Rats in the Medicine Cabinet, Dogs in Space

Hooray, it's Ratcatcher's Day! Well, it's either today or June 22nd, whatever. It's a long story that involves the Pied Piper of Hamlin, who probably didn't exist anyway, so who knows.

Rats had their own Sick, Sad World spot in Is It Fall Yet? ("Are drug-crazed rodents raiding your child's medicine cabinet?"), so a Pied Piper would be welcome in Lawndale. Or is that Ratboy's job?

The first dogs to reach outer space did so 59 years ago today, climbing to an altitude of 110 miles by rocket. They survived, and one later became the pet of a Soviet physicist.