On Mental Health Awareness Week
The London office of Gowling WLG welcomed a number of four-legged furry friends through its doors yesterday afternoon in a bid to help de-stress its hardworking lawyers and support staff.
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week, the international player teamed up with Doggy De-Stress, a health and wellbeing service which harnesses pooch-power to bring an air of calm to even the most hectic of office environments.
And the idea of using dogs to help lawyers relax is backed by science. Research has shown that petting or playing with animals can reduce stress and anxiety, and increase the stress-busting hormone oxytocin.
While it’s not known whether or not the dogs were working on a pro bone-o basis (sorry), snaps of the stress-busting session suggest the initiative went down well with Gowling’s lawyers and staff.
This isn’t the first time a big City player has called on the services of our canine companions. In 2017, Eversheds Sutherland allowed its lawyers and staff to bring their dogs to work as part of a new wellbeing initiative, while Norton Rose Fulbright came over all canine-friendly and allowed its lawyers to take part in Bring Your Dog to Work Day (21 June).