Welcome Home, Cookie

  One of my "likes" on Facebook is my local humane society. So as I'm reading through my new feed, sometimes I see photos of their events and the animals up for adoption. This adorable guinea pig photo came through one day, and I joked that it was a good thing that I was on my way to a school visit in Chicago, because otherwise, I would be pestering my husband to add this little guy to our family.

My husband asked why I assumed he wouldn't want him.  And so we agreed that if "Cookies and Cream," the guinea pig, was still at the humane society when I finished my September school visits, he'd come to live with us. 

For those waiting weeks, it really would have been fine if someone else had adopted him. But every time I checked the website, he was still at the shelter. And when I came  home last Friday, I really wanted him.

I submitted an online application that was accepted, but the lady who responded said they had a policy not to "hold" animals, so I should come in as soon as possible.  I had wanted to go Sunday, so my son didin't have to come with me, but he said he thought he could handle it. 

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More apple slices pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!

So we drove right over to pick up our new little friend. But then when we got there, there was a sign on Cookie's cage with a number in NH. The sign said someone was coming to get him.. So while the lady at the desk called the number, we had to wait, thinking maybe we would be going home alone with the apple slices we brought as a first treat for Cookie.

But the NH lady had decided not to come. "You're destined to have him," the woman at the Humane Society said to me.

The humane society offered me his cage and all the things he came with for $10. It's huge and has everything a guinea pig could want.  "It's like the Barbie Dream House for guinea pigs," I joked on the phone with my daughter.

And I thought he might be more comfortable with the transition to our house if he didn't have to change cage, too.

I don't know much about his first family, though as we were carrying his cage to my car, one of the people at the shelter said, "His first family was very sad to give him up."

I asked if there children in the family and she said yes.  I have no way of contacting them or knowing who they are, but I hope seeing seeing his photo off the humane society's website gives them some happiness.



Milo is doing much better with the addition than I expected. The only thing he really doesn't like is when I use the "pet voice" with Cookie. He whines if I'm talking to Cookie, because he thinks that sugary-sweet voice should only be for him!

We had guinea pigs when my daugher was young, so it's been fun to hear their little noises again and bring Cookie treats. He's very friendly and social.  I gave him a little paper bag to play with and hide in and chew up. He had fun with that. He likes a project. :-)

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He was suspicious of the cucumber peeling and green bean I offered him. I don't think he'd ever had those before. But when I offered him a little carrot, he took that immediately. THOSE, he knew! 

 

You know when you start giving a pet nicknames, that they're yours.  Welcome home, Cookie, Cookie Dough, Cookie Monster, Captain Cook.