Pets Are Popping Up In Some Unexpected Workplaces And People Are Loving It

Pet-friendly offices have become increasingly common in recent years. Plenty of offices often have one or two dogs in residence, maybe even some cats. Heck, some extremely dog-friendly employers are even offering paid time off when employers adopt a puppy.

But there’s a big difference between a pup roaming around a hip digital marketing agency and one sitting in your lap while you’re at the dentist. Recently, however, pets are turning up in unlikely places of business—and (not too surprisingly) customers can’t seem to get enough.

In New York City (because, of course) workplace pets are being spotted everywhere. From the beauty parlor to the dentist’s office to clothing stores to bodegas, it’s not uncommon find someone’s animal companion just hanging out. And they’re not always your expected dogs or cats—some shops even have resident rabbits, parrots and tortoises.

One example is at Amy’s Hair Salon. Anyone knows that getting your hair cut and/or colored can be a very time-consuming process. There’s nothing especially pleasant about sitting around with foils on your head for an hour. But thanks to Amy’s two shih-tzu dogs, Mimi and Coco, time moves much faster for clients at this particular New York salon.

“They play with the dog, they pat the dog, so it’s not boring,” owner Amy Ooi told The New York Times.

In Manhattan’s garment district, a bunny hops around a costume jewelry firm’s headquarters. It’s one of six. Oh, and four cats live there, too, each vying for head scratches and belly rubs from the workers. There are also all kinds of cats that spend their days hopping from shelf to shelf in convenience stores. Check out the video below about these so-called “bodega cats.”

[arve url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHVL3z6PXe4″/]

Perhaps the most unexpected place to find a pet in New York is at the dentist’s office. It’s easy to identify the negatives. For example, should you really have a dog in a sterile workspace? But dentist Dr. Carlos J. Huerta says some of his patients won’t book an appointment unless they know his dog, Luna, will be there.

One patient who is more than happy to see Luna is Kyle Rush. He recently visited Dr. Huerta, and Luna crawled into his lap as he stretched out in the exam chair.

 “Sometimes I get a little bit tense,” Rush told The New York Times. “It’s nice every now and then to pet Luna rather than just get more and more tense.”

It’s great to see that pets are no longer relegated just to the home. Now excuse us while we go look for a new dentist who offers puppy kisses with teeth cleanings!