PAWS UP 

Majority of Irish people want pets in the workplace and call for more pet friendly pubs, cafes & hotels

• 20:53, 23 Oct 2022
• Updated: 20:53, 23 Oct 2022

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OVER half of people would like to see pets in the workplace, new survey reveals.

56 per cent of people believe that pet-friendly companies are more attractive places to work, according to a study by the ISPCA and Mars Petcare.

One in four admitted that a pet-friendly policy would influence their choice of job.

They believe benefits would include stress relief, better mental health support and to help create a more relaxed and fun atmosphere.

Dogs remain the most popular pet in Ireland, with half of respondents being dog owners.

And 28 per cent of respondents owned cats.

Pet owners across the country said that they want to be able to take their furry friends to more restaurants, bars and hotels.

More than half of respondents felt that there were not enough pet-friendly hospitality locations nationwide.

43 per cent of respondents said that places with dog-friendly policies would increase the likelihood of them going out to eat.

28 per cent said they would check if a hotel has a dog-friendly policy in place before booking. 

Four in five agreed that they did more exercise because they had a dog.

The findings found that average spend on dog products, excluding food and Vet bills, is €332 per household.

Dublin pet owners spend somewhat more than the national average at €400 per year.

Nicola Forde, Corporate Affairs Manager at Mars Ireland, said: “This first-of-its-kind survey, looks closely at all areas of pet ownership in Ireland, and the results show us that pets are becoming increasingly popular and playing a bigger part of daily life in Ireland – and are proving to be an important consideration for people when choosing where to live and work.

“Pet ownership is at an all-time high, yet our integration and provision of pet-friendly spaces and places remain low.”

They continue to promote pet-friendly living through the Better Cities For Pets programme which strives to support and guide local areas, workplaces and businesses to adopt pet-friendly policies.

She said that pets in the workplace can benefit our “physical and mental health, our productivity and our overall well-being”.

Dr Cyril Sullivan, CEO of the ISPCA, said: “The insights from this research are fascinating and shed light on social, economic and health impacts of pet ownership in Ireland.