This morning I read that Meryl Streep is to play librarian Vicki Myron in the film version of Dewey : a small-town library cat who touched the world. If you are not familiar with the story, Dewey Readmore Books was a gingernut cat found stuffed into the return slot of the Spencer Public Library in Iowa.  Luckily Dewey was found by Myron and spent the rest of his nineteen years at the library, where he charmed visitors and contributed to a healthy community spirit.

I haven’t read the book, but the story got  me thinking about animals at Christmas.  It’s well documented that the holiday season can be an especially bad time of year for pets. Abandoned pets turn up regularly at animal shelters, as that cute Christmas kitten grows into a curtain-ripping monster.

Adopting a pet can be a huge decision.  If you are thinking of adopting a pet this Christmas, or giving one as a gift, there are some good resources around for helping you make the choice. The December issue of Pet New Zealand has a guide to help you make the right pet choice for you and your family.  The SPCA also offers things to consider when deciding whether to have a pet or not.

If you do decide to adopt, Christchurch City Libraries has plenty of books on petcare, and links to many petcare websites on our Internet Gateway.