Business goes to the dogs
By LISA MATUSKA
Article published on Thursday, June 29, 2006
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| Photo by LISA MATUSKA |
| John Cook, Northern Trust Bank officer, and Zack, his poodle, assist bank clients during Take Your Dog to Work Day. |
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BELLEAIR BLUFFS – While keeping track of their finances, clients and employees also were keeping track of their dogs as they ran around the polished floors of the Northern Trust Bank on Friday.
The Belleair Bluffs bank celebrated Take Your Dog To Work Day by inviting employees and customers to bring their dogs in with them.
Sandy Sweetman, managing director of the bank, went about her day with Chelsea, her white miniature American Eskimo dog, sitting under her desk.
“She always comes to work with me,” said Sweetman, who lives in Belleair. “People don’t even know she’s here.”
The goal of the day was to promote the human-animal bond as well as encourage pet adoption, according to Pet Sitters International’s Web site, the organization that sponsored the day. Sweetman heard about take your dog to work day last year and thought it would be a good idea to celebrate it at the bank.
“This was a special day for employees to bring in their dogs,” said Sweetman.
While some customers already come in with their four-legged friends, she said she’d like clients to bring in their dogs all the time.
One client, Mary Rogero, might have been convinced.
“I might bring him in more, this is so exciting,” said Rogero, of Clearwater, who came in with her dog for the first time Friday.
Cha Cha, her Chihuahua, wore a fluffy red, white and blue collar in celebration of July 4th.
Those who brought their dogs to the bank could enter in a drawing for the grand prize, a gift certificate to E & E Steakout Grille.
Sweetman, who named Chelsea after the English soccer team, said she likes to bring her wherever she can. She said they chose the gift certificate as the grand prize in honor of a bill signed by Gov. Jeb Bush in early June that allows dogs to be in the outside eating areas of restaurants.
Other treats included complimentary biscuits for dogs, and cookies and fruit for their owners.
John Cook, Northern Trust officer, of Clearwater, also brought his poodle, Zack, who, instead of sitting under his desk, received a place in Cook’s chair behind the bank counter.
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Article published on Thursday, June 29, 2006
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