It all commenced with March Meowness.
When Worcester, Massachusetts, Public Library initiated the cancellation of late fees in exchange for photographs of cats, they never anticipated it would escalate into genuine chaos. This innovative approach inspired numerous individuals, particularly fellow dog enthusiasts.
One specific library had no late charges, yet fees for damages were still applicable. How to handle those? How could they encourage “book safety at home”?
Middleton Public Library came up with a creative solution:
Reveal the offender and the fee is waived.
My Dog Consumed My Book
Quite literally.
My dog consumed my book – the one I just borrowed from the public library.
Book enthusiasts from Middleton, Wisconsin, no longer have to dread library fees. The Middleton Public Library has eliminated late fees, and it turns out any fees for damaged books would also be overlooked.
But, with one condition: you display the canine offender who chewed the book, and everything is forgiven and forgotten.
The motivation behind this empathetic initiative stemmed from Worcester Public Library. They designed a program to forgive book fees during their March Meowness month.
Residents of Worcester were no longer apprehensive about late fees because their feline companions were the ones who liberated them from hefty payments. As for the inhabitants of Middleton…
“Though the Middleton Public Library has eliminated late fees for overdue items, we still impose charges for lost or damaged materials. The conversation swiftly shifted toward the frequency of materials actually damaged by our furry companions, and we thought it would be amusing to modify this fine forgiveness program to highlight these ‘criminals,’” said the library staff to The Dodo.
Essentially, your dog devoured your book? No pawblem! Show us the adorable culprit and it’s perfectly fine.
Goodness, life would be delightful if we could escape from everything with charming pictures of our pets!
The Canine Offenders Of Middleton
The book damage forgiveness initiative was up and running, already featuring the first offenders!
Daisy, the most charming black-and-white pup, took the lead and nibbled on an intriguing mystery book.
Before long, Daisy wasn’t solitary on the wall of fame (yes, fame, because these dogs have no shame).
Ward expressed his anxiety, so he chewed on a yoga book. Did this stress relief work? Not really, especially not with the downward dog position.
Quik, the American Water Spaniel, followed suit, and his actions went viral, making the Middleton Public Library a pawpular destination.
Quik produced some remarkably awful dog ears, literally.
It was a highly enjoyable read, and Quik concurred.
Then, Sky chose to investigate what the excitement of reading was about.
“Today’s chomper is Sky, a one-year-old Australian Labradoodle residing with Stephanie. Sky had been relishing the popular Empyrean fantasy novel series until he reached volume two, Iron Flame. After expressing his true sentiments across all 623 pages, Sky returned to his other favorite activity, according to Stephanie: chasing squirrels,” stated the Library on Facebook.
So, who’s up next? Any exciting reads on the horizon this month? Certainly! Middleton Library doesn’t advocate intentionally damaging books, but if mishaps occur, there’s no need to fret, whether it’s your dog or another furry companion.
If your dog is a habitual offender, it may be beneficial to determine what triggers such behavior. While your dog may be fond of books, have you considered that it might be due to boredom?
Anxiety, boredom, or feelings of fear or insecurity are frequent reasons why your dog may engage in destructive behaviors. To address this, provide Fido with engaging activities to keep him occupied while you’re busy.
Not every library offers such a lenient program like Middleton.