The World at Your Fingertips

Tue, 01/16/2018 - 11:30am

Desiree Scorcia

I know how much everyone loves coming to the Library to discover the change du jour on their own, but we have one that might require a little emotional preparation for some.

Zeus has found his forever home; not a euphemistic “forever home in the sky,” but an actual house with actual full-time human parents.

Zeus, if you haven’t met him, is the black and white guinea pig who until a few weeks ago lived in the Children’s Room. He loves dandelion greens, story hour, and pooping.

He also loves attention and company seven days a week, something we just couldn’t give him here at the Library. I did try taking him home last year over the long weekends, but for whatever reason (my two big labs?), he’d hide in the corner of his cage and shake with fear until I brought him back.

Then one day last week, a patron asked about his long-term care plans. We mentioned that we were keeping our eyes and ears open for just the right place for him, and Zeus lit up with squeals of delight. Folks, he chose this lady, and it was adorable.

He squeaked with joy when she bent down to say hi, and moved towards her when she opened his door. This guy had never tried to get out of his cage before. She was the one, and the feeling was mutual. She took him home on the spot.

We already miss his little squeaks, and we know the kids are going to miss visiting him here, but loving Zeus meant doing the best thing for him.

Pet transitions can be hard no matter how they happen. We have a few picture books that address loss for kids in our Parent/Teacher section (to the left of the exit door in the Children’s Room). My kids are out of the picture books age, but were really comforted by reading “A Dog’s Purpose” before we lost the older of those two labs this fall. Older kids might also enjoy “Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul” (less likely to be comforting are “Old Yeller” and “Where the Red Fern Grows,” unless you need help getting that good cry started).

You can search our card catalog online by subject, too. Entering “pets – death” in the subject field and opening the search to “All Minerva Locations” pulls up a host of pet loss subcategories for adults (fiction, psychological aspects, religious aspects, etc.) and a whole bunch of titles. Or just ask us and we’ll show you how to find them.

And if sweet little Zeus has inspired your family to adopt a guinea pig of your own, we’ve recently expanded and refreshed our pet care section in the Children’s Room. You can now learn everything you’d ever need to know about training your guinea pig, caring for your hamster, or starting up your own aquarium.

Zeus, we loved having you for the past year and a half, and we wish you joy and happiness in your new home!