It takes real money to keep virtual pet alive

TO OUR READERS: A few weeks ago, we wrote about Webkinz, stuffed toys that are so popular, shops across the country are having trouble keeping their shelves stocked. But fans are quickly realizing there is a dark side to every addiction — even those with stuffed animals.

It was their time.

Ella, a tan Chihuahua, and Emily, a pink poodle, had lived full lives. Short, but full.

The little dogs had slept in comfy beds, worked out in pristine gyms, trotted around their rooms in well-designed outfits. But the pups were nearing their first birthdays. And at the tender age of 1 year, they all had to go.

But how do you explain to a 7-yearold that her virtual pets are about to die? “She was devastated,” said Marsha Arakawa of Monument, mother of 7-year-old Kylee. “You know, we had this whole little pet. What’s a parent supposed to do?”

The only thing a parent can do: Buy another. Fans of Webkinz, the popular plush toy that allows kids to try their hand at virtual pet ownership, are discovering that the online account expires after one year.

“We don’t want to say they die,” said Eileen Arnold, manager of Toys 4 Fun on North Academy Boulevard.

But they do. And many kids don’t realize it until a warning pops up on their screen. Turns out, there is one way to keep the pets alive.

“I thought it would be a fee of some kind to continue,” Arakawa wrote in an e-mail to The Gazette. “But what I didn’t expect was that I would have to adopt a new Webkinz in order to keep Ella and Emily from disappearing.”

Which means the only way to renew an account is to buy a new stuffed animal — a purchase many parents don’t realize they’ll need to make. Once a new animal is signed up, all accounts are then restored, Arnold said. The upside: At $10 to $15 for a new Webkinz, it’s cheaper than most addictions.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0152 or melissa.cassutt@gazette.com