Four-year-old Golden Retriever Denver brings joy, cuddles, and calm to a small tech team
Hyderabad: In a heartwarming move, a Hyderabad-based tech start-up has appointed a four-year-old Golden Retriever named Denver Pawlson as their official Chief Happiness Officer (CHO). With a wagging tail and a friendly smile, Denver has quickly become the soul of the office, spreading joy, relieving stress, and boosting team morale.
The team first just wanted to have a pet-friendly office where they could bring a dog. But after bringing Denver in, the dog became so loved and helpful that he got his own special role in the office, like a real team member.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Rahul Arepaka, co-founder of the start-up, said, “We adopted Denver from a family who couldn’t take care of him. He was already trained, well-behaved, and full of love. We didn't plan for this position, it just happened naturally when we brought him to the office.”
There are eight people on the team, and all of them supported the decision to bring in a dog to the office. Before adopting, they made sure no one had allergies or concerns. Denver now spends his weekdays roaming the office, greeting team members, and offering cuddles during stressful work hours. “He literally pats everyone in the team. It’s like he’s checking in on us,” the co-founder laughed.
Denver’s “benefits package” may not include a salary, but he’s certainly pampered. He receives daily dog treats, walks around the campus, and lots of attention. The office, which includes a spacious lawn, is vacuumed daily to maintain cleanliness and comfort for both employees and their furry colleague.
After work, Denver heads home with the co-founder. “He travels with me in the car, sleeps on a bed next to mine, and wakes me up for work every morning. It’s like he knows he has a job to do,” he said.
Denver even has his own LinkedIn profile to reflect his new role. “We didn’t want to create just another Instagram pet account. Since we’re treating him like an employee, we thought, "why not LinkedIn?”
The team moved into their new office space in early May, and Denver joined them right from day one. While the first day was filled with excitement and play, the team soon settled back into work with higher spirits than before. “People used to take breaks to go out for fresh air and smoke. Now, they just play with Denver. He brings everyone back with a smile,” the co-founder shared.
Pet-friendly offices are common in other countries, especially in places like the US, UK, and Europe. Many big companies allow employees to bring their pets, usually dogs, to work. They believe that having pets around helps reduce stress, keeps people happy, and makes the office feel more friendly and relaxed.
Some companies even give time off to take care of pets or offer insurance for pet health. This is mostly seen in tech companies and start-ups. Offices are often designed with special pet zones or small play areas for the animals.
