hey...Thanks.

I just wanted to say how much I have been loving this forum and all of you guys. I feel like it is rare for me to find practical commonsense folks WITH brains and senses of humor. Seems like I either have to pick between taciturn good ol' boys "doin' it this way 'cause that's the way I do it", or funny and interesting people who are afraid to grow a zuchini in their backyard because their dirt is too dirty (actual recent conversation).

It feels like sanity here...I swear we are normal the rest of the world has gone crazy.

And thanks to the mods and admin folks who have somehow kept us flying under the radar from the animal activist type folks, I'd have never believed we could get away with talking about butchering rabbits (and bunny sausage for crying out loud!!)without a bunch of drama. Kudos to you!

In fact, there seems to be a noticeable lack of drama here...such a relief. So, thanks.

Thank you, Ec02pia, for your kind words. We're certainly enjoying having you aboard and it is great to hear that you feel so comfortable with us.

Lack of drama... Yeah, we like that too!

It would appear that we're going to do all the drama stuff in Hopping Mad I'm going to wander down now and see how Delia is making out with her policeman....

Anntann":2hy1opbe said:

It would appear that we're going to do all the drama stuff in Hopping Mad I'm going to wander down now and see how Delia is making out with her policeman....

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HEHEHEHEE you said "making out" this is interesting; violence and romance I love that combo!!

Eco2pia -- we are all enjoying the laid back, low drama, friendly, helpful, and fun atmosphere here, for sure! So glad you like it. I don't know how MC keeps us safe from the activists, but we are all very grateful!

Delia is making out with her policeman? :shock: I didn't even know she had a policeman! Man, a lot has happened since last night! Must go see...

you are most welcome

ummm just for the record

I'm a pretty passionate animal welfarist ... I do a lot with animal rescue have worked in that business for years but am pragmatic enough to accept that everyone has thier own beliefs and as long as they are humane about animal use/care etc (and few people in a global sense are) I'm ok with it
you'll often see me suggest a to my mind small tweak to make animals lives more comfortable - I truly believe that happier animals are healthier and more productive .. so it's all to the same end anyhow

Hey, sorry Brody if that wasn't the right word--I am not at all putting someone like you (who I have the greatest respect for) in the same catagory with people who send death threats over discussions of how best to send a rabbit to freezer camp. I'm not sure what is the right word there, extremeist? Militant?

I think the reason some of us raise for meat is that we can't stand the cruelty of the factory farms but we aren't willing to give up meat--or, in my case, have tried but found we are unhealthy without it. So in a way, we are on the same side. I absolutely agree that happy animals are more productive, Grandpa knew that. And it lets me sleep at night knowing they have good lives.

I used to be a pre-vet student, I was horrified at some of the conditions that livestock endures in US factory farms. I flunked classes over refusal to repeatedly brand and tattoo the same calf too many times. I wasn't squeamish, I could vaccinate and castrate and palpate, but unnecessary torment, that I didn't have the stomach for. My do-it-yourself attitude came directly from those experiences.

Woah, was that TMI? :blush:

Not at all. It's interesting to know members' past experiences with animals. I think we have very ethical members here, by and large. I don't think people who are callous in their treatment of their animals would be comfortable here and would soon leave.

yah I would have had the same issue - I can do most horrible things if it's for the animals good or essential - needless suffering I won't be part of ... I think your term was probably right on .. I just wasn't sure my welfarist side had come up recently .. and thought it should be on the table

I agree with Maggie - people who were callous might feel a little less welcome than you

I've followed along with most of the older posts, I think I noticed. I read ALOT. :lol:

I wanted to say, I have been wanting to do a post similar. I LOVE this forum, almost to the exclusion of others. Everyone here has such a good sence of humor, and is so open and smart. I love it.

shravrs - I just need to correct one little thing .. you say "Everyone here has such a good sence of humor"

you should add except Ann

she's open and smart .. but funny - we try not to let her know if she's amusing it might go to her head

Hey,
this was a very enjoyable read. It is nice to see/read a forum where
ALL of the participants seem to mesh so well.
I have been on many a forum where I stopped posting
and resorted to personal emails. It cut down on a lot of the unnecessary
and unneeded retorts. I was also able to then SELL my flame retardant suit!
You guys and gals are a great group! You make everyone feel welcome.
I have not yet seen any mud slinging or blood thirsty battles!
I love posting in this neighborhood.
Dennis, C.V.R.

Brody, this is a better board for your being here! You are so very helpful giving suggestions for rabbit care and all... and even humane dispatching. You, as a true animal welfare person, are wonderfully knowledgeable and fun! It's so awesome that we can benefit from your wisdom and your wit. Thank you for being here.

The activists we speak of on occasion are the ones who threaten people like us... who break into our yards at night and steal our animals... who break into businesses that sell furs and destroy them. People who believe that keeping rabbits anywhere than indoors is abusing them, and flaming at anyone who dares to breed rabbits. Some people do need their animals removed, yes. Treating our animals well and using them wisely and humanely is very important. Everyone on here, as far as I have seen, including us meat rabbit people, tries to give their rabbits the best lives they can within reason.

It's similar to the things we face as homeschoolers. If one of my neighbors disapproves of homeschooling, they could call child services on us and report that we are abusing our children, and the government could swoop in and make our lives very difficult for a while. It's happened to so many of us.

So far, I haven't seen you tell any of us meat rabbit people that we are evil for raising rabbits for meat, and I don't think I ever will see you say that to anyone. So, while you are an animal welfarist, we don't put you in the same category as the militant activists.

Did that make sense?

oh for sure - makes perfect sense - I'm not a militant activist ...
nor do I judge other people (well I try not too - somedays I fail this one)

I can get a little militant about cruelty and/or stupidity at times .. but as a very well known actiist and I were saying the other day - for us we both understand that somebody doing something we HATE (non of you here - in this case one specific person at a university) may be useful or needed by us in the future so we are much better off to run an education campaign then a vendetta against them

I used to drive my poor mum nuts - she has some truly beautiful fur coats .. I would only go out with her in the winter wearing a HUGE button of a wolves face with the words "I need my coat you don't" around it .. poor ma .. she must have known a long a time ago what path I was heading down ..

People aren't evil generally - I guess one reason I can be live and live let is I have met some truly evil people and some truly disturbed people so can save my energies for them

Until people don't eat cows, lamb, chicken, pork (better not be in my lifetime - though we can start raising them more universally humanely anyday) you won't see me going after folks who raise any aniaml for meat

Brody":2j91hoza said:

People aren't evil generally - I guess one reason I can be live and live let is I have met some truly evil people and some truly disturbed people so can save my energies for them

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Oh I love this! So many people in my local community are on high alert all the time--if your kid likes the colors black and red they are a satan worshiper, if your husband loses his temper when he smashes his thumb with a hammer and cusses, you are being abused. If they had seen some of the things I've seen they would just relax and count their dang blessings. I don't know whether to laugh at them or shake them.

Brody":2j91hoza said:

Until people don't eat...pork (better not be in my lifetime - though we can start raising them more universally humanely anyday) you won't see me going after folks who raise any aniaml for meat

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Mmmm...bacon.

bacon was the hardest thing for me in my veg days ... I constantly fell off the wagon when bacon was around ... yummmmmmmmmm

I need to raise me my own piggies as pork is not very humanely dealt with in the big markets ...

however tom wisely points out that he is POSITIVE both he and I would like pigs personalities and intelligence so maybe we are better off with no little piggies

maybe buy from a localish farmer? HAve it butchered so you don't have to do it? I think it's still cheaper that way than in the store...

We were thinking of splitting a locally raised pig with a friend this year but ran out of freezer space. Maybe next year.

Isn't this an amazing country where we have SO MUCH in our FREEZER that we can't take any more? I just marvel at the abundance and feel so rich here. I may seem like I'm at poverty level to some here in America, but I think, compared to the world, I am living like a king. I even have a SHOWER!! Lucky, lucky girl...Does anybody else ever think about that?

Yes, we've thought about it many times, eco2pia! According to government statistics, we've always lived at or below the poverty level. But we've always had what we needed and stuff we didn't need as well. We figure we're plenty rich enough.

It's nice to have a storm or something now and then come and knock your power out for a week so you appreciate what you have when the power is on!