Earl May Corporate Gets Catty Over Feline Live-Ins

Two feline employees of the in Waukee got their walking papers a couple weeks ago thanks to a new company-wide policy.

Bear and Tigger, two cats who called the store home, were forced out by a company policy banning cats from living in the company's 33 stores in Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan and Kansas. 

"Yeah, it was pretty sad to see the cats go," said Tim Rundlett, manager of the Earl May Nursery and Garden Center in Waukee. "We had a lot of fun with them here in the store. They were part of the family."

What do you think? Should Earl May have banned pets from living in the store? Tell us in the comments section below.

Rundlett said Earl May cited liability reasons for banning felines from the store. He said in addition to people with allergies, cats can often be unpredictable and could scratch or be aggressive with customers.

"I know this makes sense. We wouldn't want to put our customers or the store at risk," Rundlett said.

Cats have a long history of calling the Earl May store home. Bob lived in the Waukee store for eight years before he passed away in July 2011. Rundlett said they weren't looking for a replacement, but three weeks after Bob's passing, Bear walked into their lives.

"I didn't want to be responsible for another cat," said Rundlett. "Then about three weeks later, a customer walks in and sets this cat down and walks out. And that's how Bear came to the store."

Bear, a polydactyl, soon had a furry companion in Tigger. A neighbor found the kitten and brought it into the store.

"I just didn't have the heart to say no," said Rundlett.

Despite the eviction, both Bear and Tigger have found good homes. Bear's original owner agreed to take him in and Tigger now resides with Rundlett.

Bear and Tigger weren't the only pets in residence in Waukee. Steve Banks, owner of the Banks Law Firm on the downtown Triangle, says he brings his dog Sam to work just about every day and has called Waukee Hardware home since 1996.