Notes from the Editors

Janice Brown,
Founder/Editorial Director

A month ago, we had two guinea pigs in the office. Today we have four. I know what you’re thinking, but no, they did not have babies. A few of our staff members invited the additional pair to stay with us as fosters. I’m pretty sure that’s code for “we now have four guinea pigs.”
Don’t get me wrong, they are enjoyable animals to have around. They receive a ton of love and attention, feast on fresh veggies and hay, and even get to poop on the conference table whenever we decide to bring one along for a staff meeting.

My one-year-old daughter came to the office recently, and of course was fascinated with Pei Pei, Rosalita, Winkles, and Stella. She watched them scurry around for a moment, and then excitedly exclaimed, “doggie!” After explaining to her that they were guinea pigs, she smiled confidently and said, “cat!” Everyone laughed, and she looked at me with a blank stare, realizing she was out of animals whose names she could say. I can forgive her confusion since she is only one, and lives in a house with two dogs, two cats, and no guinea pigs. But what about the rest of us? Are we too dog- and cat-focused to recognize the love and joy that so many other animals offer?
In our pages, we strive to be balanced and represent many animals who are common household pets. It may appear that we focus a lot of attention on our canine companions, but that’s simply because compared to so many other pets, dogs get to do the most activities and accompany us to many places. But in this issue we set out to celebrate all creatures, big and small.

However, with the goal of full disclosure, there is one thing I must admit: You will never find a pet spider in my home. Please don’t hold it against me (I know Indiana Jones was able to overcome his fear of snakes in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but not me). I know many of you reading this have no issues with spiders, and think I’m crazy, but that’s the beauty of celebrating our differences.

With so many unique animals, it is easy to find a pet that will fit every lifestyle. Even if you are a “four-legged-centric” person, I encourage you to read these pages with an open mind. You never know when a ferret may sneakily squiggle into your heart.

Here’s to the furry, scaly, feathery, and even the slimy-


Jason A. Heidemann,
Managing Editor

Cats and dogs, cats and dogs. These days they’re all we ever hear about. Our dogs already fill so many roles in our lives. They are our best friends, surrogate children, jogging buddies, teachers, and in some cases, co-workers. And there are about 70 million cats curled up in American households everywhere. Felines and canines are either ideal companions or have really good publicists.

But what about all the great pets that aren’t cats or dogs? We often forget that there are many other animals out there that are better suited for people who don’t want their furniture scratched or their faces licked.
When I was growing up, a twin set of rabbits named Cotton and Carrot were among our first pets. I was too young at the time to remember why we decided to adopt rabbits, but I’m guessing it had to do with some post-Easter pestering among us children. Cotton died shortly after we adopted him, but Carrot thrived in our care. This was in the late ’70s and at the time, the Iranian Revolution had just taken place. The man chosen to lead the country after the revolution was named Abolhassan Bani-Sadr (pronounced “bunny sah-der”) and we soon changed Carrot’s name to Bani-Sadr, not in honor of this revolutionary, but because we thought it sounded funny that his last name was so akin to the word “bunny.”
Bani-Sadr was with us for a long time (much longer than the actual Bani-Sadr, who fell out of favor with the Ayatollah Khomeini and was impeached by his government in 1981). She lived to be 12 years old and turned out to be a wonderful family companion. We built a hutch for her in the backyard, and under supervision we would let her run around on a 30-foot leash. The point, of course, is that there were no cats or dogs around. Our family pet was a rabbit named after a deposed Middle Eastern politician, and that suited us just fine.

We’d like to dedicate this issue to the fishes, birds, guinea pigs, hamsters (and other small mammals), chinchillas, ferrets, reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids who make just as faithful companions as cats or dogs. And to Bani-Sadr (the rabbit), thanks for enriching our family’s life.