BrewDog began with two men, one dog and a passion for great craft beer, so pets, and dogs specifically, are in our brand DNA. So, for us, we have always been a dog-friendly company. Over the years, we have introduced several pet-related benefits, including Pawternity leave, which allows staff to take a week’s paid leave when they get a new dog, to help settle it in and assure the owner that they have given their new family member the attention it needs for a happy home life.
Our offices are all dog-friendly environments, we just ask owners to make sure their dog is comfortable and well-behaved among other canines and people, and owners tend to their needs as appropriate. Our bars and hotels are also all dog friendly. We welcome pups to visit our bars and we even offer a range of dog-friendly treats such as doggy ice cream, water stations and ‘dog beer’. We once produced a beer for dogs called Subwoofer.
However, as a brewery, we do have areas of our production facility that are strictly off-limits for animals both for health and safety, and quality assurance purposes. It is important for any business considering a pet policy to assess its environment to see where it is appropriate for animals to be, and where it could cause health and safety risks, either to staff or the public, especially organisations operating in the food and drinks space.
From a people perspective, there has been a well-established link between pets and positive health outcomes, including reducing stress, lower blood pressure and supporting elevated levels of serotonin and dopamine, which can help us calm and relax. For us, we have found having a dog-friendly workplace has not only had a positive impact on our dog owners but also on the other staff members who enjoy interacting with them. Besides, where would BrewDog be without its bark?
Karen Bates is global people director at BrewDog