We caught up with Shelter Pet Squad author Cynthia Lord in celebration of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day! Check out the Q&A below to read about Cynthia’s writing inspiration, her lovable pets, and more!
Q: Did you have any pets growing up? What about now?
I’ve always loved animals. As a child, I had a turtle named Spotsie and a dog named Peanut. When we cleaned Spotsie’s tank, sometimes we would fill the bathtub with water and let him have a deep-sea adventure! Peanut, our dog, was one of my best friends. He was always there if I had a hard day or ready to play when I needed a playmate. I grew up on a lake and he loved going for rides in the rowboat. So there were words we had to spell if we weren’t ready to go: G-O, W-A-L-K, B-O-A-T, and L-E-A-S-H.
Now I have four pets: a little white dog named Milo, a guinea pig named Cookie, and two rabbits named Blueberry and Muffin.
Q: What was your inspiration behind writing SHELTER PET SQUAD?
I’m a volunteer at my local animal shelter and many of the storylines come from my own experiences. One day, I fell in love with an adorable guinea pig that we had available. I adopted him. Over the years, I’ve thought about the family that surrendered him (someone in the family had allergies) and the kids who come into the shelter to volunteer and help out. That’s where the series started.
Q: Why do you think it’s important to adopt from animal shelters?
All pets need good homes, but I hope people who are looking to adopt will check shelters first. There are many wonderful animals there.
Q: How can kids help out their local animal shelter?
There are many things kids can do. Kids can raise money or participate in shelter programs. They can collect things that a shelter needs. They can make toys for the animals to play with. Some shelters even have programs where children can read to the animals. At the back of every Shelter Pet Squad book, there are many, many ideas for specific things kids can do and ways they can help their local animal shelters.
Q: What animal – big or small, real or imaginary – do you wish you could keep as a pet?
I love most animals, but we have chipmunks in our backyard and I would love to have one as a pet. I know they’re happier being free, though. So I just feed them peanuts and sunflower seeds and enjoy watching them.
