A creative idea has brought new hope to a Western Australian council’s staff, at a time when morale was at a critical low. Allowing staff to bring their dogs into the office not only lifted spirits, but quickly became a treasured part of rebuilding culture and unity.
In the inner western suburbs of Perth, the City of Nedlands recently found itself at a crossroads.
Following the government’s decision to dismiss all councillors, including the mayor, Council went through significant changes – new commissioners were appointed, a new Acting CEO was brought in, and an air of uncertainty settled over Council staff.
In the wake of these events, it was, as Council’s Coordinator of Communications and Community Engagement, Ray Pedretti, described, “a difficult time in our history.”
Pedretti recalled that morale in the office had sunk noticeably even before councillors were let go.
“The councillors were not exactly getting on. There was a lot of debate in chambers all the time. This was affecting staff, and someone in the human resources department came up with the idea that maybe if some staff were allowed to bring their dogs in, it’d be good for mental health as well as lift morale, and it has,” Pedretti said.
He recounted how the staff felt the impact of council instability.
“In councils, if the councillors themselves are not doing well, it filters right down through the organisation. Everyone feels like they haven’t got strong leadership,” he said.
“The dogs were one of these little things you can do that lifted everyone’s spirits and morale.”
Launching ‘Dogs at Work’
The Dogs at Work initiative was launched in mid-2025, right when the council needed it most.
The concept was simple: allow staff to bring their well-behaved pets into the office one or two days a week. What began as an experiment quickly became a much-anticipated part of workplace culture.
“We started out with a lot of dogs, and we’ve narrowed it down – natural selection, really. We’ve narrowed it down to the dogs that are popular here, they just seem to be the ones that are coming in all the time, and they’re well looked after,” Pedretti said.
The administration provided practical supports such as expandable gates, beds, and water bowls for each dog.
“I bring my own dog in and there’s a routine to it. I know what my dog needs when she comes in here, she needs almost nothing at all. She’ll sit at my feet until I move, and then she’ll follow me wherever I go,” Pedretti said.
Pedretti explained that over time both staff and dogs have become more comfortable with the arrangement.
“Initially, all dogs have to be on a lead – but that’s loosened a little now, because most of the dogs are very well behaved, so the lead doesn’t really mean much anyway.”
Inclusivity and connection
The initiative was run with inclusivity in mind.
For example, notices were made available for staff to indicate a ‘no dog zone’ if they did not wish to have dogs near their workspace. Out of over 150 staff members, only three expressed any fear or dislike of dogs.
“They’re not complaining, by the way. They like the whole idea of it. It’s just that some people have a discomfort or a fear around dogs. So, we’ve made an effort to be accommodating of that,” Pedretti said.
Not only did the dogs bring joy and stress relief to most of the staff, but the project also fostered communication between departments that might otherwise never have crossed paths.
“This is an unusual building, like I imagine a lot of councils have to deal with, and there are departments that you just don’t really have a need to go to. The dogs bridged that. Every time there’s a dog in, everybody knows, and they go looking for the dog to give it a pat,” Pedretti said, adding that some staff even started bringing dog biscuits to share.
The City of Nedlands prides itself on its multicultural workforce, and the Dogs at Work program also played an important role in bridging cultural divides.
“We’re incredibly multicultural, many people here are from different backgrounds. Many of those cultures don’t necessarily have a lot of contact with dogs,” Pedretti said.
“One of our directors is Indian, and he really had nothing to do with dogs at all, but he’s really enjoyed the initiative, and he’s now thinking of getting a dog.
“They don’t care where someone’s from. They just want the pats.”
Making a positive difference
Staff quickly embraced the program and, according to Pedretti, it became “part of the culture” at the City of Nedlands.
“It’s amazing how quickly the dogs have adjusted and how staff have adjusted as well, including upper management. They bring dogs in as well,” he said.
Moreover, the initiative became a reliable source of comfort.
“Some people will now come out of, say, a stressful meeting, and go look for the dog first thing, to have a pat and just relax a bit. In that sense, they are wonderful stress relievers,” Pedretti said.
The positive atmosphere radiates beyond staff. Residents coming to pay their rates have responded with delight, regularly commenting on the presence of dogs in the customer service area.
“Almost every person that comes in smiles and says, ‘Oh, you’ve got your dog at work.’ It’s seen as something very positive,” Pedretti said.
At a time when the City of Nedlands needed a boost, Dogs at Work did more than lift spirits – it built bridges, reduced stress, and became a cherished part of council life.
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