We have a lot of different opinions on a lot of topics. One thing we can all agree on is that we love our pets! Did you know that in 2019 alone, we spent $95.7 BILLION on our pets? Almost $37 billion of that was spent on pet food and treats alone. You’re probably obsessed with your pets or know someone that is. The staff at the Library definitely loves spending time with their pets. Here are some of their favorite activities to do with their furry friends. A quick disclaimer – though I am personally biased in favor of dogs, all the responses I received happen to be about dogs!
Circulation Assistant, Nadine Swinford, has dogs with a sweet tooth. “My dogs love going through drive-thrus for whipped cream. We do it randomly and after each vet visit so they associate the car with positive things. Lately it’s been too hot for them to play outside, so I’ve been having them do puzzles. They aren’t very good at guessing which cup a treat is under, but love finding hidden treats in a room!”
Some pets like to stay inside to have fun. Peanut, a mini poodle that belongs to Sheila Riehemann, Circulation Assistant, loves to play keep away with any blanket he can find. According to Sheila, “he also likes when his Papa, Booger, hides underneath the same cover he has confiscated.”
Rachel Hellebusch, Youth Services Community Events Liaison, has a four month old puppy named Luna. Rachel says “We play fetch often and sometimes she decides she is done running and just wants to play by herself. Her orange ball is her favorite because she can easily grab it and it squeaks!”
Many of our dogs like to go on walks. Rick Combs, Applications Administrator, has two dogs. They love to go on long walks around the neighborhood when he gets off work. Rick says “Dot is two and loves to play fetch with tennis balls and sticks, especially in her Christmas Sweater. I’m still working on getting her to give them back to me. Charlie is 10 so he mostly just likes to lie on my pillows and sleep.”
Circulation Manager, Melissa Fulton, also has a couple of dogs that enjoy walking. Rosie and Duke both love walking in their new subdivision. Rosie knows it’s time to walk when the harness comes out. Fun fact: Rosie can also howl on cue. Duke is getting used to living in the suburbs after being a farm dog. He enjoys short walks and greeting everyone he meets as he goes.
Though most dogs enjoy walking, some of them prefer other activities that allow them to explore the outdoors. PR Specialist, Emily Sexton, has a dog named Jake that prefers spending time in a car to being with other dogs. According to Emily, “since Jakers is not a social creature, we opt for drives around the county. Our favorites are trips to Rabbit Hash with the windows down and ears blowing in the wind!”
My own dog, Pepper, is completely the opposite: she can’t get enough of other dogs. We try to go to the dog park at least a couple times a week so she can play with friends she has met there and make new furry friends!
Our staff definitely loves their pets and spending time with them. Pets are always there to lend a non-judgmental ear if you need to talk, to offer fun by doing their favorite activities, or just provide comfort through getting lots of pets. What do you love to do with your pets?
Staff comments compiled by Kelsey Shackelford, Community Events Liaison at BCPL.