Arden and Riley, a twenty-something couple from Chicago, were told by a veterinarian that their pet hamster, named Robin Williams, had a large abdominal tumor and would not survive much longer. Arden and Riley are helping Robin live his final days to the fullest with a bucket list of fun adventures. Although “some people don’t consider hamsters a ‘real pet,'” the couple said, Robin “is just as important and special as a dog.” They added that Robin is “the sweetest creature” who “loves snuggling,” giving kisses and falling asleep in sweatshirt pockets. They have been posting pictures of Robin’s travels on Instagram:
Here is Robin the hamster’s Bucket List. They are about three-quarters of the way through the list:
1. Visit the Buckingham Fountain
2. Take a selfie at The Bean
3. Be famous for the day
4. Go out for some deep dish pizza
5. Pig out on my favorite junk food
6. Build an epic blanket fort and watch movies all day
7. Be featured in The Dodo
8. Fall asleep in my mama’s sweatshirt pocket every night
9. Take a goofy selfie with my best friend
10. Take a selfie at the Art Institute
11. Be Thor for a day
12. Eat a Chicago Hot dog
13. Run on my wheel a few more times
14. Eat a scrambled egg breakfast
15. Give my siblings a kiss every day
16. Cross the Chicago River at sunset
* I’ve had a hamster. They need to add the words “and poop on it” to every one of these items.
* This is nice, unless a hamster with a large abdominal tumor would really rather just lie still.
* I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that “Build an epic blanket fort and watch movies all day” is actually something one of the humans wants to do.
* The hamster’s special – just not special enough for an expensive surgery.
* Just feed the damn thing to a snake and get it over with.
* Sorry, I’m not approaching this delicately enough, am I?
* I just don’t think the world needs selfies of a dying hamster right now.
* Although I’d rather see that than another one of Kim Kardashian.
* “Number 17. Be used by my 20-something owners for click bait.”

* PHONE TOPIC: Did you ever bucket list a dying pet? What did you do with it?