National Pet Day takes place this Sunday 11th April, so we wanted you to meet some of Just Eat for Business's very own furry friends!
The last 12 months have been a particularly stressful time and we've been spending a lot of it at home. The upside of that means spending lots more time with our beloved pets! In celebration of National Pet Day on 11th April, we thought you should meet some of Just Eat for Business's very own furry friends.
So, read on to hear from each pooch, kitty, and rat! Or click here to find out what their humans have to say about caring for these cheeky (and adorable) animals!
Meet our furry friends
Arthur
Team: Customer Care
Guilty pleasure: Smoked salmon and mash potato - I like a lil’ bit of stodge with my fine dining.
A bit about me: The lab in me means I LOVE food and my poodle side means I’m too clever for my own good. But nothing beats playing with my best mate Pat (except maybe a sausage).
Atreyu & Doran
Team: Tech
Guilty pleasure: Cardboard boxes and books!
A bit about us: We love eating, fighting and laying down in a stack on top of one other.
My favourite funny story: One evening my owner Joanna left us to roam around in a safe room. When she returned, she noticed one of us was missing. After looking everywhere for our pal, it seemed he had simply vanished into thin air. Eventually, she heard a quiet scratching sound… and found him in her sock drawer! He had climbed into it and then closed it from the inside! Or maybe we helped... She'll never know.
Billy
Team: Vendors
Guilty pleasure: Any item of clothing my human’s four-year-old daughter has worn and discarded on the floor. I’m really not into anything clean.
A bit about me: I’m friendly, fun loving and enjoy meeting other dogs in the park. I like to see how close I can get in their face before they get uncomfortable: it’s a small dog thing.
Elma
Team: Customer Care
Guilty pleasure: Hats, I’m not too fussy with what kind but the woolen ones are easier to eat as they seem to just unravel all by themselves.
A bit about me: I’m the kind of girl who loves long walks especially if it involves some stick fetching and playing roly poly on freshly cut grass! The highlight of my week is when my best friend Tucker comes round to play.
My favourite funny story: Last summer when there was a heatwave, my humans decided to go swimming in the Thames and took me along with them. Obviously there were lots of picnics there too, so whilst they were swimming I decided to devour a family's fresh pizza takeaway! It's safe to say they were not happy!
Hugo
Team: People & Talent
Guilty pleasure: Anything that isn’t bolted down; be it slippers, a ball, grass, my human's food… the list is endless.
A bit about me: I’m a huge fan of belly rubs, have an unhealthy affliction for tennis balls, enjoy sniffing stuff on the regular and sunbathing in the sunshine. However, squirrels are the enemy and they must all be chased.
Kovu & Bagheera
Team: Marketing
Guilty pleasure: (Kovu) My favourite foods are the ones I’m not supposed to be eating that belong to my humans - god help you if there’s any pâté or a charcuterie board left unattended… or headphone cables. (Bagheera) I’m partial to the occasional fly or moth that makes its way into my domain.
A bit about us: Other than sleeping, eating and wrestling with one another, we love to interrupt virtual meetings with our meows, jump on our human’s shoulders like a parrot, sleep in plant pots or Amazon boxes, shout at magpies through the window and try to sneak out of any open door or window.
Scout
Team: Marketing
Guilty pleasure: Anything I shouldn’t have. Otherwise, chicken... or socks.
A bit about me: I’m a dynamic go-getter - especially when the go-getting involves a tennis ball. I enjoy long walks in the park and I’m a bit of a fitness freak, going on at least one run a day. I’m also a keen bird spotter (and chaser), although I’ve yet to catch one.
Hear from the humans
Now that you've heard from the pets themselves, let's find out what their humans have to say!
When we asked our colleagues what they adore about their pets, Flo said that it's her pooch Elma's pure unbiased love: "She gets so excited to see me even if I have literally just nipped to the loo and come back into the room. She is very sensitive to emotion, if I am happy she will bound around and want to play, if I am sad or stressed she will sit on my lap and lick my face." For Shane, it's Scout's "dopey enthusiasm" that he loves the most: "Scout has boundless energy and is always keen to please, he’s very affectionate and loves to play. He’s great to spend time with when you just need a break and an injection of pure joy."
During lockdown, our Pantlers' pets have helped to support their humans in more ways than one. "Elma is a calming force in the house, it's very therapeutic just to have her sitting with her head on my lap. She has definitely helped with loneliness during lockdown and forces me out in all weathers for a walk," says Flo. Shane agrees that having a pet has helped his wellbeing, too: "Scout has little-to-no concept of stress and very much lives in the moment. That outlook and energy is infectious. He’s also quick to snuggle in on the sofa and just sit still. Reflecting on the day with some quiet company is always a nice way to stay grounded."
But having a pet isn't always cuddles and fun - alongside that us humans have to experience their annoying quirks, too. Like Elma's unfortunate flatulence problem, Atreyu and Doran's love of destroying personal belongings, or Scout's uncanny ability to ignore you when you ask him to do something he doesn't want to do.
After all, getting a pet shouldn't be a decision you take lightly. "You’re effectively signing a contract of responsibility for a living being," says Shane. "With a dog that means up early for walks, out in the evening for walks, playing with them, socialising them and training them correctly."
Joanna, who's cared for lots of rats over the years, highlights how important it is to understand a specific animal's needs before welcoming them into your life: "It’s best to understand what are the responsibilities and disadvantages of having a specific kind of pet before adopting it. It’s not only about making an informed decision that you’ll be happy with, but also about realistically assessing your ability to provide the care that the specific species needs."
But if you're able to meet those needs and you accept their little quirks along the way, having a furry/feathery/scaly friend at home can far outweigh the challenges. Just ask Shane:
"It’s incredibly rewarding and the affection you receive back is worth every moment you put into your pet."
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