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SB Wednesday, March 7, 2012 The Statement

Serious animal love
I love animals, and calling me animal-obsessed is probably putting it mildly. But it's comfort-
ing to know that I'm not alone. When a walk down South Main Street led me to Peaceable King-
dom, and its shop dog Jane Russell, I was thrilled. And then, curious: How many other animals
lived in stores in Ann Arbor, and how could I meet them all? Soon, I discovered Lewis the cat from
Downtown Home and Garden, Nathaniel the rabbit from Lexi's Toy Box and Tank the Chihuahua
from Red Shoes. All of these shop animals have two things in common: Owners who want to
make every day bring-your-pet-to-work day and customers who adore them - Lewis even has an
address for his fan mail! So the next time you're walking by one of these stores, don't hesitate to
pop in - as long as you remember that the most priceless "items" are not for sale.
Photos and text by Teresa Mathew