Comfort Tech Heating & Cooling employees love pups in the office

When customers visit the Comfort Tech Heating and Cooling office in Kelowna, the humans who work there are often overlooked at first.

Much more attention is paid to the office dogs.

“Our customers love it,” Comfort Tech dispatcher Paula Broadhead says. “We have a gate, so they don’t have to come right in to the dogs. We always ask people if they’re OK to come in with the dogs, and most people just love it.

“They spend time with the dogs before they get down to business.”

While offices seem to be dwindling in the wake of COVID-19, the number of office dogs appears to be on the rise. Comfort Tech was ahead of the curve, however, inviting employees to bring their pups to work more than seven years ago.

“It’s good for morale,” Broadhead says. “Once in a while they get a little riled up, but for the most part everybody loves having them here. We all enjoy it.”

There is currently a rotation of four dogs—and one cat—at Comfort Tech’s head office on Kirschner Road, but company rules state there can be no more than two dogs present at any one time. They are also limited to two visits per week.

Broadhead started working at Comfort Tech six years ago, and shortly thereafter she got a standard poodle puppy she named Murphy. When Murphy was about a year old, he joined the doggie gang at Comfort Tech.

The rest of the brood nowadays includes:
• Solo — Pomeranian and Siberian Husky cross
• Annabel — Boston Terrier and French bulldog cross
• Ricky — Corgi and Jack Russell Terrier cross
• Felix — a one-eyed cat

“There’s lots of room in here, so when they play it can get pretty loud,” Broadhead says. “So two at a time is enough, and it’s enough for the customers when they come in as well.”

Having pups around the office is not only a morale booster, as Broadhead put it, but it’s also good for the dogs. They don’t have to sit at home all day every day while their owner is at work. Comfort Tech makes it comfortable for the canines as well, with beds, water dishes, toys and treats at the ready.

“It’s pretty low key,” Broadhead says. “It’s just nice having them here. Once they get used to coming, it’s just like being at home. They just settle in, and they’re just happy for the company.”

So if you're ready to go ductless or want to improve the air quality in your home—or maybe you just want to hang out with Solo, Murphy, Ricky, Annabel or Felix—you can do so by visiting Comfort Tech's office at 1988 Kirschner Rd.

And if you would like to spend even more time with the pups by working at Comfort Tech, the company is hiring new technicians. Information about job opportunities can be found here.

This article is written by or on behalf of the sponsoring client and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.