Our non-digital lives can be pretty lonely these days.
After a day of burning through emails, Slack messages and Zoom calls, many of us turn away from our screens only to see an empty house or apartment. That might help explain why Austin Pets Alive! reported a 70% year-over-year increase in cat adoptions and a 60% spike in dog adoptions in the early days of the pandemic.
Now, Austin insurtech startup The Zebra has built pet adoptions into its set of employee perks. The insurance comparison startup is giving employees up to $300 a year to adopt a new cat or dog.
Many employers have for years provided pet-friendly workspaces, and a few even offer employees a little "furternity" or "pawternity" time off or a pet store gift card when they adopt. But The Zebra believes it's the first company in the U.S. to provide a stipend for pet adoption costs, in addition to encouraging them to use some of their unlimited time off to bond with their new fur friend.
At least six employees have used the new perk to adopt a pet.
Maribeliz Ortiz, an agency quality assurance coordinator recently tapped the benefit to bring Niko, a miniature long haired dachshund, home.
“I’m not ready to have a child any time soon,” the 27 year old said in a news release. “But it feels really nice to be supported by my company to help start a family in the way I can right now.”
Here's a look at a few more of The Zebra's pet pics.
