These Dogs Were Allowed To Come In Temporarily, But Ended Up Staying As Staff At Tewkesbury Abbey

The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury, commonly known as Tewkesbury Abbey, is not only known for its 900 years of history but also for having very special staff members there.

Two black Labradors who belong to the lay minister, Chris Skepper, suddenly became regulars at the historic church due to a sudden scheduling conflict.

More info: Tewkesbury Abbey

The entire story started when Chris Skepper's wife and daughter went away from home for an extended period of time, leaving him alone with the two dogs. The man had to manage between his duties at the abbey and taking care of the dogs.

It didn't take long until Skepper asked for permission to bring his two black Labradors named Eric and Florence (Flo) to his work at Tewkesbury Abbey.

"It was agreed initially that the dogs were allowed to come in temporarily for those three weeks, as long as they were well behaved and didn’t interfere," explained Skepper. "But they got such a positive reaction from members of staff and visitors that they were allowed to stay," he added.

The man said that people absolutely loved Eric and Flo, especially because they provided a welcoming reception to people who may not be so familiar with the Church.

"If you are involved in the Church, you forget how daunting it can be for non-church people to come into the building. There are these big dark doors, and people are not always sure what is going to happen when they go in," Skepper explained. "But then they come in, see the dogs, and think, ‘oh that’s ordinary! They can relate and it breaks down barriers. Even if they don’t want to interact with the dogs, it puts a smile on their face," he added.

The animals are very well trained and each time Skepper brings them to work, they hop out of the car, and once he puts their lanyards on, they know they’re at work - and their tails are wagging away. "They’re brilliant at their new jobs," he added.

The man continued that lots of people love to interact with Eric and Flo and are very surprised by how obedient with tasks and requests these dogs are.

"Labradors are bred for a job, and they want to be with you and please you. As long as you give clear direction, they know their purpose," Skepper said and noted that everyone who would like to meet Eric & Flo at the Abbey are welcome from 9:30am to 4:00pm daily.

A study by the Virginia Commonwealth University discovered that when people had their pets around during the workday, they had much less stress in comparison with the ones who had to leave their furry friends at home.

"There might be a benefit here. It's a low-cost wellness benefit, and it could be a recruiting opportunity," explained Randolph Barker, who's a lead author of the VCU study.

While for many people, bringing their pet into work might seem a bit distracting, Toby Griffin, head of IT for marketing agency Rise at Seven, even brings two of them!

"Rise allowing dogs in the office has meant that I've been able to take both my collies in. They get to meet new people, have new experiences, and I get to spend more time in work with my colleagues," the man told in an interview with BBC. "It's a complete win-win situation as far as I'm concerned."

Like many other people, Griffin got his dogs during the pandemic and once people started returning to the office, having a pet left at home became a problem.

The VCU study showed that employees who were allowed to bring their pets to the workplace experienced an 11% drop in stress levels, while those who had to leave them at home had a 70% rise in stress levels.

"Not only do dogs bring comfort within your home, but they also help increase productivity within the workplace," added Mia King, one of Rise at Seven's executives.

Chris Skepper has worked at the abbey since 2019, but I guess he never thought that two beloved Labradors could become so familiar with the job at the historic English church.

Eric and Flo have managed not only to add to the positive atmosphere there, but also have had the warmest welcome from the youngest to the oldest.