LANSING, Mich. — Preuss Pets in Old Town is the spot many families go to when they want to learn about animals, get supplies or find the perfect pet, and there bird department is pretty awesome.
“We have one of the most amazing bird departments in the state of Michigan, in the Midwest, and it takes a lot of care to take care of them," said general manager and daughter of the owners, Kirbay Preuss.
And for 40 years, co-owner and manager Debbie Preuss has been the beating heart of the bird department, a love that started when she was younger.
"We were blessed with every pet growing up," Debbie said.
And now, she helps these birds grow up with some heartfelt TLC.
“I buy all the babies here when they’re anywhere from four to eight weeks of age," Debbie said.
But, she doesn’t do it all alone. She has help from her family and employees.
“I have four very experienced hand feeders besides myself,” Debbie said.
As the co-owner of Preuss Pets, a landmark in the area, Debbie has seen her love for animals get passed down from generation to generation.
"My mom is very determined," Kirbay said. "Growing up watching her, she taught me resilience, keep going, keep pushing, keep being positive."
And now, Kirbay's daughter gets to have that same experience and see her grandmother do something she loves.
"She works with one of the most, I would say, challenging animals in our store, and she's really good at it. You want someone working with birds that really knows what they're doing, and she's that person," Kirbay said.
Although Debbie has a lot of other responsibilities that keeps the store going like payroll, banking and a lot of the day-to-day business operations, it's the birds at the store who have her heart.
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