When Elizabeth Scheil turned 7, she had an idea for her birthday present.
She asked for money, but not for herself ? she used it to ‘adopt? animals at the Detroit Zoo.
‘It’s a nice thing to do,? she said. ‘I really like the animals.?
She took her parents, Carol and Paul Scheil of Independence Township, and her brother and sister, Josh and Alison, to the zoo for a tour.
‘It’s the best present anyone could have given her,? Carol said. ‘We’re very proud of her.?
The zoo offers an adopt-an-animal program for children and community groups – participants receive plush versions of their adopted animal, information sheets, and other benefits.
She has some pets of her own ? three fish, a shrimp, and a snail. Her adopted animals are bigger: a warthog named Rebecca, Jock the hippopotamus, Ajax the giraffe ? ‘he’s the tallest giraffe,? Elizabeth said ? a wild horse called Pez, after Przewalski’s horse, and a lion named Percival.
‘We call him Percy,? Elizabeth said.
Elizabeth received $260 for her birthday, and donated all of it to the zoo.
During their June 23 visit, zoo officials welcomed the family and took them on a personally guided tour.
‘I walked with Helen ? she works at the zoo,? Elizabeth said.
‘She walked with her hand-in-hand, all over the zoo – she didn’t have to do that,? Carol said.
The family has zoo membership.
“We go to it a lot, several times a year,” Carol said.
The Bailey Lake Elementary second grader, and her siblings, also volunteers at a local animal shelter.
‘We walk the doggies and we hold the kitties,? Elizabeth said.
‘It keeps the animals socialized,? Carol said. ‘Sometimes at night, she can’t sleep because she can’t decide what she wants to do to help animals when she’s older.”