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When Is Take Your Pet to Work Week? Dos & Don’ts (Updated in 2026)
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We all love our pets and would love to take them everywhere we go, whether it is to work or to the grocery store. In most cases, that’s not always going to happen. However, there is a Take Your Pet to Work Week to look forward to every year.
National Take Your Pet to Work Week has passed for this year, but it’s held from June 17th to June 24th. There’s also a National Bring Your Cat to Work Day and a National Bring Your Dog to Work Day. However, we’ll concentrate on Take Your Pet to Work Week here.
If you’re excited about bringing your pet to work, you’ll need to know the dos and don’ts first. We’ll list them in the article below, so join us.
Dos and Don’ts of Taking Your Pet to Work
Pet owners look forward to Take Your Pet to Work Week every year. However, a few rules need to be followed if you do. We’ll list them below, so you can have fun with your pet at work and still not make your coworkers uncomfortable.
Do Talk to Your Coworkers First
It’s important to talk to your coworkers to ensure they are on board with having pets in the office. Even if your pet is kept strictly in your office or cubicle, people who are allergic to pet dander may have a problem.
Do Pack Things for Your Pet
You’ll want to ensure you take plenty of food, water, dishes, medications, treats, poop bags, your pet’s bed, and anything else you might need to make it through the day when you leave for work that morning.
Do Groom and Clean Your pet
The last thing you want is to take your pet to the office dirty and smelling bad. Not only does that make you look bad, but it is also off-putting for coworkers that have to be around your pet. Ensure your pet is bathed and groomed before taking them to the office.
Do Pet-Proof Your Workspace
Remember, you have cords, trash, and that urgent thumb drive at your office, and you usually don’t take your pet there. Make sure to pet-proof your workspace by putting anything away that could hurt your dog or cost you your job.
Don’t Bring in an Unruly Dog
While every pet parent wants to show off their adorable pet, some pets don’t need to be taken to the workplace. A pet that jumps on the clients, uses the bathroom in the conference room, or yowls in a business meeting probably shouldn't be at work with you. If your pet doesn’t behave, you might ruin National Take Your Pet to Work Week for everyone because your employer won’t let it happen next year.
Don’t Bring a Sick Pet to the Office
It’s best not to bring a sick pet into the office. Employers don’t want sick humans at work, much less their sick pets. Also, if your pet has a contagious illness, they could easily send it home to other people’s pets.
Don’t Let Your Pet Wander
While you shouldn’t have to keep your pet on a leash, you should always know where your pet is. It’s best to put up a baby gate or other barrier to keep your pet contained and under your control at all times.
Don’t Force Your Pet on Co-Workers
Though you might love pets, it doesn’t mean other people in your office do. If another employee wants to meet your pet, they will come to you, so don’t force it.
Make Sure to Have an Exit Plan in Place
If you plan ahead, you and your pet should have a wonderful time during Take Your Pet to Work Week. Even with all the careful planning, however, you still need to have an exit strategy before you go to work.
It is possible that being at work with you will stress your pet out. Have a plan for taking them home if this happens. You can either have someone in your family come pick them up or have a professional pet service take care of them for you.
The one thing you should never do is leave your pet in the car alone until the day is over. Unfortunately, several pets die yearly when left alone in hot vehicles.
Final Thoughts
National Take Your Pet to Work Week is held from June 17th to June 24th. If you intend to take your pet to the office with you, you should follow the do’s and don’ts above to ensure you’re not offending anyone else.
It's possible that some of your co-workers don’t like animals, or could even be allergic to them, so you’ll need to consider that when deciding whether you should bring your pet in that week or not. If you decide to bring your pet to work that week, make sure that you take all precautions to make sure you, your pet, and your co-workers have a good time. Besides, it only comes around once a year, so enjoy it!
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Featured Image Credit: LightField Studios, Shutterstock
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Patricia is a pet and coffee writer and a published author under the pen name Skylar McKinzie. When she isn’t writing, Patricia enjoys spending time with her two cats and dog. Since she was a young child, she has been a pet lover and enjoys nothing more than cuddling with her pets, Mystery, and her two cats, Binx and Link. Mystery has been with her family since the day she was born, as has Link. Binx was found under the house as a kitten, taken inside, and has been a part of the family ever since. Patricia loves sharing her knowledge of animals and finds joy in helping out at the local rescue shelter whenever she can.
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