It used to be an outrageous idea to have a pet in the office as the conventional thinking is that a pet means distraction, but research has shown that there are actually advantages to this concept. A few years back, research done by Virginia Commonwealth University showed that people had less stress when a dog was around, Newswise reported.
That’s not the only study that backs up this idea though, as this research published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information shows. Meanwhile, Marie-José Enders, who studies the relationship between animals and humans at the Open University, told Business Insider it’s advantageous for employees to have office pets.
“It’s definitely good for the work atmosphere to have a dog in the office. Not only does your cortisol level (stress hormone) drop when you stroke a dog; you also produce more of the hormone oxytocin, which makes you feel more relaxed and happy,” she added.
Seeing as there are so many benefits to having pets in the office, WORLD OF BUZZ jumped at the chance to experience it for ourselves when we received an invitation to do so. Pet Lovers Centre (PLC) has partnered with PAWS Animal Welfare Society for a CSR programme, and we were lucky to be some of the first people to try out their Office Edition experience where we actually worked with adorable cats at Common Ground, Jaya One – which is pet-friendly! All that fluffiness and cuteness!
Known as TLC FROM PLC: Pet Lovers Centres’ Office Edition with PAWS, this programme is aimed at helping working adults relieve stress and boost productivity at work. We were enchanted by the furry felines we met and it certainly made a routine workday feel much more relaxed, and we also completed our tasks faster. So that we can play more with the cute kitties!
These cats also reminded us when we needed to take a break and stretch our legs after sitting for too long at our desks. For some of us who had a bit of a mental block, we discovered that stopping awhile and petting some furry kitties felt rather rejuvenating and made us feel less stressed.
We also laughed a lot more as the cats’ antics were simply too amusing, and we bonded over the experience. In fact, we had so much fun having the adorable kitties with us that we tried to persuade our boss to adopt a cat from PAWS. While we are still trying to convince our boss to do so, if you are interested in giving some furkids their forever home, you can head over to PAWS to pick out a lovely pet of your own. Remember, adopt, don’t shop!
For more information, you can visit PAWS’ website here.
Also read: Cute Cat Bites & Spoils Owner’s Earphones, Brings Back Snake As Apology