A Pet Forum?? Yeah!! We got one!!

[shannon0218]

I know this has been spoken about before, but I'm hoping it can possibly be revisited. Especially now that pet questions are being moved to various forums. Really, I only check TOA for them, but inevitably I'll get PM's from people asking me to look at a question in another forum--one I'd never think to visit.
I'm thinking there are usually at least one or two, and often many more pet questions a day. It would be really nice if they could all be asked in one location. I would be happy to moderate that forum. With the number of pet questions that are asked daily, I think a pet forum would see more traffic than many of our current forums do.
Pets are very much a part of family life. I think many families own pets and will often have questions ranging from nutrition, training, choosing a pet, dealing with the death of a pet, health issues and safety issues. I think it's a bit of a disservice to our community to ignore such an important part of family life.

I'd very much appreciate some considerations from the powers that be on this topic.

Thanks!
Shannon

[Cynthia Mosher]

I appreciate your devotion to pet topics Shannon and can understand the desire to have all pet threads in one forum. I'm just not sure if we should do so. We are more and more diluting our focus here by opening more and more forums. I want to only do so if it is something we really really need for Mothering's purpose on the web.

[shannon0218]

I understand the desire to not add too many more forums here, but many of us strive to apply the same natural living to our pets and I'd be willing to bet that there are a lot more of us with pets than there are who are say "living off the grid"
I mean, it seems that new forums are being added daily--look at the sheer numbers of forums under both diapering and Mindfull Home management, in yet we are ignoring pets who for those of us who share our lives with them, they are an important part of our life. I'd be willing to bet that 1/3 of MDC members have pets in their lives or are thinking of adding a pet to their life someday soon.

Perhaps to make things easier to decide--would it be alright to maybe post a poll in TAO asking just how many people own pets and if they think we need a pet forum?

[Oh the Irony]

Originally Posted by shannon0218

Perhaps to make things easier to decide--would it be alright to maybe post a poll in TAO asking just how many people own pets and if they think we need a pet forum?

i have been wanting to do that but i have refrained. i think it is a great idea.

i really think it is a forum that would be utilizied.

i can understand not wanting to keep adding and adding forums, but i think this one is mertited. maybe a trial run?

[djs_girl517]

Originally Posted by wolfmama

i have been wanting to do that but i have refrained. i think it is a great idea.

i really think it is a forum that would be utilizied.

i can understand not wanting to keep adding and adding forums, but i think this one is mertited. maybe a trial run?

Perhaps new posts could be moderated for forum appropriateness - kinda like SAHM? I would be happy to help out with this.

[polka123]

yes.
I believe Shannon, myself & Puppyfluffer have offered to Moderate it MANY times..

Yes, the sheer # of other threads is amazing.

There are many issues when it comes to pets & AP/NFL.

There are also a great # if folks that need training, grooming, breed, rescue help.
Many folks are AP/NFL with their kids & but sometimes the pets is not.
There is talk of BARF diets, PG pets, etc
I hear of many folks that have majoy family issues with pets.
I say give it a try, if it does not fly, then get rid of it.
Between the 3 of us if not a few more... we have tons of pet knowledge to be happy to share

[shannon0218]

See, we're at 6 responses by 10:30 the first morning this topic is posted, thats already more traffic than some of our forums see in a whole day!

[polka123]

I know, sometimes there are pages of 1 pet subject that need immediate attention & sometimes the thread gets lost in TAO b/c of all the posting action there

[shannon0218]

Polka, the ones that concern me even more are the threads that are posted about pets in forums that none of us really visit. I've been pm'd many times by people wondering why I didn't comment on their thread--but I never visit the forums they are posting in--or sometimes moved to.

[polka123]

Originally Posted by shannon0218

Polka, the ones that concern me even more are the threads that are posted about pets in forums that none of us really visit. I've been pm'd many times by people wondering why I didn't comment on their thread--but I never visit the forums they are posting in--or sometimes moved to.

Agreed !

[Annie]

I would love to see a pet forum

Way back when humans were living totally natural, NFL at it's best, didnt they surround themselelves with pets and other animals? They had them for everything, as protection, transportation, plowing fields, etc. Now I know a pet forum is just strictly for pampered, loved pets, maybe some would consider thier farm animals pets, I know I did. I loved our chickens, ducks, turkies,etc. And this forum might be a great place for both, and certainly would be wonderful for pet lovers wiht all the issues pets entail. BTW the farm animals in question were never eaten, we just never had the heart for it

As others have pointed out there's tons of pet threads and pets are a huge part of most people's lives, mine included. See my sig for more details on how much I love my pets.

Just my $0.02

[MamaRBH]

I am a SAHM and all day of every day I am involved in the care of my pets... I treat them in the same gentle, respectful, instinctive manner that I treat my daughters... They are very much a part of our family. When I am challenged by an aspect of caring for my dogs, I feel the same urgency to seek help, advice, guidence that I seek when my girls are ill or troubled.
NFL does not end with the humans under my roof - it involves every living being.

I think the many other gentle pet owners / animal lovers here at MDC would say the same... Please consider opening a pet forum so that we can come together to offer support to one another w/out wondering where to go...and without searching for where the latest pet topic has been moved/posted.

[shannon0218]

I agree that even farm animals are pets. Wether for consumption or not, as with other forums here at MDC, everyone doesn't have to agree with everyone else. We've considered getting chickens here but honestly, I don't know where to start (even though I live in farm country )

[polka123]

here's a link for other pet forum requests

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...earchid=813348

[MamaRBH]

Originally Posted by shannon0218

We've considered getting chickens here but honestly, I don't know where to start (even though I live in farm country )

And what a perfect question that would be for a new pet forum...

[MamaAllNatural]

I think a pet forum would get a lot of action and be very important. I hope it will be reconsidered.

[snoodess]

I definitely understand not wanting to create unnecessary forums but I would love to see a pet forum and would find it very helpful. I was actually surprised when I had cat troubles not to find a forum devoted to our animal friends. It felt weird and intimdating to ask the question I had in TAO. Count me in as another vote for "yes!"


--proud fur mama to Taffy : Bubba : and Chicken :

[PuppyFluffer]

I'm in support of a pet forum and think it is a natural extension of Mothering and Natural Family Living. Many people feel that teaching children compassion and responsibility thru living with pets is an invaluable life lesson.

Caring for our pets from what natural gentle shampoo to wash them with to dealing with pet allergies and proper diets....it is all a bit on the "alternative". I think it fits well with the purpose of Mothering.

So, another positive vote for a pet forum. And I will moderate it.

[PuppyFluffer]

I'll moderate it if I'm asked! :grin

[zavierchick]

yes!

I'm new here, but I agree with others on this thread- it felt wierd to me not to find something about our pets- they are a huge part of our lives, and problems with them often affect our kids as well, whether it is health issues, dealing with death, tensions between kids and pets, including them in natural living, whatever Just my .02!