SPARTA, Wis. (WXOW) – One flower shop in Wisconsin is well known for its collection of interesting animals.
But now, the owners have adopted a new one sure to help them attract even more curious shoppers.
Flowers and plants are usually at the top of people’s minds when they think of Sparta Floral and Greenhouses. But for owners Eric and Becky Solberg, the business has become a reflection of who they are.
“My husband, Eric and I, we didn’t know each other going into college. We both started at separate universities, but strangely enough, ironically enough we were both in our separate other universities as pre-vet majors. So, we both had a love of animals and a passion for plants,” Becky Solberg said.
That shared background eventually created space for something more.
They began rescuing animals in need and giving them a permanent home.
“We’ve got Benny the hedgehog. He is a few years old. We bring out two dogs, Coco and Bodie, down here every day to join us at work. And then, a handful of other small lizards and things that are caught from the green plants that come out of Florida,” Becky Solberg said. “So, they get to live their best life with us too, and then I’ve got a couple of parakeets that live in the floral shop, too.”
For security, they have Salem, their greenhouse cat.
“He is a rescue as well,” Becky Solberg said.
But their newest addition stands out.
“This is Doug. Doug is a sulcata tortoise, or an African spurred tortoise,” Becky Solberg said. “Our estimates on his age are probably between 15 and 20 years old. He could live 90 to 100 years.”
The Solbergs said Doug was found in Milwaukee with several bullet wounds in his shell.
Now fully healed, he’s become a favorite for customers and visiting school groups.
And for the Solbergs, rescue isn’t a side project.
“Without an animal connection in our lives we are very lost, that’s kind of what fulfills our days, and to be able to help another being out that needs assistance, that’s just who we are,” Eric Solberg said.
Becky Solberg said the greenhouse is always open to anyone looking to enjoy some sunshine and a few rescued companions along the way.
The Solbergs said despite how much they love rescuing animals, they still don’t want people to drop off their unwanted pets without asking.
