pet lovers out there?

[microcollie]

This is the first forum that I've joined, and I did so not knowing what to expect. I thought that I might find either a garden club like my mother would join, ladies of a certain age with lace gloves, sipping tea while they ruminated about their prize petunia (no offense meant to petunia lovers ), or a too technical, way over my head board of phd's talking advanced botony. My kudos to all, both new gardeners and seasoned, for well surpassing my expectations. It's proved informative even for someone with thirty-some years of experience, entertaining, angering at times, and, well, fun! Thanks to all involved.

My other passion is pet care. I volunteer at local shelters, am a foster parent to several dogs and cats looking for placement, and I'm an all-around animal lover. (My username, Microcollie, comes from one of my brood, a tiny collie, stunted both physically and mentally by horrible breeding practices. For all his troubles, he's the apple of my eye)

So I've been looking for a forum similar to this, but about all things pet related. I have looked at a couple, but have not yet found one that's a good fit. I'm not interested in purebreds or how to breed, but how to solve the never-ending problems of puppy mills, over-breeding, and general overpopulation of animals in need of help. I've heard mention in posts by a few members here about your pets, and was hoping that maybe some of you might be able to head me in the right direction.

Thanks again for the garden info. It's great to learn new stuff daily and hear such a diversity of ideas and opinions. Keep it up!

[Kisal]

I have yet to find an animal forum I enjoy.

[Marlingardener]

Kisal is right--most of the posts on the pet forum I know of are about dead pets, pets throwing up, and pets peeing all over the house. Not a very happy place to be!
As the servant of six happy hens and one very content calico cat, I know there is more to pet ownership than pee, puke and pall bearing. If I ever find a happy, informative forum, I'll let you know.

[petalfuzz]

I had more luck with breed specific forums. I don't visit any forum other than this one anymore (limiting my internet usage). But I used to enjoy:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/

and http://www.rabbitsonline.net/ I like this one because they really try to keep the posts organized and they have a specific section about saving/rescuing rabbits.

I don't have any for dogs, sorry!

[Charlie MV]

I'm for dogs.

[sweet thunder]

I have one I like but it's very specific. I'm on a site called Ravelry, which is for knitters, crocheters and spinners, but it has many, many groups and forums, including one for pitbull lovers. There are lots of good-hearted rescue-oriented people there.

[microcollie]

Thanks for the feedback. The pack and I will keep looking.

[tedln]

I've never been on a pet forum, but I think we have a lot of pet lovers here. I have three dogs. My gardening buddy is a 100 lb. Chocolate Lab. He is kinda nuts, but that is probably why we get along so well. We rescued him from a veterinarians clinic after he had been hit by an eighteen wheeler at a truck stop. He had a lot of injuries, but nothing that couldn't be fixed. He is usually our outside dog to keep the coyotes away. In the heat we have been having, he has his personal rug inside the house in the day, and sleeps outside at night. What can I say! We like animals.

Ted

[Kisal]

Yeah, Angus (in my avatar) is a goofball, too. Must be a trait of some Labs!

He's definitely my bud. At the moment, he and Daiz are sitting here beside me, one on either side, with chins on my knees. They just came in from a romp around the back yard, which included some splashing in the pond, so needless to say, my jeans legs are kinda "moist".

What can I say ... I love 'em!

[cynthia_h]

Lifelong cat lover; Bernese Mtn. Dogs since 1998. My second and fourth Berners; my (?) 23rd and 24th cats. (College BF and I took in a pregnant female and ended up with seven cats at once....I've always had three or four cats at once until the past couple of years, when it's been only two.)

You probably saw my recent series of running commentary when I was performing round-the-clock post-op care for my 6-y.o. male Berner, Vergil; we'll be seeing more of that kind of commentary very soon (I fervently hope). Not to hijack this thread, but Vergil threw us another medical curve last weekend. Thank heavens Vesta, our 10-y.o. female, is here to hold down the fort!

And how can I forget Copper, our orange and white "kitty dog"? Vergil's buddy, who has decided that he needs to perform Vergil's in-house duties: begging for food, trying to trip me on the stairs, supervising me at the computer and at the sewing machine?

And of course Betty, very sweet and loving, but way behind in the intelligence department. A short-haired calico, she suffers even more from being compared to Copper, one of the three most intelligent cats I've ever lived with. Betty--originally an emergency rescue master-minded by my gardening girlfriend, a hospice social worker by occupation--has had almost two years to manifest whatever intelligence she does have....she's a-l-m-o-s-t gotten UP to the previous low-water mark set by a tortoise-shell female we had from 1988 to 2001, another emergency rescue who was also very sweet....

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[wingdesigner]

Well, it's not exactly a forum, but have you checked out
http://icanhascheezburger.com/
and click on any of the tabs. Lolcats and Loldogs are good for starters.

Marsman regularly posts stuff on there and from there. I fall off the couch laughing, but the spousal unit doesn't get it. I get that "polite smile" and "curious look" a la Miss Manners.

Sigh.

[cynthia_h]

Oh, God! I Can Haz...is incredible!!! YESSSS!

Cynthia

[wingdesigner]

Thank Marsman--he pointed it out to me. The "Plan B" one with the eagle and the cat is my new favourite. (under lolcats tab)

If you go to the last page under lolcats, you'll see the picture that started it all. The entire site has blossomed from that original picture. It's quite a story.

[tomf]

My cat is very talented.

[Marlingardener]

Tomf, your calico is not only gorgeous, but talented. Our calico is so talented that she has taught me to play the piano for her!