# The inventor of the Pet Rock has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 1, 2015, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485 "2015-04-01T11:01:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/1 "2015-04-01T11:01:45Z")
[Gary Dahl, Inventor of the Pet Rock, Dies at 78](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/us/gary-dahl-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-dies-at-78.html?_r=0) I only mention this because of [one of the most legendary threads in the history of the SDMB](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=203185). I can only assume that today our long-since banned poster **Thaidog** , wherever he may be, is finally at peace. As are all the dogs anywhere near him. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/2 "2015-04-01T11:50:26Z")
I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that I was one of those who plunked down the $3.95 to buy my own Pet Rock. Like the esteemed Mr. Dahl it has gone to that big riverbed in the sky. RIP Gary. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/3 "2015-04-01T12:07:15Z")
Maybe mourners will leave those California Beach Rocks stacked on his gravestone. No googly eyes, please. Just FYI: > [@](#): > > The Pet Rock became available again on September 3, 2012. Rosebud Entertainment currently holds the United States trademark rights to the Pet Rock > **[Pet Rock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_Rock)** > > Pet Rock is a collectible toy made in 1975 by advertising executive Gary Dahl. They were rocks packaged in custom cardboard boxes complete with ventilation holes and straw bedding imitating a pet carrier. The fad lasted about six months, ending after a short increase in sales during the Christmas season of December 1975. Although by February 1976 they were discounted due to lower sales, Dahl sold over one million Pet Rocks for $4 each, and became a millionaire. > Gary Dahl came up with the idea in... So The Pet Rock Lives! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/4 "2015-04-01T12:17:16Z")
As a geologist I fully support PETR. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/5 "2015-04-01T12:20:44Z")
And yetā€¦ his rocks live on. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/6 "2015-04-01T12:27:33Z")
I never bought one, but I had a rescue. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/7 "2015-04-01T14:08:31Z")
I was given one as a gift by my great uncle. Even as a five year old, I found the joke cute but tiresome rather quickly. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/8 "2015-04-01T14:36:12Z")
At least he didnā€™t die alone. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/9 "2015-04-01T14:53:30Z")
I burning this thread. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/10 "2015-04-01T15:01:47Z")
he specified that his gravestone have care and feeding instructions engraved on it. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/11 "2015-04-01T15:10:07Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > he specified that his gravestone have care and feeding instructions engraved on it. I understand his last wishes were to be thrown down in a quarry. _flees_ ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/12 "2015-04-01T15:40:00Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I understand his last wishes were to be thrown down in a quarry. > _flees_ No oneā€™s laughing out loud. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/13 "2015-04-01T16:52:07Z")
I have all free range rocks. They donā€™t bother me and I donā€™t bother them. Now and then Iā€™ll leave a piece of chicken for them to eat, but they donā€™t need much sustenance ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/14 "2015-04-01T17:56:14Z")
Thereā€™s this one rock thatā€™s been stalking me for years. When I leave my apartment, there it is. When I come back home, itā€™s still there. I think it sits there all day waiting. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/15 "2015-04-01T18:30:32Z")
I think the word ā€˜inventorā€™ is stretching it a bit in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/16 "2015-04-01T20:20:38Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > I think the word ā€˜inventorā€™ is stretching it a bit in this case. Well, he came up with the idea. Would ā€œauthorā€ be better? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/17 "2015-04-01T20:38:53Z")
ā€œHey! He made a\* million dollars\*!ā€ ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/18 "2015-04-01T20:58:03Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Well, he came up with the idea. Would ā€œauthorā€ be better? He glued eyes to rocks, he didnā€™t really invent anything. Of course, lots of people have slapped a fresh coat of paint on something old, called it something different, and made $cash when people didnā€™t recognize what they were buying. ---
**Author:** ![nastynaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@nastynaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nastynaven)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/19 "2015-04-01T21:10:37Z")
i thought god invented the pet rock. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485/20 "2015-04-01T23:04:44Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > ā€œHey! He made a\* million dollars\*!ā€ With apologies to Liberace, thereā€™s a guy who truly laughed all the way to the bank. _smh_ :smack: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inventor-of-the-pet-rock-has-died/716485.md?page=2)