YAY!

Since we spend more time at office than our homes, bringing pets is a definite YAY. And since most of the public service officers are so good in multi-tasking, working and taking care of our own pets at the same time should not be a problem.
Nadia Hamid, MOE

Talking about pets could help break the ice and get everybody out of a routine. This idea could be extended to a weekend Pet-a-thon, so pet owners and pet lovers could engage in activities such as strolling with their pets and interacting with other pet lovers as well.
Ming Fong Heng, MOM

I will simply love this fresh idea! It will be great to see how pets make ‘friends’ with each other. We can set aside a space in the office solely for the pets to mingle and play! I will feel that bringing pets to the office simply reduces the tension in the office environment!
Veronica Zhang, MOE

Definitely a “Yay”! It will ease the boredom of a 9-5 work routine, even if it’s only just one day. It will encourage more casual bonding between colleagues, as there is another topic, ie sharing on views of how to raise pets (besides the common topic of how to raise kids).
Tay Bee Hong, HDB

NAY!

Some people may be allergic to the animals and fall sick, which reduces work productivity. I always believe that the office is a purely working environment and pets should be ‘left for leisure’. I love pets and because of my love, I don’t want to bring them to my office when I know I can’t fully give my time to them whilst I’m working!
Jornathan Saw, Singapore Prisons

I am not a serious or workaholic person but I don’t mix business and home matters together! I have a pet dog called ‘Joey’ at home and I adore her and always play with her. In the office, I will be busy running errands and ‘running’ to meetings. Bringing ‘Joey’ to office may distract me and I might not work properly! If I’m out having meetings, oh dear, I couldn’t imagine if Joey runs to the counters that are serving the public!
Ken Chew, MHA

Winning Entry

My name is Samuel and I am a five-year-old 45kg Bernese Mountain Dog. My “Mom” just told me that the “cheng hu” magazine, CHALLENGE, is asking for views on a “Bring Your Pets To Work Day” at the office. Of course it’s a hands, paws, fins, and claws – down YAAAAAAAAY from all of us! I mean, what better way to spend a day at work than among fur, feathers and fins, right?

My Mom shared with me that her concern is that Singaporeans in general are not crazy about animals because of two things – they think we will attack them and they hate our B.O. (body odour)! But please let me clarify. My teeth have already been put to very good use during my luxurious meals. Moreover, I am an extremely sweet dog and am an active volunteer with Therapy Dogs Singapore. During weekends, I visit nursing homes to interact with the Ah Kongs and Ah Mahs there – and they adore me. So yes, I am a qualified smile-starter and cheer-creator and I can certainly add-value (this sounds soooo familiar!) to my Mom’s organisation in this capacity. And oh, please don’t say I stink. I go for regular spa treatments, showers, pedicures and haircuts. These sessions cost my Mom more $$$ than her own! I also assure you that will not “anyhow” pee and poop! Like many of my friends, we are trained to do this discreetly and with dignity. Before you know it, our wonderful parents would have had already cleaned up after us too! So no worries about that!

To make this event an even bigger success, I suggest that we make it a two-in-one thing for better mileage – how about tying it in with a Bring Your Kids to Work Day, since we pets are technically “kids” to our parents? Let’s do something in conjunction with the school holidays and AVA’s Responsible Pet Ownership week! So what could happen is that everyone works in the office for half a day, and from lunch time onwards, people can go off to pick up their pets from their homes. Non-pet owners will not be left out because they can go home can bring their kids back to the office too. We can then have a nice meet-and-greet session in the late evening during which tips on responsible pet ownership can be shared as well.

And how about a special photography booth for people to take photos with some of us? This could have a fund-raising element to it, and the money raised to be given to the adopted charity of the organisation’s choice. I have had many, many people come up to me to have a picture taken, and I am sure that if this event happens, I can easily raise a couple of hundreds for a worthy cause! As a closing to the event, perhaps some of us could also troop down to AVA’s roadshow as part of the opening ceremony or something? What better way to spread the importance of loving one’s pets for life than having the organisers walk the talk, right? And oh… my Mom just added that she thinks that this will be a great opportunity to get the media down and who knows, we might make it to front-page coverage and generate some funky publicity! Writing about this is exciting enough, so can you imagine how cool it’d be if this really takes off? There are just too many reasons why this must happen and I’m sure you agree!

OK, before I go, my Mummy just wants everyone to know that even if this idea doesn’t happen in the end, she’s still very happy that the topic was raised. It’s good to know that the “gahmen” is prepared to explore doing some hip, happening and hot things from time to time! As they say, it’s the thought that counts!

But in the meantime, I am keep my paws crossed that I’ll get a chance to be a part of the inaugural event really soon! Thanks for reading and I hope my Mom wins that $100 prize! Even if it’s an NTUC voucher, I am sure I will take a cut from it. A nice chunk of steak would work just fine!

With woofy licks and fuzzy hugs,
Samuel

(BTW, I write on behalf of my siblings, Grace (a Border Collie) and Caleb (also a Bernese Mountain Dog)… And of course my Mom, Pearly Cheong, a Senior Corporate Communications Manager at the Health Sciences Authority).
Pearly Cheong, HSA

Congratulations to Ms Pearly Cheong, who wins a $100 Gift Voucher from Pet Lovers Centre. All other published entries win shopping vouchers worth $30 each. Winners will be contacted via e-mail.

Would you ‘friend’ your colleagues or bosses on Facebook?
Tell us at: psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg
The best entry will win an attractive prize worth up to $100! All other published entries will win shopping vouchers worth $30 each.

Please include your name, email address, agency and contact number. All entries should reach us by August 1, 2010.