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.

[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.

[gardengrl3]

Microcollie,
I am a animal lover as well but mainly a dog lover! I have 2 Pembroke Welsh Corgis and a Smooth Coated Brussels Griffon(I adopted the Brussels griffon).
I think you have come up with a very good idea! Why not start a animal or dog lovers forum that is similar to this garden website! You might be on to a great idea!! I know there are forums for specific breeds but I think a animal lovers website is a great idea!!

[microcollie]

In my free time I enjoy eating and sleeping...Starting my own forum would be a great idea if only the days were a tiny bit longer. I keep telling my brood (4 dogs, 7 cats, a pig, 2 ferrets, and a newly aquired sheep who I'm hoping I'm just fostering) that if they'd get up off the couches and do something around here that life would be easier. It falls on deaf ears.
Sorry, I've been neglectful here and haven't said thanks to all for the responses and links. Some pretty funny stuff there.
I'll take the idea of a new forum to the ASPCA where I volunteer as a walker and foster home...maybe someone there will have the free brain space to make it happen...I'll let you know.