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While many law firms do pro bono work, Holman Webb is going one step further in helping the community, having welcomed a Seeing Eye Dog into its Melbourne office.
Zella, a breeder dog for Seeing
Eye Dogs (SED), goes to work every day with her carer, Holman Webb paralegal Simon Bogli, happily
sitting under his desk while he speaks to clients
or writes briefs.
Mr Bogli said both Holman Webb management and his colleagues could not have been more welcoming of
Zella.
“When I
interviewed for the role I was a little cautious about bringing up Zella, but the reality is that she is not allowed to be left alone for more
than three to four hours a day, so
she has to come to work with me,” Mr Bogli said. “If Holman Webb wanted me, they would have to take on Zella too, and thankfully both she and I have just passed our six month probation with the firm.
“My colleagues love having Zella around. They know they can come and pat her and relieve some stress, and Zella most certainly is not averse to a cuddle or a belly rub.
“Having Zella with me has helped me get to know my new colleagues that bit quicker, and there have been no issues at all because the SED dogs are so well trained and have such good temperaments. Even the firm’s clients love getting to meet her.”
Holman Webb Human Resources Manager Rachael Britton said the firm was proud to be helping the vision impaired by hosting Zella.
“There have been many studies done showing the positive impact having a dog in the office can have, and we get the very best type of dog working with us in a Seeing Eye Dog,” Ms Britton said.
“We might consider making Zella an honourary public relations officer for the firm because she certainly makes a wonderful impression on our clients, who are inevitably impressed with her good manners and training.
“Having Zella in the office is a good way of bringing the community into the workplace. Just seeing her promotes the spirit of volunteering and charity, and we know her puppies grow up to help blind people around Australia.
“At Holman Webb we take pride in providing pro bono legal services to charities that support the wellbeing of people with intellectual and physical disabilities, and in hosting Zella we are providing yet another form of community support.”
Seeing Eye Dogs general manager, Leigh Garwood, said the organisation could not run the program without the assistance of firms like Holman Webb.
“We are reliant on our volunteers like Simon to raise puppies until they are ready to go into full-time training, and we are grateful to firms such as Holman Webb for welcoming our pups into their offices,” he said.
'Seeing Eye Dogs provides the food, covers vet costs and any other associated costs of caring for puppies, and the program wouldn't be able to run without the support of our donors, sponsors and volunteers.
“Normally a dog would live with its carer family until it is around 12 to 15 months old, but in Zella’s case she was an extra special dog and was selected for breeding. She’s lived with Simon and his wife Rebecca for more than three years now and will be with them for more years to come, so it is great to have Holman Webb be so supportive of this arrangement,” Mr Garwood said.