I know I'm not a longtime member or frequent contributer, but I've been here everyday and pretty much everyone seems a bit more balanced, normal, level-headed here vs. other animal & rabbit groups.

I'm very curious about this phenomenon that seems to only occur with other animal websites when it comes to discussing the care of animals. I've never seen things deteriorate to base insults as much as this topic, even including politics & religion...maybe I'm lucky.

I do not understand that when discussing animal care, or really the lack thereof...that there is a certain subset of people online who think that anyone who doesn't agree with them must therefore be some vegan animal rights activists. And vice versa, that if you don't only keep pets that you must be a hoarder/mill. There seems to be no leeway in exchanging ideas.

I mean, I can have discussions about politics and have never been called a nazi. Or religion and I have never been labeled a nutcase.


So why is it this happens with animals?

Why do people ignore the very obvious facts and decide that anyone who doesn't agree with them is out to destroy their way of life? That because someone (who also happens to raise animals for food and is local farm friendly and anti-factory farming, etc) thinks they shouldn't actively be allowed to torment or torture an animal makes them some tree-hugging hippie sheeple.


ARRRGGGHHHHHHH......lol

Because animals are used as a source of power over others period... its a lot harder to do that via religion or politics ( although it is done there too especially in "some" religions and "some political regimes).. its also easier when people don't stop and think through things logically and just accept the so-called "status quo" of animal care according to who's the loudest, most heard at the time. (in human history).

Animals are alive which makes people more emotional about their care than other things. You'll see some of the same attitude surrounding child raising. People all have their opinion on the best way to care for, train, or raise a living thing and just due to the nature of such an opinion people who do things a different way are seen as harmful. Politics and religion are based more on protecting the person themselves rather than what they see as an innocent living being so while it can lead to major disagreements it still doesn't reach the level you can get when arguing about the proper care of an animal or human.

I agree with akane

I Know of the 'internet disagreement' that you speak of- realize this, animal care is SUBJECTIVE, not objective. each culture, depending on it's view of animal husbandry, will have it's own set of standards when it comes to the care of any living being. We live in a country with a much wider range of standards than most, because of our huge size and wide range of subcultures, education levels and economic situations. We cannot all keep our animals in exactly the same manner. It would not be fair to us, as their caretakers. we have to do what we feel is in the best interest of the animal, and do it in a way that we can afford, perform, and succeed at. I have read many of your posts in that disagreement, and I feel, no matter how many times I read and re-read, that you s till have not got the message that many peole are trying to get to you-- The 'disagreement' really revolves around CIVIL RIGHTS- something that is written down and supposed to be followed. The subjective topic of animal care is secondary to the main theme behind all those new FB pages. One person has already stated that she realized she was being a bit to judgmental about things, especially after she went into her own rabbitry building and saw similarities.Take as tep back and do that for yourself-- look at the whole situation from a different point of view- a bit more objectively, if you can. Then you may be able to see why you are ruffling people's feathers. Now, I am one of the people gathering "POOP" data-- why not try it for yourself- See how much your own animals are really producing-- try to quantify the hair floating about the cages-- and if you raise short haired, rather than wooly rabbits, imagine multiplying the fuzz! Now, I just took my smallest rabbit out of the carrier to put him in his new location- and I was astounded at how much he had emptied in half an hour-- It looks like he had friends over...
So step back, relax-- and think more like you do when discussing politics and religion-- it will ease your frustration. Andthe topic of Civil Rights is politics, when you get down to it..

i've met a lot of people who oppose breeding animals, but i think people are a lot more intolerant online then they are in real life. most people won't say the things in person that they say on the internet. i'm all for responsible breeding, and when i talk to people about it, and explain how i keep my animals, most of them are ok with it. its hard to talk about tricky subjects on the internet, people tend to get really nasty about it. thank goodness for rabbit talk. the people here are not critical and nobody's ever slam dunked me for any of my practices, like on so many other sites.

Mature people can disagree and discuss their views without being disrespectful of others. We have worked hard to establish high standards of communication here at RabbitTalk. I am pleased that so many members have mentioned how pleased they are with the tone of the forum.

That's why I avoid 'pet' sites at all costs...they always completely loose their mind at me. ugh

I think I just messaged MaggieJ about how happy I am to have this forum to look to for advice, because I've had some run-ins with intolerant forums out there.

What people often don't understand is that being nasty and argumentative rarely resolves anything, and you can't "convert" someone to your way of thinking (be it religious dogma or whether or not your rabbits have wire-bottomed cages) by being a jerk, plain and simple.

Got your message, Kyle... Thank you! We want this forum a pleasant place where people can share ideas without getting blasted. Most people seem to appreciate this.

We most certainly do, Maggie!

Yes I think we are all very appreciative of the quality of RabbitTalk, I know I am, and when it all boils down to it we really do have something in common - we all love our animals!

This is a Lovely and wonderful topic!
Why do people do what they do?
Why do people, [I use the term loosely]
do what they do! There is a simple answer:
Because they CAN! When persons take it upon themselves
to disperse that their way is the "one and only"
correct way to do anything no matter what they are espousing,
it is to support and uplift their own fragile EGO!
As always, JMPO. I always just consider the source.
It does not pay to allow your trousers to get in a twist!
Ottersatin.