sorry, no reptiles or rodents in my house. Rodents are reptile or carnivorous fish food – I really don’t want the family dog or cat getting sick by trying to eat it.
Almost the only time a school pet is introduced into a story line is if its going to escape and create havoc at best, or die.Just sayin’.poor hamsterC.
We had hamsters when my son was little. We bought two females so we wouldn’t have any more, and wouldn’t you know, one of them was pregnant. We sold the babies back to the pet store. The only thing wrong with hamsters as pets is that their cage smells. No matter how often you clean it, it just plain stinks. And if you have Habitrails with lots of tubes, they are almost impossible to keep clean.
The only pets ever to bite me were hamsters. Twice. And with those long sharp teeth, the bites are very deep. Hamsters are not the best pet for kids. They are nocturnal, and are actually very fragile animals.
As to route66paul – why would your dog or cat get sick eating a pet rodent? Why would they eat a pet rodent? I have 3 dogs and a cat, and they don’t eat my 3 rats or my guinea pig. If they did, it wouldn’t make them sick!
He must be taking care of the class pet. She is picking him up with the hamster, not shopping for one. Lucky kid won’t be left out in the snow this time anyway.
Hope Michael takes better care of the hamster than he sometimes does Farley (remember him maliciously squirting that poor dog in the face with a water hose last summer?).
In response:1.) Farley died from the cold water, old age and overexertion, to which it was specifically written in the strip that the veterinarian determined the cause of death was myocardial infarction. The Pattersons were never seen beating Farley or failing to serve him food, which are signs are animal cruelty. In fact, Lynn Johnston followed up with a Sunday strip explaining that Farley was old and the time had come for him to go.2.) Mr. B dies from an undisclosed illness. It is never directly stated that anyone neglected his care. We cannot accuse April just from speculation, there had to be rocksteady proof, which there was not. It is shown as something that happened, again likely due to his superannuated age as well. 3.) The fish was such a minor character I do not have sufficient information to see what was the cause of death for that.-Point being, when the issue of animal abuse was brought up, it is used in the proper context of brutality and abuse, not squirt gun fights or good-natured fooling. It is perfectly acceptable for a pet to die a natural death, but the idea that the Pattersons “killed their pets” seemed way too rough a statement; the pets died by themselves. I was mistaken about the Comics Code, however newspaper cartoonists are under self-regulations and self-censorship. A few strips back Lynn Johnston said she took a lot of flak for depicting John in a violent manner which she clearly did not intend, and it taught her how to better draw body language. Bill Watterson had been read the riot act a number of times for his earlier strips where he portrayed Calvin’s parents as insensitive louts who seemed to be want to rid of Calvin.
OK, OK. If everyone insists I used “animal cruelty and abuse” in the context of something dastardly. We know for a fact that the Pattersons would not do something like have Farley compete in Michael Vick’s dogfights!
If memory serves there was a storyline where Farley’s leg was bothering him. It turns out a tween Liz was fooling around with a rubber band. This time she is old enough to feel remorse about her negligence.
Templo S.U.D. almost 12 years ago
for sure the classroom’s pet hamster
route66paul almost 12 years ago
sorry, no reptiles or rodents in my house. Rodents are reptile or carnivorous fish food – I really don’t want the family dog or cat getting sick by trying to eat it.
chazandru almost 12 years ago
Almost the only time a school pet is introduced into a story line is if its going to escape and create havoc at best, or die.Just sayin’.poor hamsterC.
artybee almost 12 years ago
I always wanted an iguana, so I could name him “Don.”
sleeepy2 almost 12 years ago
Had iguanas, snakes, & geckos. I can tell you, reptiles are BORING pets. They just sit on their heat rock all day. They might as well be plastic!
lightenup Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Definitely getting the class pet if she’s picking him up at school. Should be a fun week with Farley too!
Beleck3 almost 12 years ago
most parents wind up taking care of pets anyway.
gaebie almost 12 years ago
Great. The hamster episode is what my local paper ran with two weeks ago instead of what was here. Now I get two weeks of reruns.
JanLC almost 12 years ago
We had hamsters when my son was little. We bought two females so we wouldn’t have any more, and wouldn’t you know, one of them was pregnant. We sold the babies back to the pet store. The only thing wrong with hamsters as pets is that their cage smells. No matter how often you clean it, it just plain stinks. And if you have Habitrails with lots of tubes, they are almost impossible to keep clean.
twinsoniclab almost 12 years ago
The only pets ever to bite me were hamsters. Twice. And with those long sharp teeth, the bites are very deep. Hamsters are not the best pet for kids. They are nocturnal, and are actually very fragile animals.
As to route66paul – why would your dog or cat get sick eating a pet rodent? Why would they eat a pet rodent? I have 3 dogs and a cat, and they don’t eat my 3 rats or my guinea pig. If they did, it wouldn’t make them sick!
He must be taking care of the class pet. She is picking him up with the hamster, not shopping for one. Lucky kid won’t be left out in the snow this time anyway.
Gretchen's Mom almost 12 years ago
Hope Michael takes better care of the hamster than he sometimes does Farley (remember him maliciously squirting that poor dog in the face with a water hose last summer?).
:-(
USN1977 almost 12 years ago
Where was there ever a storyline where they kill the pets? I highly doubt the Comics Code would be OK with animal abuse.
USN1977 almost 12 years ago
In response:1.) Farley died from the cold water, old age and overexertion, to which it was specifically written in the strip that the veterinarian determined the cause of death was myocardial infarction. The Pattersons were never seen beating Farley or failing to serve him food, which are signs are animal cruelty. In fact, Lynn Johnston followed up with a Sunday strip explaining that Farley was old and the time had come for him to go.2.) Mr. B dies from an undisclosed illness. It is never directly stated that anyone neglected his care. We cannot accuse April just from speculation, there had to be rocksteady proof, which there was not. It is shown as something that happened, again likely due to his superannuated age as well. 3.) The fish was such a minor character I do not have sufficient information to see what was the cause of death for that.-Point being, when the issue of animal abuse was brought up, it is used in the proper context of brutality and abuse, not squirt gun fights or good-natured fooling. It is perfectly acceptable for a pet to die a natural death, but the idea that the Pattersons “killed their pets” seemed way too rough a statement; the pets died by themselves. I was mistaken about the Comics Code, however newspaper cartoonists are under self-regulations and self-censorship. A few strips back Lynn Johnston said she took a lot of flak for depicting John in a violent manner which she clearly did not intend, and it taught her how to better draw body language. Bill Watterson had been read the riot act a number of times for his earlier strips where he portrayed Calvin’s parents as insensitive louts who seemed to be want to rid of Calvin.
loves raising duncan almost 12 years ago
Welcome to that family, you poor hamster. Be afraid! lol!
USN1977 almost 12 years ago
OK, OK. If everyone insists I used “animal cruelty and abuse” in the context of something dastardly. We know for a fact that the Pattersons would not do something like have Farley compete in Michael Vick’s dogfights!
If memory serves there was a storyline where Farley’s leg was bothering him. It turns out a tween Liz was fooling around with a rubber band. This time she is old enough to feel remorse about her negligence.