Wantage presents Lori Space day

WANTAGE-The Friends of the Sussex-Wantage library will present Wantage resident and local author Lori Space Day at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5 in the community room of the library. Day will discuss her book The Zookeeper's Daughter, her life at Space Farms and the publishing process. The Zookeeper's Daughter is Day's journal of life as the third-generation of her family at Space Farms Zoo and Museum in Sussex. Growing up at the Space family farm has given a lifetime of unique stories of individual animals and many animal-related adventures. Her unusual lifestyle has enabled her to work with numerous different species, from lions, tigers and bears to otters, ‘possums and squirrels. The Zookeeper's Daughter is an ongoing story of a working zookeeper and the issue she faces: What do you do during a buffalo stampede? How do you handle a ‘loaded' skunk? Can a fisher climb trees? What do you feed a newborn lion cub? Where do zoos get their animals from? Who operates on an African Lion with a bad tooth? These questions are all answered in the book. Descriptions of medical procedures performed by Dr. Ted Spinks and the staff of the Animal Hospital of Sussex County give the reader examples of the complicated medical care involved in working with exotic and native animals in captivity. Stories of daily animal care, medical procedures and infant care are peppered with humor and full of information on many different species. Animals escape, or get sick and yes, tragically, some die. Day also takes readers behind the scenes at the zoo. "Writing this book has taken me six years in the off season", she says. "I was inspired by my Dad (Fred T. Space, owner of the zoo and museum complex). So many of his early adventures in zookeeping have been reduced to one-liners over time." Day started writing her animal memoirs only for her daughter, Jackie. She decided to turn them into a book when a visitor to the zoo suggested she share her experiences with a wider audience. Her goal was to create a realistic, educational, yet entertaining book on the life of a working zookeeper in a privately owned zoo. The book is geared to young adults and animal enthusiasts. Day's early years were spent alongside her family learning native and exotic animal husbandry first hand. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Nazareth College of Rochester, N.Y., managed a pet shop and returned to work in the family business, Space Farms Zoo and Museum. A multi-species pediatric specialist, she is the Zoo Mama. Day has been writing articles professionally for Space Farms for the last ten years, and is frequently published in zoo trade magazines. She has also written for The Sussex County 4-H program, Wantage Township and the New Jersey State Fair/ The Sussex County Farm and Horse Show. Attending the Working Writer's Workshops, sponsored by the Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council, gave her the information and encouragement needed to pursue publishing her book. Her book will be available for $24.95. The Sussex-Wantage Library is located at 69 Route 639 in Wantage. For information , call 973-875-3940.