In New York City, several of the small, local businesses have “shop pets.” It is the same with a shoe store that has a dog and a bodega that has a cat. The two businesses are side-by-side. You might think that a cat and a dog would fight, staking out their territory, but not these two. The shoe store dog and the bodega cat are best friends.
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The shoe store dog is a little Pomeranian. The bodega cat is a yellow tabby. When he is ready to play, the cat comes to the shoe store and waits in the doorway. The dog charges up out of nowhere and pounces. The game is on! The two wrestle, rolling around with no clear winner. They tire and take a rest, then go right back to playing.
The bodega cat isn’t just a pretty face. Cats have been “employed” by the convenience stores as rodent control specialists since the 19th century. Although it is against NYC health codes to have the animals in a business establishment that serves food, most people just nod and ignore their presence.
Home Depot and other big-box stores have hired rodent control specialists to patrol their outdoor garden areas. The job doesn’t pay much, but it is all-you-can-eat. The business supplements with regular cat food, provides comfortable lodgings, and covers all medical expenses. None of the cats seems to be complaining and requesting a raise.
Perhaps one of the funniest things about the bodega cat and his little dog friend is watching the people walk by. At one point, a young woman stopped to take a photo. Both animals stopped playing, stood still, and posed, looking right at the young lady.
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