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A Cat Library, Just for Government Employees

The kitty loaner program helps humans relieve stress at work and helps cats acclimate to humans.

cat-library
(Jett-Loe/Sun News)
On the ground floor of the Doña Ana County Government Center in Las Cruces, N.M., is a unique kind of library. Instead of checking out books, county employees can check out cats. Since 2012, the county has partnered with a nearby animal shelter on the Kitty Kondo, or “cat library” as employees have come to call it. In an effort to help felines find a home, the county installed a kitty condo in the lobby. While the kittens are waiting to be adopted, workers can “borrow” them and bring them back to their desks. Not only does this help the cats acclimate to humans, but, according to county workers, it has also been a morale booster and stress reliever. More than 100 kittens have been adopted since the condo went up.

Elizabeth Daigneau is GOVERNING's managing editor.
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