For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for October 06, 2019

how about giving that casserole, Elly, to the raccoons and opossums who dig through the trash cans?

BAD Elly! Bad girl! Do not give people food to dogs. Their digestive systems are not identical to ours. Some things in that casserole may be harmful him. This habit may have helped to contribute to his eventual demise by weakening his health over time.

Please review if you are a pet owner: https://dogtime.com/dog-health/general/5504-bad-foods-for-dogs-list

They are really saying that it’s time for it to go into the trash bin. Or, if you don’t want it in your trash, consider the one at a nearby apartment complex thrown away after dark (when they can’t see you as well).

You really do not want your whole family home and sick in bed Elly.

If Farley wouldn’t eat it, you can be sure your family shouldn’t.

We follow the “three day rule.” Any leftover in the fridge needs to be thrown out after three days. So I freeze leftovers like spaghetti sauce within a day or so. As for the rest, no one should eat it. Nor should dogs or cats ever eat people food. If you want your pet to live a long and healthy life, research what they can safely eat. Don’t even trust commercial pet products, which are often based on grains your pet cannot tolerate.

I’m told that a certain amount of heat will kill that colored stuff on top of the casserole.

“I think it’s good for another few days. And we’ve only had the ‘stomach flu’ six times this year. Ya know, I wonder what causes that?”

Does food poisoning mean anything to you, Ellie?

Farley just told you it’s no good!

Honey when your dog turns up his nose on something out of the fridge, you need to throw it away after double bagging it in biohazard bags.

If no one has eaten the leftovers by the end of the 2nd day, it’s time to clear them out of the fridge. No one must like them well enough to finish them. I did make a mistake yesterday morning though when I gave our dog the leftover chicken from two days ago. Since he was home for lunch, he wanted that chicken. Rarely happens.

Our dog doesn’t like coffee – Just gave him a taste not a bowlful honest. Never tried wine but it is made out of grapes so guess I won’t.

My husband wouldn’t touch a casserole with a ten foot spoon. He hates his food mixed up…or even touching each other. Plain is the word at my house.

Actually, you might as well pitch it out, if you don’t know how long it was in the refrig.

If the dog doesn’t want it, toss it out, El.

That was another strip where Elly was cleaning out the refrigerator

Elly: This is no good….God only knows how long this has been here…P.U., that one smells like Michael’s room!

Elly puts everything into garbage bag

Elly: Even though this food is rancid, spoiled, and moldy, I still feel guilty about throwing it out…

Elly disposes of trash bag

Elly{talking to herself}: …my mother would have made it into a casserole.

Yeah, dogs can do that. So excited about getting whatever I am eating, but when I let them have a bite they get all picky and refuse to eat it. Of course they come back over and want more of what I am eating again. I don’t get it.

No “baby bump” yet. I wonder how long it will be before Elly’s profile is different on Sundays from the weekday strips.

My rule is; if you retrieve the Tupperware bowl from the back of the bottom shelf in the ‘fridge and you can’t identify what the gray-green fuzzy substance inside,it’s probably time to throw it out!

Poor Farley… He would love to be able to eat people food, only to find out that, like most people, he doesn’t like it either.

My boyfriend is such a good cook we rarely have leftovers but when we do they get repurposed at once. We are also serious composters. Now if we could just afford a place with a garden!

I don’t like to eat the same thing two days in a row, so I give the leftovers at least 2 days before I throw them out. We’ve gotten much better about eating leftovers in the past couple of years, though.

This gives us a good feeling about why the Pattersons wanted the Enjos to get that casserole.

Let him sniff it in the dish before deciding.

For those who object to Elly’s actions, please suggest an alternate ending that would still be humorous.

If the dog won’t eat it, what makes you think your family will?

I know this is a strip with a humorous ending, and that’s good, but in real life, if the food it’s not good anymore to be eaten by people, it isn’t good for your dog, too. Let the appropriate garbage can have it. :)