10 Companies With the Best Pet Benefits
From pet insurance to onsite dog parks, more and more companies are recognizing the value that employees put on pet perks. Major names in tech like Google, Amazon.com, and Zynga lead the pack in offering employees the best pet benefits.
In today’s economy, companies are always fighting to come up with new ways to hold on to their best employees. With 75% of millennial employees proudly identifying as pet owners, it’s not surprising that more and more top businesses are attracting applicants with pet benefits.
Pet benefits don’t just mean “take your dog to work day” anymore. Employers are now offering much more extensive animal-related perks, from pet insurance to adoption leave.
We examined pet-related employee benefits at dozens of today’s largest and fastest-growing companies to find some of the most common – and most beneficial. We then identified 10 companies with the most generous combination of pet related perks and benefits.
Common pet-related benefits in the workplace
Pet benefits can come in a variety of forms. The following are some of the pet benefits growing in popularity from major employers.
Pet insurance
Pet insurance helps you cover the cost of veterinary care bills by reimbursing you a certain percentage of what you pay when your pet is hurt or sick. Most pet insurance policies cover between 70% and 90% of the cost of procedures like inpatient and outpatient surgery, diagnostic testing, prescription drugs, and other common vet treatments.
Just like your employer may offer you health insurance, some companies are now offering pet insurance in the same way. These plans may be at discounted rates.
Pawternity leave
If you’ve ever adopted a furry friend in the past, you already know that getting them used to their new surroundings and easing their anxiety can be around-the-clock tasks. Some employers are now offering “pawternity leave” to employees — paid time off that you can use when taking in a new animal. Some companies may call this “furternity” leave, as well.
Even if a company doesn’t have a formal policy in place, some of the top tech companies now also allow employees to take paid time off when a pet is sick.
Pet bereavement leave
Pet owners know that their dogs and cats aren’t property — they’re members of the family. Many companies now understand the emotional toll that a pet’s death can take and extend bereavement packages and paid time off for these circumstances.
Adoption assistance
Depending on where you live, you might need to pay a licensing fee before you’re able to adopt a pet. Some companies are now providing adoption assistance stipends – plus time off for appointments with adoption agencies – to make it easier to adopt a new dog or cat.
On-site dog parks
Companies that allow employees to bring their pets to work may also provide plenty of places for pooches to interact and get some fresh air. Companies with pet-friendly policies often design onsite dog parks and off-leash areas for employees to enjoy when off-the-clock.
On-site pet care
If you own a younger pet or a pet with special care needs, you might not feel comfortable leaving them alone all day while you’re at work. Many companies with corporate spaces now create dedicated “pet sitting” teams, allowing owners to bring their pets to work with them and check in throughout the day. Pet owners can do their job knowing that their furry friend is being cared for, socialized, and having their medications and prescriptions administered as needed.
Employer-paid pet-sitting
Some pet owners may have an animal that needs regular care throughout the day. For example, a diabetic dog might need to take medication on a schedule while his owner is at work. Employers offering this benefit provide a stipend so the employee can choose a specialized sitter of their choice.
Pet stipend
Pet owners know that caring for a young or aging pet can be expensive. Some companies provide employees with a monthly or annual pet stipend that they can put towards care costs, everyday needs, or insurance premiums.
10 Companies with the Best Pet Benefits
If you’re a pet owner on the hunt for a new career, you may want to consider a company that knows your pet is an important member of your family. After reviewing dozens of employers around the country, we identified 10 companies offering their employees the best pet benefits.
Zynga
San Francisco-based social media gaming powerhouse Zynga might be best known for titles like Farmville and Words With Friends. Its 3,000 employees were some of the first to be offered pet benefits from their employer — not surprising, considering that the company was named after the founders’ bellowed bulldog.
In 2011, Zynga began offering pet insurance to its employees. Similar to health insurance, the company even covers a portion of premium expenses for employees who choose to enroll. This rare benefit comes alongside a pet-friendly workspace, including specific areas for dogs visiting the office.
Trupanion
As a pet insurance provider, Trupanion might already have a leg up when it comes to employee pet benefits. Its employees have access to its comprehensive pet insurance benefits at discounted rates, providing cats and dogs with some of the top coverage in the industry.
In addition to great insurance, Trupanion employees also enjoy pet-friendly workspaces with dedicated relief areas. Trupanion also offers three days of paid bereavement leave in the event that a pet passes away.
SS&C Advent
Founded in 1983 as Advent Software, SS&C Advent is a San Francisco-based tech company with more than 1,200 employees. SS&C’s corporate culture focuses on providing employees with plenty of resources to manage their mental health and work-life balance — including the use of emotional support animals.
SS&C Advent encourages employees to adopt a pet by providing a care stipend, which employees can use to cover the cost of routine needs like vaccinations, microchipping, and checkups. Employees also receive a stipend for pet health insurance, which makes it easier to afford coverage. Finally, all of SS&C Advent’s offices are dog friendly, and employees are free to bring their pets to work as often as they’d like.
VMware
VMware is a Palo Alto-based cloud computing company that provides hosting and other related web services to commercial clients. With more than 37,000 employees and a valuation of $61 billion, VMware is one of the largest software and web service providers in California.
One of the most unique aspects of VMware’s employee packages is their emphasis on pets’ roles as members of our families. Employees can take up to two days of additional paid time off in the event that their pet dies, allowing them a bit of covered time to grieve before returning to work.
Purina Petcare
Purina Petcare, a subsidiary of the Nestle company, offers major pet benefits to employees. New hires can take advantage of up to $200 in credits towards a pet adoption, encouraging employees to adopt rather than shop when searching for a new friend. Employees may take an extra personal day following the loss of a pet, and the company offers dog-friendly common areas at most workspaces.
Amazon
Amazon is one of the largest online retailers in the world — and it’s also one of the best companies in the world for dog owners to earn a living. Corporate office employees are able to bring their furry friend with them to work whenever they need, and many of the offices around the country also have pet facilities and parks installed in-house.
Amazon even designates a special task force (aptly named the “Woof Pack”) to ensure that common areas are safe for pets and that employees with allergies are not affected. More than 8,000 dogs regularly make the journey to the office with their owners.
WeWork
New York City-based WeWork is a giant in the real estate industry, maintaining and marketing coworking spaces in 38 countries. In 2021, WeWork had more than 590,000 employees, each of whom gets to enjoy a robust pet benefits package.
WeWork employees are free to bring their dogs to work, where pooches enjoy a series of luxe pet-friendly spaces. Employment packages at WeWork also include a stipend toward pet care costs and insurance.
Athenahealth
Athenahealth is one of the largest private health insurance providers in the United States, with more than 6,000 employees. Founded in 1997, Athenahealth is worth an estimated $17 billion for its point-of-care and healthcare mobile app-related services.
Athenahealth employees enjoy a generous vision, health, and dental insurance package that even includes a stipend for pet care costs. Time off packages include caveats that allow employees to use paid benefits when a pet is sick or during the transition period following an adoption, with extended work-from-home options available. Athenahealth also maintains a network of dog-friendly offices, allowing employees to bring their furry friends to work when needed.
Multinational tech giant Google is known for its impressive range of employee benefits, which range from unlimited paid time off to designated “nap spaces” within Google’s corporate headquarters. These benefits also extend to the dogs of employees, affectionately called “Dooglers” by the company.
Google employees working at 70 major corporate headquarters are welcome to bring their furry friends to work, where they enjoy designated dog spaces. Google’s cafes also include treats for dogs, which employees can grab when enjoying a break.
mParticle
mParticle is a customer data platform providing software and cloud-based services for businesses that need to collect and manage data from vendors or customers. Based in San Francisco, mParticle is able to compete with its larger Silicon Valley rivals in terms of pet benefits.
mParticle employees receive pet insurance as a benefit of their employment package, as well as unlimited vacation time — that means no more struggling to fit vet appointments in. Employees can enjoy “pawternity leave” when welcoming home a new pet, as well as a wealth of paid time-off and work-from-home options.