Dogs across the globe will join their owners at work on Friday, June 21.

The American Heart Association announced that pet ownership can reduce the risk of heart disease and a 2012 study released by Virginia Commonwealth University touts the benefits of dogs in the workplace, citing reduced perceived stress and increased job satisfaction for employees with their dogs at work.

Businesses across the United States and abroad will experience these benefits firsthand—and promote the urgent need for pet adoptions—on Friday, June 21, as they participate in the 15th annual celebration of Take Your Dog To Work Day® (TYDTWDay®), created by Pet Sitters International (PSI).

Since TYDTWDay's inception, companies have increasingly embraced the event, allowing employees to bring their dogs to work for this fun summer Friday to support a good cause. PSI President Patti Moran estimates that less than 300 companies participated in the first event. Since that time, word about the event spread quickly and the popularity of the event has grown by leaps and bounds.

Because of the event's growth, PSI is unable to track the number of participants, but more than 287,000 visitors explored the official event Web site, takeyourdog.com, seeking ways to participate during the 2012 campaign—nearly tripling the web traffic from the previous year.

PSI and its 2013 campaign partners encourage businesses, shelters and pet lovers interested in celebrating TYDTWDay to download the free 2013 Action Pack available on the official event Web site, www.takeyourdog.com. The Action Pack includes step-by-step instructions for planning the event, customizable TYDTWDay materials and a sample dog-friendly work policy.

To learn more about TYDTWDay, download event materials or search for adoptable pets, visit www.takeyourdog.com To learn more about event creator PSI, visit petsit.com.

If your company plans to participate in TYDTWDay this year, contact People editor Jill Clair Gentry at people@gulfcoastnewspapers.com. We'd love to feature you and your furry friend in an article!