SHEFFIELD LAKE, Ohio (WJW) — A little fish named Nemo caused a big stir at the Domonkas Branch of the Lorain Public Library.
A woman named Elizabeth Campbell started a petition on change.org to keep the veil-tailed goldfish at the library. She says the library in Sheffield Lake has been the home for Nemo for the last seven years.
The library says a mishap involving gravel from the tank caused several hundred dollars in damage.
The library estimates between money spent and staff time, it has been spending several thousand dollars per year on care and maintenance for Nemo.
“As a library responsible for tax-payer dollars, we should really be putting those dollars towards books about fish rather than to an actual fish.”
anastasia diamond-ortiz, lorain public library system director
“While we love the little guy, we’ve come to realize that we are not the best home for Nemo,” says LPLS Director Anastasia Diamond-Ortiz. “He is getting older and needs to go to a home where they know how to best care for him, which we really don’t. The library is just not conducive to fish care.”
Campbell says she’s concerned another move could prove to be too tough.
She was asking people to sign a petition to keep him in the library.
According to the library, Campbell is a staff member.
Here’s a statement from LPLS:
“A staff member began an online petition to ‘save Nemo’ by keeping him at the library. ‘We understand that there are some members of the staff and community that love Nemo,’ says Diamond-Ortiz. ‘We don’t disagree, he is great, but as a library responsible for tax-payer dollars, we should really be putting those dollars towards books about fish rather than to an actual fish. We won’t let Nemo go just anywhere we want to find him the best home possible.’
“If you or someone you know is seeking a mild-mannered, well-read beautiful fancy-tailed goldfish, please contact the Lorain Public Library System at 440-244-1192 extension 8230,” the library wrote in a press release.
Well, it turns out, LPLS found the perfect home for Nemo.
He’s going to be a therapy fish.
Diane Pekarek, the Marion C. Risman & Family Endowed Pet Pals Coordinator at UH Cleveland Medical Center reached out to the library Wednesday.
They are adopting Nemo to be part of their aquarium therapy program.
“We just know that his sweet disposition and calming nature will be the perfect addition to their program and bring much joy to their young patients,” Jennifer Black of LPLS said in a press release.
He will even have his own trading card.
No word on when the move will take place.
