Good story

I would like to commend The Northern Star for its timely and informative article regarding the adoption of animals by students. I would like to further emphasize that the acquisition of reptiles and amphibians should not be done without much thought and planning.

As a member of the Chicago Herpetological Society (CHS), I must agree with the humane society employee in that many pets are adopted or purchased by college students and improperly cared for. The CHS receives quite a few offers of reptiles and amphibians “free to a good home” every year from owners that are surprised by the amount of care that these quite pets require. It is my opinion, and that of the CHS, that herps are not good pets for everyone and should only be obtained by people willing to provide adequate diet, housing, temperature conditions and care for the duration of the animal’s life: in captivity many herps can live twenty years or more! Owning a pet is both a responsibility and a privilege, and when the owner acts irresponsibly it is the animal that suffers most.

The purpose of the CHS is to enhance the education of members (which number about 2000) and public, and to promote the conservation of all wildlife, particularly reptiles and amphibians. Anyone who is interested in herps can attend the CHS open meetings at the Chicago Field Museum on the last Wednesday of each month. Meetings start at 7:30 p.m.

Elizabeth Freeman

Senior

French – Language & Literature