Federal Association of Office Dogs regrets the decision of the German Bundestag to reject office dogs
Berlin. At the beginning of December, the Internal Commission of the German Bundestag decided not to change the existing house rules and to continue to exclude the bringing of dogs into the offices of members of parliament and employees. An opening of the regulation was rejected by mutual consent. The Federal Association of Office Dogs e. V. regrets this decision. From the association's perspective, this represents a missed opportunity to further develop working conditions in one of the most demanding working environments in Germany.
Parliamentary operations are characterized by high time constraints, great responsibility, public pressure and complex decision-making processes. Publications from the Bertelsmann Foundation show that former members of parliament describe the Bundestag itself as a place of work with considerable ongoing stress, inefficient processes and limited opportunities for regeneration.
A look at public administration as a whole also shows a clear picture. Health insurance reports have been pointing to above-average psychological stress in administrative-related activities for years. The DAK Psych Report regularly places public administration in the upper range of psychologically-related absences. The TK stress report names excessive work, deadline pressure and frequent interruptions as key stress factors. Conditions that are exemplary for Bundestag offices.
Against this background, the Federal Association of Office Dogs points out that scientific studies have associated office dogs with supportive effects in the working environment. These include, among other things, a changed perception of stress, the promotion of breaks and exercise as well as social relief in everyday working life. Office dogs do not replace structural or organizational reforms, but can be a supplementary component of health-oriented work concepts, provided occupational safety, organizational requirements and the welfare of the dogs are taken into account.
“Especially where decisions with social implications are made under constant time pressure, working conditions are needed that enable mental presence and regeneration,” says Markus Beyer, honorary chairman of the Bundesverband Bürohund e. V. “Office dogs are not a panacea and do not replace structural reforms. However, they can be a supportive component to cushion peaks in stress and create brief moments of relief in everyday working life. We believe that to rule out this option across the board is a wasted opportunity.”
The Bundesverband Bürohund does not see the decision of the German Bundestag as the end of the debate, but rather as an opportunity to continue to address the question of healthy working conditions in political institutions in an objective, differentiated and fact-based manner.
About the Federal Association of Office Dogs
The Federal Association of Office Dogs e. V. (BVBH) has been a pioneer since it was founded in 2014 to make it easier for dogs to be admitted as full team members in offices. As a non-profit organization, the association's goal is to promote the benefits of office dogs in companies and to help integrate office dogs into everyday working life harmoniously and for the equal benefit of companies, people and dogs.