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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:45 am Post subject: What brought you to PF?

Since there's the post about why traffic is decreased on the message boards, I thought I'd ask the question of what brought each of us here. I'll start...

DH and I were relatively newlyweds in 2001 and looking for a dog to add to our household. I found PF's main page and stumbled upon the message boards (as well as the classified ads and library). I found Callie in the PF classifieds. It had been a while since I'd had a pup in the house and the message boards seemed like a nice place to chat/get advice. This was back in the days of pawprints and anonymous posting. I got to be part of the fictitious Yooncester - even though I didn't consider myself to be part of the main group of posters.

Since joining, I've gotten good help on several topics and, hopefully, have shared some useful tidbits along the way. I've learned to be a better pet parent - food, training, and more.

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:50 am Post subject:

I started out using the classifieds to place strays that I found. Then I started to watch the animals at my local animal control and started volunteering there. Then I signed up as a rescue and started placing a MUCH higher volume.

I stumbled on the message boards probably a year after I started using the site for other things but they were very helpful.

Most of the documents I use for my rescue were borrowed from a someone here. A lot of my policies were influenced by posters here.

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:55 am Post subject:

My daughter's doctor told me I had to re-home my cat becasue of allergies and he suggested I post an ad on here. I stumbled onto the message board by mistake.

I got slammed for trying to re-home the cat. I got offended. I got indignant that anyone would DARE second guess my daughter's health. But I got ADVICE. GOOD advice. Sound advice. From all kinds of cat lovers who had allergies.

6 years later I still have the cat. Now I would like to re-home my daughter:) Smile

At that time, I also fed Kibbles and Bits to the dogs:) Smile

I smartened up before I posted that though:) Smile

My pets are grateful I found this place.

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:08 am Post subject:

I said "other." Really, I was just kind of sort of halfway looking for someplace where people like me posted. I checked out a ton of message boards and would always end up feeling like the odd man out, standing alone.

First, most pet or animal themed boards seem to be dedicated to one type of animal only (dog, cat, bird, horse, rat, fish...you don't really find them all together, except for here).

Second, most pet themed boards support (IMO) very substandard pet care, and are not friendly to a person who does not support indoor/outdoor cats, Ol' Roy dog food, and that guinea pigs are just fine getting a pellet diet in a 12 x 12 cage and never need to see a vet...or that it is perfectly acceptable to trade in the old for new when you tire of the old.

When I came across the old boards, I saw people with that passion, and who felt the same way (though, quite frankly, I thought a few of them took it a bit far and were somewhat fanatical!). Then came the new boards where folks had to (in theory anyway...we all know there are reincarnates) stick with one name. And you know what? I found that a lot of those "fanatics" ran circles around me as far as providing the best possible care to the animals they were responsible for. And they took that responsibility very seriously. But I learned (am still learning), and I realized that I was home.

Now it is as if I moved away for a while to avoid the nutty aunt, and have come home to find so many things have changed...but there is still that core of home here.

My kids are yelling at me to GO... Wink

...see ya'll later!

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:18 am Post subject:

I'm a "Just happened to find them". I was doing my own sort of rescue since the neighborhood I lived in was overran with cats. When I had the extra money, I would take one in, vet them and try to adopt them out. I was also referred to the Classified section to post my personal "rescues" and just happened to find the message board. Of course then I had kids and life happened and my personal rescues stopped.

Though we always don't have the same opinions I have learned so much from here. I was gone for awhile but now I'm back!

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:18 am Post subject:

We bought our first home and had a fenced yard, so we decided to get a dog. I had researched about which dogs were best with kids and Boxers and Golden Retrievers consistantly ranked at the top. I came here and found the message boards immediately, and naively talked about buying a Boxer. I was quickly made aware of rescue, something I had never even eard of before. I ended up placing a 'Wanted' post in the classifieds and applied to adopt through my Boxer rescue (wasn't 'mine' at the time, obviously! Laughing

). I was waiting on a home visit from the rescue when a woman emailed me about Callie. We adopted her, but I was so impressed with the rescue's procedures that I started volunteering a couple months later.

Callie died this summer, and she was almost 5. We got her at about 12 weeks, so that's how long I've been here.

I take breaks, swear that I'm never coming back, then come back. Real life intrudes, too, so I go in cycles. It's my down time now, but once school starts back up, I'll be gone again, stealing time when I can. I always learn something here, always. That's what keeps me coming back.

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:31 am Post subject:

I was volunteering at my local animal shelter and the animals up for adoption were posted on Petfinder. I found the message board one day when I was messing around checking out all the different things on the site. I lurked for quite some time before signing up to post and can't for the life of me remember what prompted me to sign up to post.

I have learned a great deal from people on here. I feed my pets much better food than I used to and generally I hope I'm a better pet mommy than I used to be. I don't necessarily consider myself an animal rescuer. I'm not affiliated with any specific rescue yet, don't foster (even though I hope to eventually) and I'm not currently volunteering at a shelter. I do drive transports whenever I am able to. I recognize my limits right now and when I finally get some of my personal stuff resolved, I want to find a reputable rescue in my area to get involved with.

I continue to come to the boards because I continue to learn things. If that ever stops or if it starts to get too confrontational or judgmental for my taste, I'll stop. I hope that never happens. Very Happy

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:38 am Post subject:

I don't really remember how I found PF originally. I think I was doing a ton of research on guinea pigs, and I found it. That was in 2004. I was deployed that year, and I didn't return to PF until a couple years ago or so- lurking for awhile.

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:52 am Post subject:

I had been looking at Petfinder for a while and didn't even know there was a forum. I clicked on the messages link and was amazed to find this. I lurked for a long time. I don't remember what finally prompted me to join. I don't post a whole lot, but I enjoy the picture threads, especially the Senior Saturdays. The drama threads are sometimes entertaining too, but I rarely participate in them.

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:57 am Post subject:

As with so many things in life, my darling family got me into a mess. PF helped out. I got one of a long line of panic filled, drama phone calls from my mom. My idiot brother had a 6 month old lab puppy from a "good breeder" he found in the newspaper ( Rolling Eyes

). They left the puppy home alone with the bird (cockatiel maybe?). The bird was not caged. The puppy killed the bird. My SIL wanted to dump the killer pup fast. I found PF after a google search, joined to ask if anyone thought this was aggression or just a puppy & found that most people agreed with me - my brother & his wife were idiots, the bird should have been caged, the puppy wasn't aggressive - just a puppy, & taking the dog would not have been a problem for me. Instead my brother decided to keep the dog & to this day I feel bad for her. On the other hand, it was a place for me to do amazing research & when we were actually ready to adopt we knew all about foods, care, etc. It had been so many years since we had a dog it was almost overwhelming. There were so many more options/choices. And PF is responsible for me trying fostering. (And probably responsible for my foster failure too).

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:42 pm Post subject:

I'm "other."

I heard about petfinder on the TV after Hurricane Katrina.

I stayed on the "Hurricane" board until one time I saw I think it was estrella post something about the "general" board and I decided to check it out. And my life's never been the same. Razz

My dogs are glad too, Christy.

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:10 pm Post subject:

I came to Petfinder when I decided to add another pup to our house and was determined to adopt. It took me a very long time to find her, but during that time I learned so much from these boards. I will admit that I thought Eukunba was premium dog food and never heard of NILF.
I dont post often, but have always enjoyed the pictures of everyones pets and fosters and watching your children grow throw the years.

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:17 pm Post subject:

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject:

I came here looking for a 2nd dog to adopt. The first one was from a local shelter. I got the 2nd dog, same shelter, but then signed up to foster. Had my first experiance with worms, oh how gross that was. After fostering 7 pups at 2 different times(3 pups from 1 litter, 4 mixed pups the 2nd time, I was done. We got my 2 little dogs from the classifieds here.

wow, I ramble... Razz

I have learned a lot here! I get annoyed with some, proud of some others, for standing their ground and learning as they grow.
I hate when threads are pulled or posts are altered.

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:36 pm Post subject:

I found the site when we found out we were moving to the US and I could have a dog again (I spent two years in high density living in Singapore knowing that we wouldn't be there long enough to commit to adopting). I looked at the site every day for about 4 months before we moved drooling over all the dogs available in my intended area. I even checked out the site every day from internet cafes when we spent time in Greece. I ended up adopting two 13 year old hound boys. I found the message boards during my daily meandering around the site and have had some very helpful advice. It has changed my views on a lot of pet related matters.

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