ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — There’s a new and unique addition to the Altoona Area Public Library and he’s getting a lot of attention.
“A lot of people haven’t seen a ferret in person so it’s a new experience for them,” Sara Ebersole, the children’s activities supervisor at the Altoona Area Public Library, said.
The ferret is the library pet and he has a very fitting name, Draco.
“There was a character in Harry Potter who was not the nicest boy and so he got turned into a ferret and his name was Draco,” Kristy Wall, the assistant children’s activities supervisor at the Altoona Area Public Library, explained.
Draco is always getting attention. The library staff can’t get enough of him and neither can the visitors.
“Everybody loves him,” Wall told us. “Adults come in and want to see him. Children run in and that’s the first place they go. They want to hold him, they want to pet him and they ask how he’s doing.”
In the morning the library ferret gets to spend time with the toddlers. The teens like to keep him company after school.
“It’s always good to have a little friend here to help you read books and help you learn,” Tareese Guthrie, who came up with Draco’s name, said.
The animal is very playful and loves to explore. His irresistible face is just another reason to come to the library.
“Some children are not fortunate enough to have pets at home so we really want to give them the experience to interact with animals in a friendly and safe way,” Ebersole said.
Draco is also on social media. If you want to follow his journey, you can find him using #libraryferret.