Since the beginning of April, agents of the City of Saint-Pierre-lès-Elbeuf (Seine-Maritime) have been authorized, under certain conditions, to bring their dogs to the office. The objective? Improve the quality of life at work for staff and become more committed to the animal cause. The experiment, planned to last three months, could well be sustained.
“I don’t smoke, I don’t drink coffee, but now I take breaks for my dog“, rejoices Carine Gillot, civil servant at the town hall of Saint-Pierre-lès-Elbeuf (Seine-Maritime). Like other city agents, she has been authorized, since the beginning of April 2024, to bring her dog to work, to his greatest happiness.
The experiment with the “My animal at work” system was set up by the town hall, in conjunction with staff representatives and the general director of services. If the arrival of the dogs is organized “spontaneous and intelligent way“, it is accompanied by several rules, explains Stéphane Castrale Bela, the general director of Services.
First of all, agents working in places of collective living, catering, reception of children and the elderly, and agents in direct contact with the public are excluded.
Dogs must be up to date with their vaccinations, be over six months old and dogs categorized 1 and 2 are not accepted.
We cannot control the public’s apprehension in relation to the animal.
Stéphane Castrale Bela, general director of services
Officers are allowed to bring their pets up to three days a week, but there should only be a maximum of one pet per office. A prior consent system must also be signed unanimously by the people working on the same floor as the agent wishing to bring their animal so that people with allergies or phobias are not inconvenienced.
So that people moving between the different floors of the town hall are not surprised to find a dog behind the door of an office, the town hall has also chosen to set up a system for identifying offices which welcome a dog via a small poster stuck on the door.
Within the Saint-Pierre-lès-Elbeuf Town Hall, around ten agents already bring or have expressed their willingness to bring their dogs to work. A municipal police officer also participates in the experiment.
Since the beginning of April, Carine Gillot has already brought two of her four dogs to the office. “I chose the ones that seemed most suitable to me, because they are calm, do not bark and do not move“, explains the town hall official.
Thus, Naïla, seven years old, and Lulu, four years old, two little shepherds from Shetland, discovered why their mistress mysteriously disappeared every morning of the week.
It makes sense to work with your animal, it’s part of the agents’ well-being.
Nadia Mezrar, the mayor of Saint-Pierre-lès-Elbeuf
“The idea is to allow those who spend a lot of time at work to also be less stressed about their dog waiting for them at home.“, supports Nadia Mezrar.
For the past few days, Carine Gillot has been delighted to see what the presence of one of her dogs in the office can bring to everyone.
“People come into my office looking for the dog, I also have a colleague who was afraid of dogs and who managed to pet my two dogs“, she illustrates.
We talk a lot more. (…) The other day, I walked my dog with a colleague after work even though I don’t usually see her.
Carine Gillot, civil servant at the town hall of Saint-Pierre-lès-Elbeuf
“We have noticed that stressed agents are more peaceful and favorable to exchange. It’s really interesting“, observes Stéphane Castrale Bela. “The dog is a vector of connection between agents. It reminds everyone of their relationship with animals and it is rather very appreciated.“, notes Nadia Mezrar for her part.
This experiment is also “one more step” in the town hall’s commitment to animal welfare. In 2023, the town hall contributed to setting up several actions to make it possible to list, report, identify and sterilize stray animals and offer them for adoption. system made possible in particular by a group of 24 volunteers, associations and a veterinary clinic. In a few months, 16 cats and 13 dogs were taken care of by the City and partner associations.
In France, municipal officials in Grenoble and Suresnes are authorized to bring their dogs to work, and more and more private companies are offering this possibility to their employees, but the movement is taking off slowly, while it is being democratized in the States. -United.
In Saint-Pierre-lès-Elbeuf, the experiment should last until June. If it is positive, and the final regulation is validated by the municipal council and by the territorial social committee, it should be made permanent. The idea could be emulated. Several municipalities have recently expressed their interest in this system with the Seinomarine town hall.