Labrador helps Colombian store keep distancing measures

A chocolate Labrador in the Colombian city of Medellin is staying busy during the pandemic by working as a delivery dog for his owner's convenience store.

Eight-year-old Eros trots through the streets of the hilly city several times a day with a straw basket in his jaws, taking vegetables, fruits and packaged foods to customers of the El Porvenir mini-market.

He is paid with treats and massages on his furry head.

"It's a very smart dog, very peaceful, he makes deliveries during this really bad times, he has been on top of everything, when by chance I go to the store you can see him very busy making more deliveries, he is a wonderful dog" said Nora Elena Hernandez one of Eros's clients.

Beloved as he is, Eros was not always the star of his neighbourhood.

He was accepted into the family begrudgingly by Maria Natividad Botero, after repeated requests by her son to adopt a dog.

But Botero and the rest of the family quickly fell in love with the pup.

And when they opened a mini-market four years ago in the hilltop neighbourhood of Tulipanes, he started to accompany Botero and her kids to make deliveries.

Eros doesn't know how to read addresses, and can't deliver to just anyone. But he does remember the names of customers who have previously rewarded him with treats, like a tomato, a cookie or a banana.

And with some practice, he has learnt to go to their houses on his own.

As COVID-19 cases in Colombia climb to more than 3,000 new infections each day, city governments are imposing social distancing measures and limiting the number of days per week that people can go shopping.

That's turned delivery workers into an increasingly important part of the economy.

Eros might not know that he's become an essential worker. But he is happy to help his owners and collect his daily pay.

(Representative Image)(Image Credit Pixabay)