Story by Pat Atkinson
Some area dogs and cats are at the top of their game, adding ‘fur-factor’ assets to the workplace. A corporate bulldog, a Shih Tzu at school, and a couple of ‘flower children’ are on the job.
Pepper, the Great Pyrenees, and Ginger, the brown tabby, are the newest staff members at the year-old floral design shop in Broken Arrow.
True to the “flower child” lifestyle of the ‘60s, Pepper and Ginger are free-spirited and laid-back, living in the moment as they greet visitors. They pretty much “do their own thing” while lounging, hunting, wagging, and adding the friendly, welcoming “pet-able” factor to the shop.
As you’d expect, customers often enter and say “hello” to the big, furry white dog with dark gray markings before greeting the people. It’s hard to overlook Pepper as she “decorates” the entry or is stretched out in the breezeway between the shop and work area where arrangements are created.
The flower shop is reminiscent of a European boutique tucked away on a peaceful cobblestone walkway in Amsterdam, an ambiance further enhanced by proprietors Janet and Johannes Lijs who came from the Netherlands – home to thousands of miles of tulips and other blooming bulbs.
Inside the white French doors topped by a bright red awning is an explosion of cheerful color from flowers to gifts. The shop is attached to Janet’s childhood home, so it’s a short commute to work on a footpath.
Both four-footed staff members were “signed on” when the couple visited an animal rescue group in search of a cat to adopt.
“Ginger was adorable and we bonded with her right off,” Janet recalls. While finishing paperwork for her to come home, they saw a “very large dog in a rather small cage,” went home with Ginger, thought about that big white dog, and returned the next day to adopt her.
Ginger’s brown tabby coat is accented with gold and orange and she greets visitors at the door or from rooftop perches.
A sprinkling of dark spots characteristic of Pyrenees in Pepper’s coat contributed to her name, and the Lijs’ love of cooking inspired the spice-related names of both pets.
Janet says the pets are the shop’s “high earners with bonus rewards of toys, chew treats and even an occasional mouse!” Pepper’s extra perk is sushi. “She adores sushi and takes each piece apart and eats it one bit at a time. Amazing for a huge dog, but she is quite accomplished.”
Pepper and Ginger’s job descriptions include greeting, wagging, sniffing, and submitting to petting from visitors of all ages.
“People are amazed that the pets respond to strangers so well, but that’s part of their job duties – to warm up and make welcome all newcomers. They are both team players and make certain that Johannes and I are always sharp and ready for visitors,” Janet says.
During off-hours, Pepper shifts into guard mode and has a bark big enough to bring down the house, announcing any after-hours visitors. She also loves to roam the trails of Turkey Mountain with her people or go on long car rides and picnics.
Top Dog in the Driver’s Seat at Dollar ThriftyAnd therein lies the tail (oops tale!) of how a little bulldog came to fill the pawprints of a big job description at this Fortune 1000 company three and a half years ago at the ripe old age of six months. To say the least, VET has grown with the job.
Just cute enough to appeal to the women and buffed enough for the men, VET was recruited to be the vehicle to bridge the diverse cultures of Dollar Rent a Car and Thrifty Car Rental when the two companies were combined into a single corporate entity in 2004.
Chris Payne, manager of DTG’s corporate communications, recalls that Christmas, 2003 when Don Himelfarb, then chief administrative officer, called with a request: “I need you to find a bulldog. He needs to be a male, about a year-and-a-half old, and really friendly. Oh, and I need him in three days.”
Payne, who had worked for veterinarians in his earlier years, launched a two-day search, found this baby bulldog and “knew on first glance he was our mascot.” VET sailed through his meeting with two-legged top management, and a starring career was born.
Indeed VET became the driving force when he was signed on to symbolize the values of the two companies – dogged determination, loyalty and a sense of fierceness in dealing with competitors. (He’s actually more a lover and a little short on the “fierceness” part, but he does have the “in your face” bulldog image.)
From the first day, VET was up to the challenge and more. He brought together the two companies just as you’d expect the son of champions to do. An instant celebrity, VET has left his mark on posters, flyers, brochures, magazines, on videos, in person, and today is DTG’s most visible internal company “messenger,” a veteran of dozens of photo ops.
Although most employees consider him a mascot, VET is officially “Chief Cultural Dog” and is greeted daily by employees in the hallways, on elevators, outside doing “doggy things.” He has attended corporate conventions in Las Vegas, strutting through airports and the casino at the Mirage, across stages, and smiling for the camera while posing for pictures with staff members.
At the office, he has certain people favorites and breaks into full-face grins when he spots them. His very own “top dog” is Becky Stevens, a 25-year staff member of DTG and VET’s caretaker “mommy,” chauffeur, playmate, mentor and confidante.
Stevens handles VET’s online calendar for his requested appointments with company departments and he’s aware of which floor to exit the elevator depending on which employee he’s accompanying. His company etiquette is impeccable – when he wants to attend to outdoor business, he brings his red leash to his person. Otherwise, he has toys and a comfy bed wherever his assignment may be for power napping.
When VET’s at home with Stevens, her husband, and two boys ages 10 and 19, the corporate bulldog sheds his brown and white suit and it’s all about relaxing, eating kibbles, checking out the backyard, chasing power tools, biting the wheels of anything that rolls, and a favorite game of tug-o-war with his 10-year-old person. His favorite junk food is far-from-exotic cheap milk bones and he snacks on cold, canned green beans.
So, how’s the job evaluation and career future for VET?
“He has done a great job of helping us merge and combine two separate and diverse cultures and brands,” communications chief Payne says. “He helped us with a smooth transition and we found that people can unify behind a dog with characteristics that match our company. We couldn’t have blended Dollar and Thrifty cultures so quickly or so well without him and our employees love him.”
Not a bad review for a little bulldog who’s certainly up to holding down the big job of top dog of an international corporation.
