Great article BrainGirl. I read the whole thing.
I will admit, I bought my hamster quickly without thinking it through, and have made mistakes, but I'm in it for the long run, and have enjoyed taking care of him.
I do talk about him to family, friends, coworkers, and anyone who will listen.
I have told people recently that I really enjoy having my hamster, because it's a reminder how we need to care for and be gentle with animals in general.
I really liked how this article spoke from the perspective of the fish. There were lots of great points made.