The secret (work) life of pets

After leaving the corporate world to start Delta Pawn about 13 years ago, Gene Paul decided he needed a new approach to his career.

“The rest of my life is about being happy,” Paul said.

And part of that happiness comes in the shape of the four-legged companions that are fixtures in the store: Great Danes Gunther and Pearl and shop cat Dash. All three have been spending their days behind — or on — the counter at Delta Pawn for most of their lives.

Across downtown Birmingham, businesses in a variety of fields are opening their doors to office pets. Even if there’s a little more hair and occasional barking than the average workplace, most pet owners and their coworkers seem happy with the trade-off.

Delta Pawn

The 6-week-old stray kitten that showed up at Delta Pawn about 13 years ago bears little resemblance to the slightly fat, undisputed boss of the store that Dash has become. Paul likes to joke that Dash sleeps on mink fur, drinks out of crystal and eats off of a sterling platter — all items brought into the store.

“Everything in here is his in his mind,” Paul said.

Customers mostly fall in love with Dash, and, Paul said, some will come in daily just to say hello.

Eleven-year-old Gunther and 5-year-old Pearl are newer additions to the Forest Park pawn store, but Paul said they adjusted pretty easily to life at work. Since he was “lucky enough to have a choice” to bring his pets to work with him, Paul said he’s never regretted it.

While the physically intimidating size of the two dogs does give Delta Pawn an extra security measure, on an average day Gunther and Pearl are simply there to nap and be petted.

“They definitely keep me calmer. They keep me safer. [It’s] the closest thing to unconditional love,” Paul said.

Dr. Joe’s Bike MD and Lawnmower Repair Shop

Across town in West End, another Great Dane patrols the bicycle and lawnmower repair shop at Dr. Joe’s. But 6-year-old King is no guard dog. In fact, as one employee joked, the large dog is so friendly to strangers that he’d be more likely to help a thief than scare them off.

Joe Jones has run his repair shop for 30 years and had yard dogs in the past to play that protective role. King originally belonged to Jones’ son, but he grew too big to keep while in school at Auburn, and Jones took over his care. He had to teach the dog not to walk into the street, but the rest of life in the repair shop came naturally.

“Day 1: He wasn’t scared of nothing or no one,” Jones said.

King can now wander the shop as he pleases and doesn’t wear a collar, as he responds immediately to Jones’ voice commands. He makes friends with new customers, employees and children alike, though the dog may have some delusions of his own size. When Jones is sitting down, King often attempts to become a lap dog, but only half of his body can fit on Jones’ lap at a time.

Jones said repair shop employees, regulars and neighbors all enjoy having King around every day.

“The whole neighborhood knows him. They call him by name,” Jones said.

MAC Uniforms

Every morning, a shaggy, bearded collie named Merlin hops in the passenger seat of Ed Smith’s car. Whether he’s making the morning commute or greeting a customer at MAC Uniforms, Merlin almost always gets a positive reaction.

“Everybody who sees him smiles,” Smith said.

Smith began to work for McCain Uniforms in 1973 and bought and renamed the company, now on Third Avenue North, in 1985. Merlin has come to work since he was just a puppy, as did his predecessor, Gandalf.

“I have my own business; I have my own building. I’m not going to leave a dog home alone all day,” Smith said.

Like Jones and Paul, Smith said he didn’t have to do much training for Merlin to become accustomed to life at MAC Uniforms. Having a dog in the store “makes everybody feel better,” he added. 

The 7-year-old collie’s eyes are almost always obscured behind his long hair, but Smith said he’s always on the watch. In May 2016, Smith recalled that Merlin suddenly began barking and growling. Then, the staff heard a gunshot. Across the street, a man was attempting a carjacking. Scared by the barking dog, the man drove off and ended up wrecking the car only a few miles away.

When Merlin growls, “you better pay attention,” Smith said.

Most days, however, there’s no reason for Merlin to growl, and his job is simply to play fetch and be the recipient of customers’ affection.

“He helps keep your blood pressure down,” Smith said.

Sheppard’s Pet Supply

After he opened Sheppard’s Pet Supply in October 2015, Will Sheppard decided that it only made sense to have a shop cat. He said he got lucky that the cat, Declan, was full of personality.

“He’s a funny one,” Sheppard said. “He’s always been very interested in anything that walks in.”

Now about 9 months old, Declan came to Sheppard’s in late 2016. The little gray cat immediately picked his favorite chair to sleep in and decided that every customer who comes to the Avondale store owes him a scratch behind the ears.

“If you don’t come to him, he’ll come up to you,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard originally wanted a shop cat for companionship and to be a calming presence during the day. Declan has developed a following both in person and on social media, and Sheppard said it has been unexpectedly good for business when pet owners come in just to see the cat.

“He’s been a good addition,” he said.

Sheppard said he’s going to have to add more cat products to the store because of the number of cat owners coming in to visit Declan. He also wants to build a “trail” on the walls of the shop for Declan to climb and explore above the shelves. 

Though the cat lives in the shop 24/7, Sheppard said he doesn’t think Declan ever gets bored of the combination of new people and toys.

“He’s got a pretty cool life,” Sheppard said. “If he opens up a toy, it’s his.”

Cayenne Creative

At Cayenne Creative, the canine faces in the office change every day. It’s an office full of pet lovers, employee Dana McGough said, and employees are invited to bring their dogs to work with them.

“The dogs are so keenly a part of how we operate as an office,” McGough said. “It would be really odd to come in and not see at least one dog.”

Cayenne owner Dan Monroe said it’s “hugely meaningful” that he’s able to bring his 14-year-old dog Jack to work each day. He said the policy has practical benefits for Cayenne staff, because they don’t have to worry about rushing home to let their dog out if it comes with them to the office instead. And since employees with high-energy pups tend to leave them at home, Monroe said, having pets in the office hasn’t been a distraction so far.

“Dogs are good for your soul,” Monroe said. ‘For our people, I think it’s just healthy.”

In the high-stress environment of advertising and branding, Monroe said having dogs as part of their corporate culture can be “psychologically soothing.” They’ve even created a #dogsofcayenne hashtag on Instagram to share photos taken in their Lakeview office.

“It’s like communal dogs. It’s fantastic,” said McGough, who does not have a dog of her own. “I benefit from other people’s dogs.”

Though one designer has allergies that they have to work around, Monroe and McGough said there are few downsides.

“There does tend to be a bit of begging in the kitchen,” McGough admitted.

Moxy

Dogs aren’t as frequent a sight at the Moxy office, but co-owners Kelly Knudsen and Brandy Herschbach also love the corporate culture they create.

“It’s very homey. You have a dog lying beside you while you bust out 50 calls,” Herschbach said.

At the five-year-old staffing and creative agency, bringing pets to their office on First Avenue South started out as an occasional necessity if employees couldn’t leave their dog at home all day. Moxy encourages a laid-back, family-like culture, Knudsen said, and having dogs in the office only adds to that feeling.

“It makes it fun,” Herschbach said.

Now, a dog or two can be found in the Moxy office a couple times a week, including Knudsen’s dachshund Rocket and Herschbach’s Lab Tucker. The dogs tend not to be a distraction, and Knudsen said sometimes they forget a dog is even there.

When employees feel like their dogs are welcome and they don’t have to worry about leaving a pet home alone, Knudsen said, it adds to their career’s quality of life.

“We want to create a culture where people love to come to work,” Knudsen said. 

Zoe’s in Forest Park

Shoppers at Zoe’s in Forest Park might notice a shadow at their heels as they browse. That’s Jade, one of two cats that live at the consignment store.

Lucy Mann, who has worked at Zoe’s for a year and was a regular shopper about 12 years, said Jade and her counterpart, Boy, have been at the shop as long as she’s been coming there. 

Jade and Boy were preceded as the official store felines by a cat named Willow, and Mann joked that they keep cats in the shop because owner Deborah Fulton “is a crazy cat lady.”

Boy spends most of his time outdoors, but Jade prefers to stay inside to greet customers, get petted and sometimes follow them around. Mann said most customers enjoy seeing the cats.

“When they ring up, they’ll come sit on everyone’s clothes, which I’m sure everyone thoroughly appreciates,” Mann said.

Though a dog person herself, Mann said she’s generally happy having any animals around during the workday. Her previous job allowed her to take her dogs to work as well.

“It’s a lot more free and friendly, as well, and it makes you more at home,” Mann said. “Working somewhere without pets is no fun.”

Redemptive Cycles

While customers come in to Redemptive Cycles to look for a new bike or skateboard, founder Marcus Fetch said his rottweiler, Bear, tends to steal their hearts.

“He’s kind of like a celebrity around here,” Fetch said. “He makes the customer experience so much better.”

Redemptive Cycles opened in 2012, and Fetch began bringing his dog with him to work about two years ago. He said having a dog in the Second Avenue North shop makes a tangible difference in the atmosphere.

“Everybody’s just so happy to see him,” Fetch said.

In the midst of bike sales, repairs and Earn-a-Bike programs going on each day, Fetch said Bear tends to stay “really chill.” He accepts being petted but generally ignores customers — unless, of course, he thinks he might get food out of it. Fetch said that has prompted some regular visitors to bring treats along with them.

Fetch said he enjoys that Bear can bring smiles to him and his customers each day. 

“Being able to bring my baby with me is awesome,” Fetch said. “I’m definitely much happier. Your dog is like your partner.”