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Take Your Pet to Work Week 2026: Dates, Preparation and Pet-friendly Office Tips
Manan Chawla
Take Your Pet to Work Week 2026 runs Monday, June 22 to Friday, June 26, with Take Your Cat to Work Day 2026 on Monday and Bring Your Dog to Work Day 2026 on Friday.
Key TakeawaysTake Your Pet to Work Week 2026
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For one week in June, office desks, video calls, and team chats get a little more personal, with dogs under desks, cats joining remote calls, and coworkers sharing the pets they usually only talk about. Now in its 28th year, Take Your Pet to Work Week was created with a simple idea: bring companion animals into offices, encourage pet adoption, and give workplaces a reason to celebrate the bond between people and their pets. This guide covers the 2026 dates, how to bring your pet to work, tips for remote workers, helpful dog supplies and cat supplies, and a checklist for companies running the event.
Take Your Pet to Work Week 2026 Dates: Cat Day, Dog Day and Full Week Schedule
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Day |
Date |
Event |
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Monday |
June 22, 2026 |
Take Your Cat to Work Day 2026, also searched as Bring Your Cat to Work Day 2026 |
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Tuesday to Thursday |
June 23 to 25, 2026 |
Take Your Pet to Work Week 2026 activities for companion animals, with employer approval |
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Friday |
June 26, 2026 |
Take Your Dog to Work Day 2026, also searched as Bring Your Dog to Work Day 2026 and National Bring Your Dog to Work Day 2026 |
Official source: Pet Sitters International lists Take Your Pet To Work Week® 2026 as June 22 to 26, with Take Your Cat To Work Day® on June 22 and Take Your Dog To Work Day® on June 26.
Take Your Dog to Work Day is always celebrated on the Friday after Father's Day. Father's Day 2026 falls on Sunday, June 21, which puts Take Your Dog to Work Day on Friday, June 26. Take Your Pet to Work Week is the full week leading up to that Friday.
What Is Take Your Pet to Work Week and Bring Your Pet to Work Day?
Take Your Pet to Work Week is an annual workplace event created by Pet Sitters International that encourages companies to welcome pets during the week leading up to Take Your Dog to Work Day®. The event celebrates the human-animal bond and promotes pet adoption.
While many people search for Bring Your Pet to Work Day 2026 or Take Your Pet to Work Day 2026, the official PSI celebration is a full week, known as Take Your Pet to Work Week®, ending with Take Your Dog to Work Day® on Friday.
Patti Moran, founder of Pet Sitters International, launched Take Your Dog to Work Day in 1999, partly as a celebration of dogs and partly as a nudge toward shelter adoption. The idea was simple: when coworkers meet a calm, happy pet at work, they may better understand the companionship pets can offer. About 300 businesses took part that first year, and the event has since grown into a broader workplace celebration that includes dogs, cats, and other companion animals when employers allow it.
Why Taking Your Pet to Work Is Worth the Effort
The Human Animal Bond Research Institute has looked at pet-friendly workplaces and the connection between pets, employee engagement, and workplace culture.
Pets may support employee engagement
Pet-friendly offices report over 90% of staff feeling fully engaged at work, compared with 65% in workplaces that keep pets out. This does not mean pets solve every workplace culture problem, but it does show that pet-friendly policies can be part of a broader employee experience strategy.
Pet-friendly policies can help retention
When it comes to retention, 88% of employees in pet-welcoming settings planned to stay on for the year ahead, compared with 73% in non-pet-friendly ones. A separate finding shows that 44% of pet owners would take a company's pet policy into account when weighing a job change.
Human-animal interaction may reduce stress
On the health side, the National Institutes of Health notes that interacting with animals has been shown in some studies to decrease cortisol levels and lower blood pressure, though research findings can vary by setting and type of interaction.
Should You Bring Your Pet to Work?
Not every pet is suited for an office, even during Take Your Pet to Work Week. Before you decide, ask whether your pet can stay calm around unfamiliar people, other animals, elevators, office noises, food smells, and long periods of downtime.
Leave your pet at home if
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Getting Ready: What to Do Before Taking Your Pet to the Office
Check with your employer and building management first
Your company may be on board, but if the office is in a rented building, the landlord or building manager may also need to sign off separately. This is the step most people skip and the one that tends to create problems on the day.
Ask coworkers privately, not only through a group email
A blanket message can put people with allergies, medical concerns, religious considerations, past trauma, or a fear of dogs in an awkward position. Cynophobia, or fear of dogs, is a recognized specific phobia. Exact prevalence is hard to pin down, but Cleveland Clinic notes that around 9% of U.S. adults have a specific phobia disorder, and dog fear is one possible animal-related phobia.
For company-run events, HR can use an anonymous opt-out form before announcing the final pet-friendly plan. This protects employees from having to explain personal concerns publicly.
Prepare pets for the workplace
Take your pet somewhere unfamiliar beforehand. About a week out, bring your pet to a quiet public space, a friend's place, or another low-pressure setting they have not visited before. You will quickly get a read on whether they take new environments in their stride or shut down. If it is the latter, they will be better off at home on the day.
Pack what they actually need
- Food, water, and a travel bowl
- Their bed or a familiar mat
- A toy or comfort item from home
- Collar with a current ID tag
- Your vet's number and proof of vaccinations
- Waste bags and something to clean up with
- A secure leash or harness for dogs, a secure carrier for cats, and a portable litter tray if your cat will stay for more than a short visit
Know how you would leave quickly
Before you arrive, sort out the practicalities: car access, a building pass, and someone nearby who could collect your pet if needed. If the day goes sideways, you do not want to be figuring this out on the spot.
Take Your Pet to Work Checklist
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For Pet Parents |
For Employers |
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Office Dog Gear and Cat Carriers for Take Your Pet to Work Week 2026
If you are planning for Take Your Pet to Work Week 2026, the right office dog gear, cat carrier, leash, harness, bowl, and cleanup supplies can make the day safer and easier for everyone.
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Need |
Helpful Product Type |
Why It Helps |
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Cat safety |
Helps keep cats secure during controlled movement outside the carrier. |
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Dog walking breaks |
Useful for parking lots, elevators, bathroom breaks, and outdoor transitions. |
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Travel and transitions |
Helps keep your pet's workday setup organized and easier to manage. |
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Cleanup |
Helps keep shared office areas cleaner after accidents, muddy paws, or spills. |
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Cat litter needs |
Useful if your cat will stay at work beyond a short visit. |
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Stress support |
May be worth discussing with your veterinarian before the event if your dog struggles with new environments. |
How Remote Workers Can Join Take Your Pet to Work Week 2026
Take Your Pet to Work Week works just as well for remote teams. Whether your office is a kitchen table or a dedicated home studio, your pet is already part of your workday. This week is a good reason to make that visible.
Dedicate a few minutes of a team call to pet introductions. It is one of those low-effort moments that lands well even with colleagues who do not own pets. Post during the week using #takeyourpettoworkweek, #takeyourdogtoworkday, or #takeyourcattoworkday on Instagram, LinkedIn, or X.
Even if your company does not allow pets on-site, you can still join Bring Your Pet to Work Week with a video call pet introduction, team photo thread, or Slack or Teams pet channel.
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Day |
Remote Team Idea |
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Monday |
Cat introductions or desk takeover photos |
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Tuesday |
Share your pet's funniest work habit |
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Wednesday |
Pet-free coworkers share favorite animal photos or local shelter links |
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Thursday |
Team vote for best pet cameo |
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Friday |
Dog parade on video call |
Bring Your Pet to Work Day 2026: Pet-Friendly Office Tips for Companies
If your company is planning a bring your pet to work day 2026 event or a full Take Your Pet to Work Week celebration, set the rules before pets arrive.
- Get approval from office administration, building management, or the landlord if the workspace is rented.
- Keep pet-free zones, especially in kitchens, server rooms, formal meeting areas, wellness rooms, and shared dining spaces.
- Collect vaccination records and a signed responsibility form from each participating pet parent.
- Let staff with allergies, fears, medical concerns, or other needs opt out privately, without offering an explanation.
- Provide hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies in pet-friendly areas.
- Require pets to be healthy, clean, flea-free, and up to date on required vaccinations.
- Have a simple incident plan for bites, scratches, allergic reactions, accidents, or property damage.
- Ask employees not to feed other people's pets without permission.
The CDC notes that animals can sometimes carry germs that may make people sick, so basic hygiene, handwashing, pet health, and cleaning rules matter in shared spaces.
Take Your Pet to Work Week was founded with shelter adoption at its heart. Partnering with a local rescue, even just featuring their animals in an internal newsletter, gives the week a sense of purpose that goes beyond a fun occasion.
Free Employer Toolkit for Take Your Pet to Work Week
Pet Sitters International offers a free Take Your Dog To Work Day toolkit with event materials, planning resources, participation forms, and tips for employers. Companies can use it for Take Your Dog To Work Day®, Take Your Cat To Work Day®, or Take Your Pet To Work Week® planning.
Important note for employers: This article is for general planning only and is not legal, HR, medical, or veterinary advice. Employers should review building rules, local laws, insurance requirements, accessibility needs, and internal workplace policies before allowing pets on-site.
When to Leave Your Pet at Home
Offices can be overwhelming for pets. There is constant noise, unfamiliar faces, strange smells, and no easy way out. Some animals take it all in stride, but others genuinely struggle, and putting them through that is not fair on them or the people around them.
With dogs, signs to keep an eye on may include panting that has nothing to do with heat, pacing, trembling, whining, losing interest in food, or tucking themselves away under furniture. If your dog already struggles in new places, talk to your veterinarian before using any calming support or bringing them into a busy office.
With cats, the clearest signals are refusing to leave the carrier, ears pinned flat, dilated pupils, a puffed or low tail, and vocalizing more than usual. If your cat shows signs of cat anxiety, such as hiding, refusing to leave the carrier, flattened ears, dilated pupils, or repeated vocalizing, it is better to end the visit early or skip office participation entirely. VCA Animal Hospitals notes that subtle signs of fear in cats can include changes in eyes, ears, tail, posture, hiding, and refusal to interact.
Pets that have never been outside the home, animals with any history of aggression, and any pet recovering from illness should stay home regardless. Never leave a pet alone in a vehicle while you work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: When is Take Your Pet to Work Week in 2026?
Ans: Take Your Pet to Work Week 2026 runs from Monday, June 22 to Friday, June 26. Monday is Take Your Cat to Work Day 2026, and Friday, June 26, is Take Your Dog to Work Day 2026.
Q2: Who started Take Your Pet to Work Week?
Ans: Take Your Dog to Work Day was started in 1999 by Patti Moran, the founder of Pet Sitters International. The concept later grew to include Take Your Cat to Work Day and a full Take Your Pet to Work Week, opening the celebration up to all types of companion animals. All three events are officially registered trademarks of PSI.
Q3: Can I bring my cat, or is it dogs only?
Ans: The full week is open to companion animals, with employer approval. Monday is specifically dedicated to cats. Cats should travel in a secure carrier and only participate if they are calm in unfamiliar spaces.
Q4: My company does not allow pets. Can I still take part?
Ans: You can still celebrate. Post a photo of your pet at your home desk with #takeyourpettoworkweek, bring them onto a team call, or download the free event toolkit from PSI to share with your HR team and start the conversation about a pet-friendly workplace policy.
Q5: How do remote workers join in?
Ans: A pet show-and-tell on a team call works well, as does posting on LinkedIn, Instagram, or X with #takeyourpettoworkweek. A dedicated channel on Slack or Teams keeps the momentum going across all five days of the event.
Q6: What do I need to bring for my pet?
Ans: Food, water, a travel bowl, a bed or mat, a favorite toy, a collar with a current ID tag, vaccination records, your vet's contact, waste bags, and a secure leash, harness, or carrier. If your pet tends toward anxiety, something that carries your scent, like an old T-shirt, can help them settle somewhere new.
Q7: Are employers required to allow pets at work?
Ans: No. Participation is voluntary, and employers should consider building rules, employee allergies or fears, safety, insurance, local policies, and workplace needs before allowing pets in the office.
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