“Employers are starting to realize that having a millennial bring … a pet to work, you wind up getting a more focused employee, you get someone more comfortable at the office and a person willing to work longer hours,” said Bob Vetere, president and CEO of the American Pet Products Association, a trade group representing about 1,200 manufacturers of pet products.

According to Vetere, the millennial segment (18- to-34-year-olds) tends to look at their pets “as practice families or substitute families and seem to be more verbal in their wants and needs for their pet and for making sure their pet is well tended and well cared for.”

At Autodesk, Lizzie Bennett was able to take her Welsh corgi named Jackson to work at the company’s Lake Oswego, Oregon, facility when he needed her most. “He had some knee surgery and needed constant care and medication. They let me bring him in which was really convenient — and I didn’t have to hire a pet sitter or have my parents or friends help me. It’s just peace of mind for me.”