I loved the tape of people helping the baby squirrel and know Bonnie loves all animals, as I do. I also realized the audience would not all want a squirrel...nevertheless, the live squirrels were frightened and I saw nothing funny whatsoever in that part. I know Bonnie and the group will not do this again. Instead of the silly little reference, she should have made a mature statement to that effect.
Certainly I will not quit watching the show...it's about the only enjoyable one in daytime TV and I keep some parts to watch again, usually the animals.

I am not stupid enough to believe that they would give away live squirrels. However, I was upset to see that live squirrels had been trapped and taken out of their own environment. Trapping is stressful for animals. I really hope that when the joke was over the squirrels were put back in the exact places they were trapped from. I wish that people would understand that animals are individuals and should be treated as such. I was not pleased that on todays show Bonnie tried to say that the squirrels were stuffed animals(smug smile or not). She owes her viewers an apology. I still love the show and will continue to watch but hope that something like this doesn't happen again.

Amy: The Constitution of the United States allows me the freedom of voice to share an opinion without being called "stupid". If you don't want a law-suit on your hands you need to stop calling people names. Tootie

I sent an e-mail to PETA yesterday and they responded they were already aware of the incident and are writing to Ms. Hunt.
It won't change her or her staff's sick humor and attitude but I am very happy to see there are more people out there who DO NOT appreciate the abuse of wild animals for human entertainment.

Come on, you guys. The bit about everyone going home with a live squirrel was an obvious joke. It's called comedy, it's what Bonnie's best at. She obviously would never seriously give away squirrels to her audience for obvious reasons. Her love for animals is shown through her dedication to dog rescue as well as the many times she has wild animals on her show, where she always expresses a genuine care for all of them.

Keep up the good work, Bonnie. I know where your heart is and it's in the right place.

Oh my god TOOTIE from post at 5:28 pm
Are you that stupid that you really believe that Bonnie gave away real squirrels....Wow ignorance is bliss. Ahh...it was meant to be Funny, which it was hilarious. Keep up your wonderful sense of humor Bonnie, some people just have no clue!

Check out THIS bird house on (you tube) a friend sent me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3btjAslx-OY

bonnie ijust wanted to tell you i love your show.its the only show that i watch during the day. i love your mom. she reminds me so much of mine. and your dog charlie he is just wonderful.Thank you for what you do, by make peoples life a little brighter everyday.

Bonnie: I plan each of my days to make room for your show, but today I as appalled by your giving living squirrels to the audience. The unfortunate squirrels who have been trapped, caged or raised by humans is unthinkable, and how you have the audacity to give away real, living squirrels to audience members? What is wrong with you? You have so much to offer in the way of deserving homes for dogs yet you stooped to a new low today with the squirrels. Unfortunately for you, you have lost yet another viewer. You and your staff need to reconsider and think ahead of what you do. You could have easily given away phoney stuffed animal squirrels. Really, Bonnie - you have severely disappointed me. So long......

Still taping your show every day. My daughter and I love it!!

I just finished Speedbumps by Teri Garr. You were right Bonnie, it is a fantastic book!! Funny, smart, classy, and inspirational!! I remember when Teri did your show, you were still getting your footing as a host. Could you have her on again to talk about the work she does towards getting a cure for MS? I was reading your message boards, and it looks like a bunch of us would love to see that.

It is a joy to watch you everyday Bonnie! Keep up the good work!

Come on - squirrels in cages? Did you trap these out in the wild and put them in the cages and think - whooo boy! that will be funny? I think you sense of humor in interesting, but this incident has me taking you off my TIVO and skipping your show. You need to think these things through and check with some people other than your staff. You spend a lot of time with your dogs and encouraging adopting dogs from shelters, but did you not consider that these squirrels were living, breathing creatures of God and should be warranted the same respect as the dogs you love so much? Disgusting. Get a grip, Bonnie. You just lost a viewer.

So that was supposed to be a funny joke bringing out live squirrels in cages???
To all you people who thought that was hilarious and spilt tea all over themselves: I hope someone will pick you up off the street some day and put you in a cage and bring you into a completely strange a very threatening environment so that some other species gets a big laugh and if you're lucky they will later set you free again on your street. That is unless you died of a heart attack still in the cage. Yes, other animals (other than humans) have heart attacks, too.
I am waiting for an explanation by Ms. Hunt for this "joke" and I am seriously tempted to initiate legal actions towards her because of animal cruelty. I hope PETA hears about this.

Come on people! It was a joke! I got the funny part of it. You know how talk show host are always giving out stuff like cds, books and what nots. Well that was what this was supposed to represent.
I swear you can tell when people take life to seriously.
Laugh sometimes it adds 3 days to your life..

LOL

The squirrel video was wonderful.It was great that you showed it, but the joke about giving everyone in the audience a live squirrel would have been funnier if you ended there and did not bring out live squirrels.

Animals are not meant to be in cages or in studio audiences. Did you consider how the squirrels must have felt being out of there natural environment? These animals should not be tamed, trained or used for our entertainemnt.

We enjoy you and your show and appreciate how much you seem to care about animals, so we hope that this will give you "food for thought".

Omg I so needed that laugh. I at home sick and feeling bad about myself and here you go handing out squirrels. I laughed so hard tea came out my nose. LOVE THE SHOW....

I think your squirrel joke today was hilarious. The idea that everyone in the audience would go home with one cracked me up!

But you know what I enjoy now even more? All the people on here thinking you really did that! So funny!

Come on people, wise up!

I Bonnie:

Was able to catch some of the show on the web today, which is unusual for me as I work but things were a little slow so I caught up. I can't wait to get Brook Shields new book for my granddaughter. She got the first book as a gift and loved it. She is a very good writer.

Not sure about the movie reviews from Ben and Ben but we'll see how the summer plays out.

Thanks for a great show

I really enjoyed the squirrel video that Bonnie showed today. However, moments later the warm fuzzy feeling was completely ruined when she sent out a bunch of wild squirrels for the audience in CAGES.

That was in really poor taste. The whole point of the video was to see a group of students doing something *good* for wildlife - why did you have to counteract that by putting a bunch of beautiful, endearing wild creatures in captivity??? Squirrels are not meant to be domestic animals. Why did you catch them and take them away from their home and families? Squirrels form relationships with their mates and family members. You took those poor babies away from their loved ones to trap them in small cages and bring them out to a loud environmet that was no doubt very frightening for them. How cruel.

Why couldn't you give the audience members plush toys or tshirts with squirrels instead? And what exactly are the audience members supposed to do with a live squirrel?? This is not an animal you can keep as a pet.

That is in such bad taste, I don't think I can watch the rest of the show. I'm really disappointed, I usually enjoy this show but today, you guys let me down. That type of disregard for the experience of those squirrels really makes it seem that you missed the whole point of the student's squirrel video anyway.

I loved the video of the squirrel's! I have never seen squirrel's do this! It was so cute. It's so nice to see students being kind to them. I wish we could have seen the students faces! Maybe you should invite them on the show!
The music made it tug at my heart. Thanks for sharing!
Barb

I left my home to come to the library to e-mail you. Giving away wild animals is not entertainment. The poor squirrels were in cages without food or water. How long did they have to suffer in that state and how much longer will they have to suffer?

Too many animals suffer and adding to it is not acceptable. SHAME ON YOU AND All IN YOUR STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ANIMAL CRUELTY!