In 2015, Amazon was voted the most pet-friendly company in America, and it has been named as one of the most dog-friendly companies in the entire world. At the time, around 1,500 employees had dogs registered in the database, all of which had been approved to come to work. The receptionist at the Seattle office keeps a bucket of dog treats on her desk to greet dogs as they come in with their owners in the morning. There are several policies in regard to bringing dogs to work, all of which are basic and understandable. Employees have to get approval from their managers and officemates before bringing their dog into work. They must keep their dog on a leash, except when at their desk, and cannot leave their dog unattended. Dogs must be well-behaved, and they must be registered with the company before coming to work.
A few hundred dogs are on the campus each day, and the tradition dates back to the founding of the company, when the editor-in-chief used to bring Rufus, their Welsh corgi, into work each day. The heads of Amazon have encouraged employees to bring their dogs to work, going so far as to create large courtyards for them to walk their dogs and having dog-sized water fountains for dogs to drink from. Employees say that bringing their canine friends to work helps to relieve stress. The dogs can be seen sitting in their dog beds, laying under their owner’s desk, and being walked around the campus.