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Pet food subscription company Bella & Duke has opened the UK’s most pet friendly office as work life returns to normal with the addition of some four-legged team members.

A collaborative effort between pet experts at Bella & Duke and the build and design team at Space Solutions, has seen the creation of what is believed to be the UK’s most pet friendly office.

A number of benefits, services and facilities have been implemented to improve employee welfare as well as their four legged companions, including: • Full-time Pet & People ‘Park Ranger’ to offer pet support ensuring that the needs of office pets as well as visiting pets are being met • Bella & Duke’s in-house expert behaviourist, Caroline Spencer, who’s there to ensure pets are at their happiest when in the office. There will also be the opportunity for employees to learn from Caroline and improve knowledge of dog body language and behaviour • In-built kennels for a pet safe and cosy space to relax • Designated picket fence pet sensory garden • Agility courses and fun interactive areas for pets to blow off steam, learn new tricks and bond with their owners • Pet friendly decor and design, with specific plants and flowers such as areca palms, banana plants and aspidistra. As well as a selection of pet friendly herbs in the pet sensory garden • Calming sprays • Toys, snuffle mats and other enrichment • Library books where pet owners can educate themselves on how to look after your pet

Research commissioned by Bella & Duke found nearly 80% of office workers in the UK are currently unable to take their new pet to work due to it not having the adequate facilities, which is costing over a third of Brits (39%) on average £100 per week equating to over £5,000 annually on pet day-care.

Mark Scott, CEO of Bella & Duke, said: “Our pets have always been right by us, even more so during lockdown, so we felt it was time we did right by them. We hear of companies talking about being pet friendly, but with pet wellbeing at the core of what our company does, we wanted to take it one step further and create THE UK’s most pet friendly office.

“Bella & Duke has over 130 employees with over 60 pets between them from cats and dogs to ferrets and snakes, so we had to make sure our new office space was adaptable to meet our employee needs as well as their companions.

“It’s our mission to help pets live a happier life, so we encourage more businesses to think about their pet friendly office and work policies to enjoy the benefits four-legged employees can bring.”

Research helped inform the key design aspects to ensure a pet friendly office, with Brits revealing the the top five ways in which they would like their office to be more pet friendly; 1. Designated areas for pets such as a cattery or kennels 33% 2. Pet insurance (25%) 3. Pawternity (paid leave after getting a pet) (23%) 4. Treats and calming spray available throughout (23%) 5. Ensure pet friendly plants and flowers (22%)

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