Otis & Clementine’s Books & Coffee… now does that not sound like a normal
bookstore name for you? Well, this bookstore is not an ordinary bookstore as it
sounds.
Otis & Clementine’s Books & Coffee is an independently-owned shop where
customers can read, drink coffee, and play with adorable cats located in Upper
Tantallon, Nova Scotia, Canada. The owner, Ellen Helmke, started fostering
kittens at her bookstore in May 2019 and is dedicated to helping the animals find
their forever home. Ellen opened the secondhand bookstore in 2011. The store
offers a space for customers to drink coffee, unwind, and pick up a new book or
two.
Upon entering the shop, customers are often greeted at the door by a handful of
cuddly kittens who are free to roam the space, climb on bookshelves, who enjoy
basking in sunlight, exploring cardboard boxes stacked near the entrance,
pouncing on each other, and take cat naps on the window sills. The kittens also
happen to be available for adoption.
The cats are provided by the South Paw Conservation Nova Scotia (SPCA), a
local rescue group. This rescue group provides the bookstore young kittens in
need of care so that the animals have a comfy place to live while they search for
their forever home. But it has been said that people often come into the
bookstore just planning to grab a cup of coffee and a good read, but end up
falling in love with a kitten they meet while there, then later get to take them
home. The process of adoption of a kitten is not easy. Applicants hoping to bring
home a new kitten will need to pay a $255 CAD ($194 USD) adoption fee, as well
as submit an online application. The fee also covers medical expenses for the
car. Which means all of the kittens are up to date on vaccines, are
spayed/neutered, and are de-wormed.
Most of her customers have found out about the shop through the store's social
media pages, where fans have been taking to the bookstore's Facebook page to
praise Helmke for making her shop a safe haven for rescue cats till they found
their forever homes. The bookstore’s Facebook page also features adorable
images of the cats and includes updates about incoming pets that will be
available for adoption.
So someday if you happen to pass by this safe haven for rescue kittens, stop by
and enjoy a lovely cup of coffee and a good read and maybe grab a kitten or two
so that they could have their own little place to call their forever home.
More Info: Otis & Clementine’s Books and Coffee
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