Royal Oak woman builds ‘little free dog library’ with supplies for dog walkers

ROYAL OAK — A resident has come up with a way to help dog walkers who might find themselves needing supplies while out for a stroll.

Katie Mezwa lives near the corner of Lincoln Avenue and South Pleasant street, and outside her house stands a “free dog library” that contains all the supplies a dog walker might need during a daily walk.

Mezwa moved to Royal Oak around a year ago and has noticed the abundance of community care that her neighbors show on a daily basis.

“It didn’t really take too long to see really powerful signs of community here. The city’s really full of it. You know, there’s always neighbors looking out for neighbors,” she said. “So, I thought that this little free dog library could be a cool and unique way that I could give back to the community and the neighborhood and sort of pay it forward.”

The free dog library resembles a Little Free Library, which usually contains books. Little Free Libraries can be found scattered in different places around Royal Oak. Instead of books, Mezwa’s little free dog library includes bags, treats, wipes and water.

Mezwa said that each morning she refills a reusable water bottle that is put into the dog library and can be used to fill up a retractable bowl for dogs who need a drink.

Mezwa said that she and her family have been pet people for as long as she can remember, and they also foster dogs who are in need. She works with the organization Peace, Love and Paws Rescue.

Currently they have two dogs who were both originally fostered. The dogs fit in with her family so well that they just ended up keeping them as their own.

One of their dogs, Rosie, was a foster from Detroit who grew up in what Mezwa said was an overcrowded shelter. Mezwa said Rosie started out in pretty rough shape, but Mezwa was able to bring her back to her “spunky, fun, young, healthy self.”

“I’ve always been an animal lover, and five years ago my husband and I rescued our first dog named Rio, who was about 13. We rescued him when we were living out in California,” she said. “He really catalyzed our love for animals and my desire to help those that are in shelters and be a foster for dogs.”

Rio moved to Royal Oak with the Mezwa family and loves to look out the window at all the neighbors and their dogs who utilize the free dog library.

“They’re both small, little dogs that had really rough starts to life, but we were able to show them a new life, and they both are living the dream here with us,” she said.

Mezwa got the free dog library project approved by Royal Oak Code Enforcement and said that the process to get it approved was easy.

“They said the library was fine as long as it stays on my property,” she said. “It was quick, clear and easy to communicate.”

Rihana Yenpanya walks her dog, a cavalier King Charles spaniel named Robin, through Mezwa’s neighborhood and said that the dog library idea has been interesting and helpful.

“It is pretty nice that she would do that,” Yenpanya said. “Sometimes when you take a dog for a walk, you obviously think you have everything, but it turns out you didn’t. It’s got to be pretty nice for people sometimes.”

Yenpanya said that she has used the dog library a few times when she has forgotten supplies.

“I think people walking around here really appreciate the little treat they can give their dog on the way home,” she said.