Moderation - Message from Admin

I feel this site, being that it's growing and becoming a very popular website (more so even since I joined) needs some more moderation. There is ALOT of stuff going on around here that is far too much for one active moderator to keep up with.
The threads that are cropping up here are getting ruder and ruder, the posts are bashing left right and centre! We seem to be losing control! I must say that if I did have children - they would not becoming here.

Instead of the interesting animal news, stories and questions that I used to come here and enjoy, it's turned into a regular "Young and the Restless" soap opera. There's SOOOOO much drama around this place it's actually kind of sad. And frankly I feel that it's taken away from the REAL reason this board was created! PETS!!!
We should be here to help each other and give creative solutions to problems that people are having, instead we are acting like a teenage clique and it's quite embarassing!

Agreed.
Each person is allowed an opinion, whether that be for or against any particular subject. It's one thing to disagree, state the facts as you see them, and have an intelligent debate (if both people are up for it). Such is the case with a posting I made in response to a question about dog food. Both the original poster and myself said what we thought, and let it be at that.

Some of the bickering and arguing that goes on here can sometimes be a bit tiresome.

More moderators can help ease the tension with sheer presence. Hopefully it'll help make this place somewhere anybody in the family can come for advice.

I second the nomination for more mods!

Yes,I agree to a point,but some debates get heated...that is what debates are all about,differences of opinions.True,name-calling and swearing does not belong here,you can get your point across without cursing.
But if someone is telling me Purina Cat-Chow is good food,they need to be educated :D
If someone recommends cat declawing,they need to be educated :eek:and so on...as a bad example,BTPB clearly has an unreasonable hatered for Pit-Bulls and I am sure many felt hurt by his/her comments.
This Forum is loaded with compassionate,knowledgeable pet-owners and if someone asks for help they will get good advice,sometimes not to their liking,but more often than not,we'll get a thank-you note later about their progress.
I have on several occasions been sitting here crying over sad posts,felt a loss almost like it was my own,when an owner is totally distraught over a sick animal,or anger or sadness for a"loved"animal just about to be dumped for various reasons.
But most of the time,I enjoy funny posts,beautiful pictures and most of all,that I am"talking" to a group of people from all around the world,with one thing in common,the love for our animals.

I'm fairly new here, but i know what you're talking about.
I've read quite a few arrogant remarks and a lot of bashing,
and though i'm not fond of ignorance myself, a lot of people don't choose to be that way,
and they don't deserve to be harshly treated simply because they weren't aware of something.

The drama is a bit overwhelming, and borders on irritating.

I think it would be useful to enforce a policy in which personal arguments are taken to private messages.

I think it's uneccessary to involve the entire community in an argument between two people, simply for the sake of proving someone wrong or right, and one person will walk away from their keyboard feeling smug, and the other just frustrated, and the rest of the community steaming over how such an ignorant bla bla bla...

Notice the bla bla bla?

One of my first impressions:

This community is like an elite community in which people must all think the same things and see at the same levelas the regulars.
Everyone has to agree with what you're saying, or they will be bashed, insulted, harrassed, etc.
The people who come out on top, calling names and such,
are people who have had a lot of experience, and think they're worthy of calling people who are uneducated and inexperienced

"Trash"
"Worthless"
and worse,
not even about fighting-dog trainers, or ritualistic cat slaughterers, but just regular "lowlifes" who don't know how to properly care for their animals.


Hearing that kind of talk makes me feel like i'm hanging out with a bunch of pompous pricks. (not that i don't always agree with you!)

People do stupid things,
and people make irresponsible desicions, and not everyone sees a cat or dog in the same way that you do,
but since all you fantastic and perfect lot are stuck on this world with them, think about how you would adress the issue effectively to the person about whom you are speaking, rather than telling them off.
Be honest,
blunt even,
but when forum threads that consist of general inquiries or a different opinion, a shouting match only makes people defensive,

and then what you have are people who shut up, and leave the site, and when they have an issue to address or a question to ask, they will FEAR returning to this site to do that,
so that any animals in their care may suffer as a result or their not understanding or knowing something that could have easily been solved by any regular here.

Anyhow, that got quite off topic.
Issue that actually SHOULD have been adressed here,
is that personal arguments should be kept private to keep the boards SPAM FREE

Tis true, this place has changed. I was only gone for a few weeks, but when I came back- I was amazed. Maybe I didn't notice a gradual change when I was on a few times each day. Regardless, I sure did notice something when I returned. It seems the whole tone, or atmosphere, has shifted around here. And people are really on their tangents, not bothering to respond to posts that don't hold the same position as theirs, but that were still lengthy and well thought out and took a lot of consideration and time to write. The shift in atmosphere is too intangible to describe. It just doesn't "feel" the same. Ah well, it did cure my addiction to this place, for which I'm sure a few are grateful LOL.

Cactus that is so true. I started selling avon so I have been real busy. I was just coming back and reading a little and respond here and there and the board has really changed. I am not sure what is up but something needs to give. :p

It just doesn't "feel" the same. Ah well, it did cure my addiction to this place, for which I'm sure a few are grateful LOL.

I too don't feel the same about this place, I am not so happy to turn the computer on and come to the board, not like I used to be. I used to come here and laugh and share wonderful stories. Now when posting here I wonder who's going to fly off the handle at comments, critize they way a newbie writes their thread, or who will force their opinion down the throats of different members.

That's why I created this thread - I too have shown up here to read some stories and been invovled in the confrontations, and going away from the computer peeved off because of another member. That's not what this place should be about, but sadly that's where it has come to.
There are great members that were here when I started and have not come back because of this slef righteuos attitude shared by others.
MonaB, Deerclan, Bill&Bob, Karin, Luba...yes, she too has become a little overcome by the board and is taking a long needed break - enjoying other things that are important in life. As Catcus, you pop in once and a while.
There are (were) alot of wonderful people here, and unfortunately this board has been turning into an elementary school playground.

More moderation is coming within the next few days. Our goal is to keep this board Informative, friendly and CIVIL.

Unfortunately this will mean tougher rules and some changes in posting policy. This will not affect the 98% of posters that have respect for other posters even the uneducated ones (which is why they come here to begin with)

It WILL affect those people that regularly bash others...oh those bad apples :sick: THESE PEOPLE will be banned at our discretion and without warning all the members. Luckily we don't ban often, and have only done so a handful of times since we've been up.

We ARE into good discussions here but if you can't behave and play by the rules, you're going to have to play by yourself.

As usual, feedback is welcome.

Thanks

We ARE into good discussions here but if you can't behave and play by the rules, you're going to have to play by yourself.

*giggle*
That's a good one, I like that!

Well said Marko when I first came here a lurked around I was horrified by some of the responses from people. How rude and demeaning they were and it seemed to get better for a while but is has deteriorated again. I think that if you are lucky enough to be very knowledgable about something you should share and educate others. Really some good things have happened on this board we got Jenn O'Connor shut down which made me cry I was so pleased. That started here and got crossposted with links back to this board. Something that everyone should be proud of. Numerous people have gotten help with questions about there pets and we have had some good laughs. We need to get back to there again, fighting is bad and accomplishes nothing but bad feelings, debating a subject is fun and stimulating.

If you're in the midst of moderating and changing forum rules will we be notified before people are going to be booted off? I am having difficulty reading PM's and seeing posts from some users and I am very confused?!?!

You know i just feel bad for the ones that are here really to help and people get on here change their names act like different people and post things just to make you upset..............

You know i just feel bad for the ones that are here really to help and people get on here change their names act like different people and post things just to make you upset..............

I'm not sure what you're referring to, are you talking about those two?

There's been a few instances I think where people have come here for advice, they were pounced on and bashed THEN they come back under a new name to bash back...is that what you mean?

No i mean people that post un true things here......

I got a pm from pitbulliest yesterday and could not read it. But today I got one with a note asking if I could read it. I am glad she is still here

quote 'pompous pricks'

why has that not been removed, i thought that was the exact behaviour we were discussing here, but it seems there are different rules for different schools in a way. sad

i totally understand why all my old mates here have gone, lucky rescue is the only soul left that has been here since i began and it is sad but totally understandable. and i too will join that list some time soon i expect, the more ppl leave i dont know anyone here, and it is not as much fun as it used to be, oh i long for the days where we focused on our wit and funny bones, oh we used to have some real funny ppl here who were light hearted (still have a few)

but there are just to many passers by these days and i feel like i am standing in a really huge train station trying to have decent conversation with the ppl there, but every one is popping in for a ticket waving hi and then rushing to their trains never to be seen again.

although i have great doubt we will ever see luba again, it would have been nice if she had popped in to say good by, but then if she is disheartened why bother??, i promise when i go i will say by to all of you.

this is all sad for me, an i hope things dont change to much, but then marko you should be very proud of yourself, what started as an idea has taken off like a rocket, you have great talent in this area.

Excuse the 'pompous pricks' line, i was a bit frustrated when i wrote that.

Replace with Self-Righteous people. ;)

Darnit now i feel like a hypocrite. *grr* hates that feeling.... *grr*
However,
i feel that some title does belong there.
And it's a feeling, not a fact.

I have met so many intellegent and experienced people on this board,
and I think the world could do well with more of you,
but if people are using this site as a means of finding solutions to their problems and they are treated rudely,
the will simply not try to solve their problems...
Like instead of even trying to find homes for their kittens, they'll dump them...
*sigh*
and less spam.
Yo.

Thanks sammiec, for starting this thead, I agree. This place has changed a lot even since I started, not all good.

Thanks Marko for stating more mods and rule are coming.

I haven't enjoyed my visits as much as I used to, but still keep coming back. I just try to weed through and pass over the big fights.

I loved this site when I first came in, and still do, just looking forward to some stronger rules and needed reminders to folks. Great news to me, quoting Marko: "More moderation is coming within the next few days. Our goal is to keep this board Informative, friendly and CIVIL."

Keep up the good work.

~~dmc

Alas, I think having rude people seems to be a sad reflection on the internet and perhaps society in general. (as in people feel that they can bash others for no reason and they can "hide" behind a user name). No one can really hide online though. Everyone has a unique IP number and the server will at least tell you who their ISP is. So I am assuming the network admin knows (is s/he has time to check) who the offenders are. One could institute a rule of no rude postings and off topic posts left to that section.

There is no way to "legislate" good manners though! I am new here and do not want to overstep my bounds but so far, everyone I have encountered has been polite. There have been a few unusual postings and I have noticed rude posts though.

Registration should help weed out the "offenders" though!

I made my first off topic post tonight - but that was after I saw the thread on that soap opera. (and there is a forum for offtopic threads, right?)

Take care everyone!

people will post a lot of stuff about people they think aren't there...

just as an example,
i read a post by a woman who was looking to adopt two young cats (she specified preferably declawed)
And a response was posted.
Now, USUALLY when people mention declawing on this site they get FLAMED, so she responded very neatly in essay form.

So a few more responses were posted, in response to her response, and she didn't respond to them immediately,
so people got all jumping to conclusions
That she wasn't there, that she just wanted cuddly kittens, so on...
and then a remark was made which mocked the woman, and ended with
"I send a HUGE raspberry to this poster."

(you know who you are!)

The woman then did return: She had been reading the posts all along! (including the insults)

She explained that she in fact had decided NOT to declaw her kittens, after researching a bit and checking out some animal shelters.

So argument won, without any need for rudeness,
but at the same time it happens.

SURE it's not a perfect world, and people can get away with a lot,
but posts that are not in direct response to the original post SHOULD be removed and threads that completely lose their focus should be locked!

Of course, this site would need a shout board to replace the thread spam!

Re: "SURE it's not a perfect world, and people can get away with a lot,
but posts that are not in direct response to the original post SHOULD be removed and threads that completely lose their focus should be locked!"

I am not keen on censorship but I do agree with that idea. If this is moderated, perhaps threads that take on a new life of their own or posts that unecessarily rude should be locked.

Some of the issues discussed (like declawing!) can become quite heated because of strong views held by the posters. And I do think people can assert a view or perspective without being mean or nasty. I actually think more is accomplished that way! Many forums will warn users who break the rules (Is there an faq for rules and mission and so forth? - Gawd, I should look before asking (sorry!!) - . If they continue to post rude and nasty comments, then they could be prevented from posting in the future. It seems drastic I know but I think it would involve only a very few who are using this forum for their own fun and not in a legitaimate manner. I hope that does not sound draconian but surely basic manners are important. <g>

So glad to read this thread. I hope to feel the atmosphere improve soon! Actually, I think the worst thing about the negative posting was finding myself involved in it, and like Sammiec, leaving the board feeling upset. Anyway, this thread gives me new hope!

BTW, the new smilies are adorable. :love:

although i have great doubt we will ever see luba again...
Seriously?? Please say it ain't so! That would make me very sad. She is very knowledgeable and very funny and I, for one, would missed her a lot!

Seriously?? Please say it ain't so! That would make me very sad. She is very knowledgeable and very funny and I, for one, would missed her a lot!

I thought she was having computer issues... are you sure, Melanie?