Pets at work may help atmosphere - but bring their own risks

The golden retriever is a regular visitor to Fathom, Robertson's management consulting business in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Beyond the old tradition of a used bookstore or antique shop having a resident cat, some urban delicatessens and bodegas have cats to mitigate any rodent problems.

Robertson is among business owners who think having animals around boosts morale, improves the work atmosphere and raises productivity.

"Everyone seems to smile and immediately become a little bit happier," says Barbara Goldberg, CEO of O'Connell & Goldberg, a public relations company based in Hollywood, Florida.

[...] besides paying attention to permission from landlords and laws about having animals where food is being prepared, people need to consider how to accommodate uncomfortable staffers or clients.

Rodney Alvarez, a human resources executive at Celtra, a video advertising company, says legal issues to consider include making sure the company's insurance covers any incidents like biting, and keeping animals well-behaved so they won't frighten visitors.

Since Gus "is a full contact dog," Robertson says, "we collect the dogs and put them away in a room so (the deliveryman) can do his thing."

"The dogs just wander around from office to office, say hi to everyone and nobody minds," says Mike Dunklee, co-owner of Blvd Suites, a corporate housing company based in Oak Park, Michigan.