Nearly One in Five Companies Allows Pets in the Workplace According to New Survey

GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 14, 2006--

Leading up to Take Your Dog to Work Day, The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association Releases Results of New Survey Showing Number and Benefits of Pets at Work

Are the dog days of summer going corporate? With Pet Sitters International's annual Take Your Dog to Work Day approaching on June 23, many people might be wondering just how many pets are actually in American workplaces. Well, according to an all-new survey conducted by The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), there are more than you might think.

According to this national poll of working Americans 18 years of age and over, nearly one in five U.S. companies allows pets at work. And a majority of those polled believe there are benefits to having pets at work, such as relieving stress, improving relationships with co-workers, making for a happier workforce and creating a happier work environment.

According to the survey:

-- 55 million Americans believe having pets in the workplace leads to a more creative environment

-- 53 million believe having pets in the workplace decreases absenteeism

-- 50 million believe having pets in the workplace helps co-workers get along better

-- 38 million believe having pets in the workplace creates a more productive work environment

-- 32 million believe having pets in the workplace decreases smoking in the workplace

-- 37 million believe having pets in the workplace helps improve the relationship between managers and their employees

-- And 46 million people who bring their pets to the workplace work longer hours!

"More and more we are starting to see the benefits of pets as they transcend the role they play at home into other non-traditional areas such as places of work," said APPMA President Bob Vetere. "This survey solidifies what most of us already know: Americans can't seem to get enough of their pets."

The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA) is the leading not-for-profit trade association serving the interests of the pet products industry since 1958. APPMA membership includes more than 900 pet product manufacturers, their representatives, importers and livestock suppliers representing both large corporations and growing business enterprises. APPMA's mission is to promote, develop and advance pet ownership and the pet product industry and to provide the services necessary to help its members prosper. Visit www.appma.org for more information.