This is Bentley "Hanson", as he is most notably registered as at Lakewood Animal Hospital; the misfit dog that has been so adopted by Mary Ann Hanson and many others at the Hanson Services office. As Mary Ann Hanson often reminds me, "You know you can never work anywhere else, because Bentley can never leave Hanson Services!" He is laying at my feet as I write this, as he does every day I am at work. He is my dog for sure, but he's nestled a little place for himself at Hanson.
Our CFO adds a side of chicken on his salad from The Soupermarket every day at lunch, and Bentley is off like a bullet when he hears his re-entry to collect on his chicken, that was purchased, just for him. At a recent meeting celebrating our one year anniversary in our new building, Bentley's other adopted Grandma cited "This little guy" as her most memorable Hanson moment (who will often overlook his owner when introducing a new caregiver to the office and say "This is Bentley...He works here.")
In her ongoing effort to make Hanson Services one of the best work environments around (my favorite job hands down), Mary Ann Hanson has not just allowed, but demanded of me, that I bring my little guy to work. Google, Amazon, Ben & Jerry's, Build-A-Bear, and many more corporations have been on the forefront of a dog friendly workplace for almost a decade now. Google has been written up extensively on it, citing that it improves employee moral and productivity, and has even created a "doggie park" at their headquarters in California; Amazon has gone as far as weekly meetings to address any issues between the dogs (they get demerits for bad behavior), and converse about their benefit to the company.
Some people at the office have said he is the most loyal dog they have ever seen, as he follows a few feet behind me everywhere I go. Some call it separation anxiety. But it has become apparent that his presence has become mutually beneficial to the office and Bentley himself, as I am starting to believe he really does think this is his job now.
