TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township of Washington lacks not a bit for beloved pet and working animal companions, but a particular cat, horse, and guinea pig are the winners of the Township of Washington Public Library’s inaugural “Tails Reading Tales” photo contest, which wrapped up Aug. 10.
The library’s goal, on Facebook, where visitors were asked to “like” their two favorite pets in the contest album: “Share a smile that comes from the joy of reading and pets!”
Pascack Press extends heartfelt congratulations to Figaro, as dashing a tabby as we have ever seen, winner of this (yes) paw-pularity contest. We spoke with owner Nancy Peters and the other winners and love their stories.
The “ballots” were taken in on Facebook and at the library, and though we are assured these are the undisputed winners the tallies were not readily available at press time. You can see all entrants online.
In second place: Miss Saturn, a chestnut mare with fetching white blaze, sponsored at Bergen County Horse Rescue, a sanctuary in Mahwah, by Ida Astute, a local volunteer.
Leaping into third place is Turbo, one of two boar guinea pigs treasured underfoot and on lap by the Kazigian family.
There were distinguished runners up: pups and a mule. All entrants were featured with their favorite — or at least recommended — reading material. The winners received bragging rights and a gift card for treats and supplies.
The cat on the map: Figaro
Figaro Peters, 6, an April rescue from Pomona, N.Y., looks as though he’s up for adventure and breaking hearts. His red kerchief and cool-cat charm tell us he’s got the world by the tail.
“He sat so well. We did whatever we wanted to him and he put up with it,” says Nancy Peters. Figaro sat for photos artfully framed by her son’s Army tent; a road atlas (open to Colorado, for reasons known only to Figaro); binoculars; a canteen and lantern; a can of pork and beans; and cat, survival, and nature books.
“We thought it was a cute theme. We’re very happy for Figaro, he’s the little rags-to-riches story: He went from an animal shelter to a good home, so we’re happy for him,” Nancy says.
She’s widowed, with two adult children. “We love our library. We love the programs they offer and everything they’ve been trying to do even through Covid: keeping people up with activities, keeping people involved.”
She says both her kids have worked at the library “and we’re good patrons there.”
Figaro is a good actor, too, it turns out. “He’s absolutely an indoor cat. He’s a really good cat. I was very lucky,” says Nancy.
She says people have asked about the can of pork and beans in the shot. “He’s camping. You’ve got to have pork and beans.”
She also says, “We forgot to give him a compass, but we think he’ll find his way.”
Asked whether she told Figaro he won the library’s photo contest, she laughed. “We told him, yes. But he fell asleep.”
A horse (or two): Miss Saturn
Resident Ida Astute says it was “a hoot” that her photo of Miss Saturn, the chestnut mare quarterhorse she sponsors at Bergen County Horse Rescue, took silver in the photo contest.
“I think it was a great idea for the library to have that, to get the enthusiasm up there and to see how creative people can be with their pets,” she says.
She doesn’t use Facebook, but she saw the contest promoted on the library’s website, and sent photos of Miss Saturn — and a handsome mule named Jack who is a fixture at the rescue — to librarians Alyssa Battaglia and Laura Rifkin.
Then friends told her she’d taken second place with her photo of Miss Saturn, engrossed in “Sergeant Reckless,” Patricia McCormick’s biography of a pony who became the real-life decorated warhorse of the U.S. Marine Fifth Regiment during the Korean War.
Miss Saturn, 9, has been at the rescue for about five years, having arrived with her foal Miss Jupiter, 4, and a mare and foal that had been abandoned.
Miss Saturn, a breeding mare, and Miss Jupiter had been saved from a “kill pen” in the Carolinas. Miss Saturn suffered scars both physical and emotional.
“I’ve been at the rescue for about two and a half years [since retiring]. I was brought up in Washington Township — when I was a kid there were farms all over the place, and a couple of riding stables, which don’t exist any longer,” says Ida.
Ida is Miss Saturn’s financial sponsor, and she takes on feeding chores. “She’s gotten a little friendly, and she sees me and walks up to me and gives me a kiss, and it’s really heartwarming — my 1,000-pound baby!”
All the animals at the rescue have different stories, she says. “I find it very rewarding; it’s very peaceful up there. It’s an old farm dating to right after the Civil War. So it’s one of the only farms left in the area that still has that kind of history attached to it.”
And, she says, “A lot of horse owners starting out don’t realize how expensive it is and how much time and commitment it is. So a lot of horses are abandoned.”
Asked if she’d told Miss Saturn she was a library photo contest winner, she erupted into laughter. “I’ll bring her an apple tomorrow!”
She adds, “My purpose was to get people to read the books! They’re true stories about these animals.” Her mule friend, Jack, she’d photographed reading “Brighty of the Grand Canyon” (1953) by Marguerite Henry.
The book, a childhood favorite of Ida’s, is the biography of a self-employed burro, Brighty, who carved out an American living along the Colorado River.
Ida says the stories, and others like them, are compelling and educational. “It gives readers more appreciation about what animals do instead of being pets.”
Guinea pig love: Turbo
Third place in the library’s photo contest went to Turbo, one of two boy guinea pigs belonging to the Kazigian family. (The other piggie is named Punky, who is shyer and more skittish.)
We spoke with Charlotte Kazigian, who said her family adopted the pair almost a year ago amid the pandemic after her kids Michael, now 17, and Robert, 15, wore her down on getting pets.
“Turbo is totally a lap pig and loves to go outside and sit around and be with people, so that’s how he made it to my lap for that picture. Believe me, I am not a rodent person; my sons wanted them a year ago, in the heat of Covid, and I wasn’t that keen on it, but it’s warmed up to me.”
The critters were 2 months old when they came aboard.
Charlotte, an HR coordinator, says of Turbo, “He’s at my feet when I’m working at home; he’s always around me. It’s amazing. I’ve kind of taken to him. I pet him, I feed him. The boys are in charge of cage maintenance.”
And, in a moment shared knowingly between guinea pig owners, she said, “I had no idea about the poop, though.” (There’s a lot of it.)
The novel Turbo is reading: either “The Four Winds” or “The Nightingale.” Charlotte says, “I love Kirstin Hannah books… Turbo just hangs out with me and reads along. He’s so laid-back.”
She says, “I have been bringing my boys to the township library since they were born, pretty much, and Janet there is awesome. She’s always greeted us with a smile. She’s always had great programs.”