All About That Snuggle Express
By Molly Elwood, KEEN senior copywriter
“Guys—they’re here!”
When news hit the fourth floor that the Snuggle Express had pulled into the KEEN Great Room—well, the chaos was fur-real. Desk chairs left spinning. Emails abandoned. The stairwell filled with thundering feet. As we reached the first floor, though, everyone quieted and showed the restraint of proper adults, lest we scare the poor darlings.
Puppies and kittens on a random Wednesday afternoon? Does it get any better?
Wee Holiday Work Paws
When Andy Williams sings, It’s the most wonderful time of the year, we’re pretty sure he’s talking about The Oregon Humane Society’s holiday fundraiser, the OHS Snuggle Express.
Over two days in December, OHS reps bring adoptable kittens and puppies to donating businesses—and they had around 90 requests this year (to fulfill it, they had seven cars out making multiple stops throughout the day.) Not only does this event raise money for OHS, share the joy of companion animals, and socialize them (making them easier to adopt), it also helps employees relieve holiday stress. It’s win x4.
This was our first time on the snuggle bus and we were ecstatic. At first, we divided into cat people and dog people, but the blissed-out kitties and the wiggly puppies soon won over both sides. I overheard more than a few KEENers doing pet math (“would my husband leave me if I got another dog?”), multiple exclaims of “look at that little face!,” and not one person talking about shoes or meetings or timecards.
Fur therapy session success.
KEEN Doggos: The Puggle is real
Despite the excited reaction, having pups in the office isn't rare. In fact, a couple months ago, when I received the office Halloween party invite, I automatically assumed the costume competition for “best dog costume” was for the best “human dressed as a dog.” It just made sense; this office has a dog obsession. (It was actually the best costume worn by a dog—and the winner was dressed as a tiny Pikachu.)
We’ve allowed well-behaved, on-leash dogs since the start of KEEN—and the struggle to skip a belly rub opportunity is real. There are 24 regulars in the office, with maybe only 10 on any given weekday. They provide levity with meeting nuzzles and midafternoon back sprawls (and, yes, the occasional bark or toot). And nothing beats a hulking hound dog and a tiny terrier wresting quietly throughout an all-hands.
The best part is that there is a built-in audience for dog care (and dog share). Going on vacation? Have a long meeting? A fellow KEENer is probably already eyeing your dog, hoping for a chance to watch or walk her.
And the bark doesn’t stop there. KEEN co-hosts an annual Pups in the Pearl, a pop-up dog park and pet adoption event in the heart of First Thursday. We also celebrate Bring Your Dog to Work Day to give those perhaps not-so-office-ready pups a chance to try out an afternoon desk side. There are treats, a photo booth, and more awards. And yes, we made a 2018 Dogs of KEEN calendar.
When you get down to it, there’s really nothing better than having a few fur friends underfoot as you push through the work week. Enjoy a few photos of our pups below--or see more of the crew on Instagram.
