Tomorrow marks the official start of the 112th Congress. So I thought I would share a fun and inspiring video highlighting how one of the new GOP members, incoming freshman Rep. David Schweikert of Arizona's 5th Congressional District, took his dog, Charlie, to work with him in the Maricopa County Treasurer’s Office. Charlie, who was adopted from an animal shelter, was eventually promoted to the rank of “morale officer.”

Those of us at the Humane Society Legislative Fund and The Humane Society of the United States understand the benefits of allowing employees to bring their dogs to the workplace. Indeed, we wrote the book on it—Dogs at Work: A Practical Guide to Creating Dog-Friendly Workplaces—and about 10 percent of our headquarters workforce are canine colleagues. Like Charlie, they work for free, paid only in treats and belly rubs. The question is: Is Charlie coming to Washington, too?