Pet Policies Outrank Bike Leasing and Extra Parental Leave for German Job Seekers
11.06.2026 - 09:55:28 | boerse-global.de
When Tomasz Pawlowski, a senior executive at Mars Pet Nutrition, looks at the latest workplace data, he sees a clear message: dogs are no longer just a weekend companion for many employees. “Employers who embrace dog-friendly policies have a real opportunity to boost their appeal as a place to work,” he says.
A survey of 1,000 German workers conducted by Mars Petcare and Censuswide reveals that 57 percent consider a pet-friendly policy an important factor when choosing an employer. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, nearly one in two actively looks for such offerings. The impact on hiring is substantial: 38 percent of respondents value the right to bring a dog to work more than bike leasing or employee discounts, and 33 percent rank it above additional parental leave.
Yet there is a communication gap. Over a third of employees —34 percent— say job advertisements fail to mention pet policies, even though 67 percent want them spelled out clearly.
Beyond recruitment, the benefits extend to workplace atmosphere. Citing a 2012 study from Central Michigan University, the Federal Association of Office Dogs (Bundesverband Bürohund) notes that groups working with dogs held more lively discussions and reported higher satisfaction and cohesion. The Mars survey echoes this: 80 percent of respondents say dogs create a more relaxed atmosphere. Additionally, 52 percent believe pet-friendly rules help ease the transition back from home office work.
Thomas Schröder, president of the German Animal Welfare Federation (Deutscher Tierschutzbund), highlights another advantage: such policies can relieve pressure on animal shelters by making it easier to combine pet ownership with a career.
Integrating dogs successfully requires structure, the federation advises. Companies should get approval from both management and the broader team, address allergies or fears, and provide the animals with retreat areas and fresh water. Professional support is growing: the pet insurer Santévet has offered a dedicated program since 2022 and recently launched first-aid training for dog-owning employees, covering heatstroke, poisoning, and even resuscitation. Markus Beyer, head of the Federal Association of Office Dogs, recently discussed the necessary human and animal qualifications in a broadcast interview.
The trend is not limited to Germany. Australia holds “Take Your Pet to Work Week” from June 22 to 26 this year, where experts stress that genuine pet-friendliness requires more than mere permission — amenities like play areas and cleaning stations matter. In Switzerland, the organization Schulhunde Schweiz estimates that 200 to 300 dogs are used in schools. Research from the Vienna Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on the Human-Animal Relationship suggests positive effects on social behavior and willingness to learn. But specialists Barbara Rufer and Therese Germann-Tillmann warn that fewer than half of the dogs deployed are adequately trained. While the canton of Schwyz maintains a ban on dogs in schools due to liability and hygiene concerns, the canton of Aargau leaves the decision to individual school administrations.
