Crap. Elly gets treated like an idiot after all. It amazes me to this day how callous the old bat is.
This is because in the first panel, she delivers the speech about how since Farley is a runt, she might have to put him down. In the second panel, Elly is visibly heartbroken at hearing the sad story of a poor, lost, lonely abandoned creature who needs her, Elly Patterson, to survive. The need to protect this allegedly defenseless creature from a cruel fate instilled in her is treated as a joke by a huckster and a boor. In retrospect, it seems to me that Elly's feelings on the issue were as an obstacle to be worked around by any means necessary by all parties concerned; nobody took them or her very seriously. In this context, Connie's attempt to get her angry seems like a godsend, especially since Elly needs to know that she never did have the power of life and death over Farley. (I wonder how long it took for to her to figure out she got hosed.)
ETA: Speaking of which, I hope I see a new-run similar to this immediately following "But he's so CUTE!!":
Panel 1: Elly: Besides, you weren't there. You didn't see the pathetic expression in his eyes.
Panel 2: Elly: When I looked at the dumb creature's sad face, I knew I couldn't possibly say 'No' to him.
Connie: Who? The puppy?
Panel 3: Elly [smirking]: Nope. John.
Connie: [Sticky-out-tongue laugh.]