Our Furry & Finny Companions

So much more than just a tail wave or distraction in meetings, family pets help with work life balance in our daily routine, exercise reminders, and personal well-being.
Let me introduce you to some of the IS PMO furry & finny family.

Sophie & Zola

Name: Sophie
Origin: Rescue, and now about 10 year old Harlequin kitty
Loves: Sunbeams & Coffee!
She has been known to put her foot in any unattended or uncontested coffee cup. Sophie’s humble servant, Meagan, tries not to think about how many times she might have drunk a coffee that once had her foot in it.
Quirks: One of her many quirks is finding the perfect resonance spot at the the top of the stairs where she practices her best yowl to wake everyone up, until someone comes and feeds her, of course. She has never had a cat as vocal and chatty as her.

Name: Zola
Origin: smol kitten, now 13 years old “Standard Issue Cat”
Loves: catnip banana toys, keyboard naps, chasing Sophie, and treats – but especially brushing. You can hear her purr from across the room when she gets a good brush massage

Meagan finds that both kitties provide a daily dose of affection, humor, and levity to each workday that she is continually thankful for. Thank goodness for kitties!❤🐱

Nemo

Species: Beta Fish, about 7 months old
Favorite Activity: Plays Hide ‘n’ Seek in the Krusty Krab figurine. (For those who are not familiar, the Krusty Krab is a fast-food restaurant in the SpongeBob SquarePants television series.)
Quirky Behavior: When he needs a rest, he takes a nap on a horizontally angled leaf that is stuck to the side of the tank via a small suction cup

Theresa finds that fish have a calming effect when she watches them swim around in the tank.  Some research find that watching fish is really a good relaxation activity!
In the future the family plans to expand the aquarium and include other fish that would make good roommates for Nemo.

Timmy

Age: 22 week old puppy
Breed: Rat Terrier
Special Traits: Did you look at his lovely ears?!
Sandra thinks that taking on a puppy really forces her to be super aware of time and become even more organized. There’s A LOT to do getting him on a schedule and making it as consistent as possible day to day. So far, the plan is to get up earlier, pour an extra cup of coffee and get to it. Timmy is super fun already and despite the extra work a puppy entails, it’s worth it!
I hope he doesn’t chew on your favorite shoes

Ollie, Beckett and Briar

Name: Ollie
Origin: South end backyard rescue, about 16 years old Tuxedo cat
Loves: waking me up in the morning, food, catnip
Quirky behavior: blocks my way to the food all the way down the stairs
Ollie has a timer on his stomach, so I am aggressively reminded that I have to get up out of my office, use the stairs, and provide sustenance
As for work/life balance, that timer helps me to stand up and take exercise and computer breaks during the day. Downstairs 2 flights, maybe a quick walk, upstairs 2 flights – at least 4 times a day

Tiny tuxedo Briar Loves: chasing toys, fetching balls, and killing cardboard boxes. She is the smallest kitty ever
House panther Beckett Loves: kisses, anchovy treats, chicken, spinach and yogurt
They both love snuggles with and grooming Ollie
Hates: loud noises, other people – the pet sitter has never seen them
They make sure we have regular mental health breaks to de-stress with hugs, snuggles and play-time