Harley
Although he introduced himself to us off and on during the fall of 2008, Harley the office cat officially joined our staff in January 2009.
Harley’s tenure with our office began when we noticed a young cat that would show up near our campus parking area every morning. After a couple of closer visits to our office door we noticed that the cat seemed to be somewhat afraid, but very hungry, thirsty, dirty—and with winter fast approaching—in need of a home.
We put up a shelter and began to leave food and water out for him every day. As time went by he learned to trust us. When he finally would allow us to pet him we found him to be a very loving—although still skittish—cat.
We also noticed that once we started to pet him he had a very loud purr that sounded a lot like a motor. So, with that loud purr he told us his name—Harley! Over time Harley came to trust us and with that trust he gave us, we decided to adopt him into our office.
Harley is a very mischievous young cat who is always ready to play; he loves to chase cat toys, laser cat lights, and play with strings so if you miss your cat and would like some one-on-one play time with Harley, be sure to visit him during our office hours.
Professional background: Harley earned his B.F.A. (bachelor of feline arts) and M.F.A. (master of feline arts) from the University of Hard Knocks—Cats (Go ’Cats). He is currently working on his Ph.D. (Purring like a Harley-Davidson).
Meeka
Meet our office dog, Meeka—the little dog who is so ugly she is cute!
Meeka is a rescue dog. She had been left behind in a house after the owners had moved out. We are not sure how long she was alone before she was found, but after her rescue and recovery, she was in need of a home.
During a chance meeting over a lunch hour errand, Meeka was rescued by one of our staff members. The same day she was rescued, she started working in the Counseling and Wellness Center (CWC). In spite of the fact that she was very shy and skittish, underweight, had bald spots on her body, and was extremely afraid of men, she was a welcomed addition to the staff.
The students that visit the CWC took it upon themselves to help her grow more comfortable and confident (especially around men) and she thrived in this attention. Today, Meeka has gained some weight and grown some much needed fur, and she looks forward to her work days at the office.
She realizes that Harley, the office cat, is her superior in the office and she doesn’t have a problem with being the youngest member of the office pets.
Currently Meeka has her LLPC (Lovely Lively Petite Canine) and in the future looks forward to begin her training to attain Therapy Dog International Certification.
Harley and Meeka have office hours Monday through Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (closed for lunch from 12-1 p.m.). No appointment is needed. Walk-ins are definitely encouraged and welcome.
