them were terrified of people when they arrived, and now they know that people can be a source of love instead of pain. They are never in want of attention, and we are always there when they need us.

There are some disadvantages – as a I type this there is a 30kg greyhound sleeping under my desk. She looks beautiful, but I have nowhere to put my feet! And occasionally one of us may have to clean up the mess on the carpet…

There is a lot of research out there listing the benefits of having dogs in the office, but for us it is vital. Animals are sentient beings and it is our job to campaign for their protection. Having these living, breathing, feeling creatures working side by side with us, reminds us of why we fight, and why the work of the League is so important.