Dear Pet Talk people, old and new

[Karen]

Dear Pet Talk people!

We are writing to all of you for your thoughts, ideas and input!

We know a lot of you rarely come to Pet Talk any more, even though I see you over on Facebook, and you participate in the FB community there.

What could we do to improve Pet Talk so more people would participate here? I worry that most of the forums are very quiet, and while a pet may get "likes" over on Facebook, and on Google+, the people whose pets are being featured cannot see those. They can see posts on Pet Talk, even if they do not join themselves. I often get emails from people saying thanks for the comments, who never join the forum but "lurk" on their pets' day.

Would it help if we added Facebook integration to the Pet Talk forum so you could log in with your Facebook ID?

Since we came late to Facebook, it is almost impossible for others to find the Dog, Cat and Pet of the Day pages on Facebook. If you think them being there has any value, please let us know or "like" these pages.

Also, what could we do to improve Dog, Cat, and Pet of the Day to attract more people to the homepages? We make sure the Pet, Dog and Cat we feature are loved pets already in homes, and the photos and stories are of good quality. We celebrate the love and relationships between people and pets, and know how important folks pets are to them, and want to keep the websites going, and growing!

We appreciate you "Liking" "Plussing" and sharing the Dog, Cat and Pet of the Day. And we know that dog lovers and cat lovers and pet lovers are a group that is diverse in every other matter, with widely varying musical and cultural tastes, politics, religions, nationalities, ages, genders and everything else.
But we know our love for our pets can unite us, and make the world a better place for people and the animals too.

Please let me know how we can improve by writing to me at [email protected] or here on Pet Talk.

Facebook
Dog of the Day - https://www.facebook.com/DogoftheDayOfficial
Cat of the Day - https://www.facebook.com/CatoftheDayOfficial
Pet of the Day - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pet-of-the-Day/516055821791272

Google+
Dog of the Day - https://plus.google.com/104780259361843036149/
Cat of the Day - https://plus.google.com/+CatoftheDay
Pet of the Day - https://plus.google.com/+PetoftheDay

Twitter
Dog of the Day - http://twitter.com/dogofthedaycom
Cat of the Day - http://twitter.com/catoftheday
Pet of the Day - http://twitter.com/petoftheday

Pinterest
Dog of the Day - http://www.pinterest.com/dogofthedaycom/
Cat of the Day - http://www.pinterest.com/catoftheday/
Pet of the Day - http://www.pinterest.com/petoftheday/

[Randi]

Dear Karen and Paul, to be honest, I miss PT as it was in the old days, but of course, some members drift away and new ones join. I do come here every day, though, but don’t always have ideas to post anything. It also has to do with my loss of Fister. :( However, I do post when I catsit. :) I do miss quite a few of the oldies. Some died and others left because of certain other members. I sometimes feel like a stranger myself.

For me, it won’t help whether I can log on from FB or not - in fact, I’m not very happy with FB at all, it’s often quite a nuisance! I think that most people post on FB because it’s easy and you tend to just make short comments, and there may be a group you agree with.

I like to reply to COTD, I remember how much I enjoyed reading the replies when Fister was COTD, but I don’t always get around to doing so, and I have wondered whether people who has a pet featured actually see the replies.

Sometimes, my computer acts up and I give up.

Well, I can’t think of how to improve PT, there are forums for just about any animal subject, plus a few more. :)

Btw, someone (Danish) I know just got a dog and I am going to write up a reason for him to join PT and nominate his dog.

[pomtzu]

That's a tough one, Karen. I personally prefer PT over FB, and it's discouraging coming here every day, only to find that more and more people have gone m.i.a. I always said I would never join FB, and it was my son who pestered the daylights out of me to sign up. He felt it would be a good way for me to keep up with "home" since I was living in NC. I reluctantly agreed, and it was in January when I joined - and also January when I left NC and came back here to DE - so IMO it was really a waste of time. :p I continue to this day to check in at FB, but I'm very quickly losing interest and patience with it - it is VERY time consuming to check thru all the new posts that land on my page every day - and at least a couple of times each day too - to see if there is anything REALLY worthwhile. A lot of cute pictures posted and also some interesting articles - but for the most part it's just not worth my time. I find it's more of a place for people to boast, bitch and complain, cry the blues, act like total asses, and in general, create a lot of drama. I just don't need drama - I had more than a lifetime's worth in the 3 months in spent in NC. :rolleyes:

I have a few fiends left here on PT, that have not gone to FB, and for that I am very grateful. I'm actually sorry I joined FB, and had I known it wasn't even needed, then I never would have in the first place. What we won't do for our kids.......:rolleyes:

I said all along that FB killed PT. You remember that song, don't you??? - "Video Killed the Radio Star". Just put FB and PT in place of "video" and "radio star". Sad, but true.

I hope that collectively, we - meaning you and other dedicated PT members - can come up with some ideas for rejuvenation. I would not want to see this community fade away - I love it here.

[Bari_d]

Hi Karen,

My husband and I visit Cat of the Day most every morning, but you are correct, I haven't participated in Pet Talk for a long time. I used to have a number of friends there, and hope your posting this will bring some of them to the surface as well.

Part of the reason I don't participate on PT any more is time online...I go through 200 or so animal rescue emails a day - share them nationwide in an effort to get orphaned pets new homes. I do have a facebook page, but it too is mostly for animal rescue, and I really don't post there as much as I'd like to. I wasn't even aware that there were facebook pages for Cat/Dog/Pet of the Day. I've just now visited your Cat of the Day fb page...very nice.

Integration of the other entities might work. Would it be possible to have a link from the facebook page, etc., to pet talk and maybe a note on the top of the pet talk page for the day about "visit us on facebook" and others giving the link? Going back and forth might draw people who list their cats/dogs/pets to check out the facebook page and others to see comments there. Not sure how you'd do all of that, but I know you and Paul are very online savvy.

I will try to visit more often and make a comment, although I admit that we only visit Cat of the Day, rarely taking time to visit dog or pet pages.

I would be happy to post a comment on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/baris.r.page encouraging my friends to visit your pages, but again, I really don't have that large a following - mostly just family and rescue people. I discourage most postings not relating to animals.

Let me know where this leads...maybe you'll get some good comments from other pet talk people.

Good luck.

Bari DuBois

[phesina]

Dear Karen, I visit Pet Talk every day and just about always say something, at least respond to the Cat of the Day. I'm most active in the Cats area, as those are the animals who have so graciously allowed me to share their lives.

I haven't joined Facebook, Google+, Twitter, or Pinterest, have not yet heard and cannot imagine any reason why I would ever want to, and do not intend to ever. ..so I don't really have any ideas as to how to lure people from those sites or back from those sites.

I miss many people who no longer or rarely participate now. (lvpets2002, can you "hear" me?) Aside from those who have passed away or whose life circumstances no longer allow them the opportunity, I have no advice on how to lure the others back.

I love Pet Talk, the friends I've made and the community I'm part of here, and all the hard work you do and have done to create this site and keep it going, Karen and Paul. I hope it will keep going for a long time yet.

God bless! and loads of {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, ~~~~PURRS~~~~, and :love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love: from Pat, Poppy, Elmer, Bob, Sparkler, and the Angels

[Roxyluvsme13]

Karen,

I spend more time on Facebook than PT mainly due to the fact the forums are no longer as active as they used to be. Facebook is easier to access plus I usually don't have the time to be on here anymore like I used to. I rarely use my laptop and rely heavily on my iPhone. And it's not very easy to sit here on an iPhone and type out a really long post as such. I like that the site has a mobile version now but maybe you could integrate an app or tapatalk or something into the forum? That might bring some people back. I am always on Facebook though and that is the easiest way to reach me. I just don't have time anymore to come on here and post pictures of all the critters like I used to and take all that time uploading photos when no one even really notices.

I miss PT the way we used to be though and I miss a lot of my old friends. I have been a member going on 9 years now, but it's just not the same. I do check in every once in a while though, just not as often as I should.

[lonnykitten]

I forgot my user name. Now that you emailed me I will be on more. I love this site.

[Miss Z]

Karen,

I post a lot less than I used to, but that is mostly due to time. I had a lot more free time to browse threads as a teenager, and now work and student life takes priority. I do pop in now and then, although I find I need a good deal of time to read threads thoroughly and to post an appropriate reply. That is less the case with Facebook, on which I can simply scroll through my newsfeed, see what catches my eye, and a short response or even just a 'like' will suffice. The laziness of the modern era!

Saying that, I don't think PT should become like Facebook, or necessarily have it integrated into the system. It is, of course, far better to read threads to catch up on how everyone and their pets are doing than a fleeting glance at a status. Occasionally, I will see a post on Facebook and follow it up to PT, so in that way, Facebook acts like a flag for a thread that may be of interest to me! I think the PT pages are doing that very well as it stands.

The boards are a lot quieter than they used to be, which makes the place less lively. I used to enjoy the mix of characters we had here, even those I had my spats with, funnily enough. However, I think I may have been one of those that drifted away in the first instance, and came back to notice a lot of people were missing, rather than noticing the gradual drifting away of members. I wonder if that may explain why it seems fewer people frequent the boards - most of us are still around, but keep missing each other. :p

[Litterati]

Hi Karen,

I responded to your PM e-mail, but for the record want to publicly thank you for taking the time to source out members past and present for their input. Maintaining a site takes a lot of effort and you and Paul deserve a big kudos!

[Karen]

Hi Karen,

I responded to your PM e-mail, but for the record want to publicly thank you for taking the time to source out members past and present for their input. Maintaining a site takes a lot of effort and you and Paul deserve a big kudos!

Thanks everyone for your comments! We do value each and every member, and are glad you are with us! We know, in our hearts, that Pet People really are "a breed apart" and the best kind of people that exist!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I don't belong to facebook myself but I do have a twitter account. I just started following you. I did not even relize you were on twitter. Probably won't help much because I only have 4 followers and one of them is already a Pet Talk member and another is a penguin. ;)

I've not been on Pet Talk much lately mostly because of computer issues. Having trouble getting used to my new computer. I got a lap top. While I do love that I can move it from room to room that keyboard is hard for me to type on. Plus the smaller screen is harder on my eyes.

I am just so tired and depressed lately I've not been interested in much. But I'm still here!!! :D:love:

[cheche]

Like others, I kind of drifted away because I no longer had the time to sort through all the new posts and I had also gone back to work. I mostly followed the cats, as they are my first love.

I do use FB and log in most every day, but mainly to check on statuses of a couple of people and sometimes to chat. I don't think I would use it to access PT and I say this because I'm a member of another forum on FB that I've not accessed for over a year. I did join pinterest, but don't follow that either.

I watch "My Cat from Hell" when ever I see it's on. I've gotten so many useful tips from following Jackson Galaxy. I've tried talking to other PT members with some of the issues I've had, but don't seem to get much for a response. I know that having and experiencing our different pets gives us knowledge that sometimes helps others and I love sharing and learning. That never gets old.

As to how to draw people back to PT, I'm not sure. I felt so honored to have had Simba as COTD and I wanted to return the feeling I got to others. Now that I'm back at home more, I'm hoping to spend a bit more time visiting.

[momcat]

Hi Karen,
As you already know, I absolutely detest computers and all technology because my experience has been extremely negative since this crap was first shoved down our throats. Pet Talk is the only computer site I access simply because this is the ONLY positive computer experience I've ever had and it's the only site that can be trusted. This is the only place I don't have to worry about hacking, identity theft and all the other problems technology has inflicted on us with no end of damage to our quality of life in sight from the idiots that come up with this nonsense.
I do not and will not get mixed up with Facebook, Twitter or any other "social media". They're all nothing more than trouble waiting to happen. My fear is that incorporating them into your wonderful site will do much more harm than good.
I've made some wonderful friends here, learned a lot about cats, and love seeing the unusual pets on Pet of the Day. We adopted our Amigo from a PT friend. You have so much to offer to all animal lovers.
Pet Talk is perfect just as it is and I'd hate to see any changes. As for increasing participation, maybe it would help to advertise at places like PetCo, Pet Smart and other large pet supply businesses. I often see different websites on receipts, a possibility. There may also be other ways of making PT known to more pet people, worth looking into. I know there would be cost involved, I'm more than willing to contribute if it will keep FB and the like away. It doesn't belong here.

[jackiesdaisy]

Karen I'm not good in computer stuff unless it's very easy, I was coming in to Pet Talk but not sure sometimes how to post and did try to post on the Dog of the Day, you do a really wonderful job, my problem is that I needed something very basic and easy and that's why I'm on facebook. You both have done a wonderful job all of these years, I'm just barely computer compatible, but if its simple I'm in.
Jackie

[Asiel]

I've answered your mail about PT Karen but from reading all of the above posts I see most members feel much like I do about Facebook... those sites are the places that I will never join myself. I thought I might just be a bit silly about the way I feel but it seems others don't care for Facebook either.
I won't even join for my kids ;). I'm sure that's when the members started to dwindle....if it is maybe you could all just come back to the original PT?

[Litterati]

I'll chime in again, this time re Facebook. I'm not going near it. My BFF has mentioned to me that it can be problematic. Plus if I have to create one more password ... well let's just leave it at that. No Facebook, Twitter or major social networking for this one. :)

[DJFyrewolf36]

I'm stuck on Farkbook mostly because of DJ promotion and keeping up with friends. If pet talk stayed away from there, I'd be happy. The only reason why I don't hang around here more is due to lack of active threads (I should just make a few :rolleyes: :p .) People griping and such kind of turned me away as well, although all that drama happened at a point in my life where I wasn't doing much online and I missed most of it (thankfully.)

I'll try to post more, and use my social media influence to encourage others to join. PT isn't really a bad place, but people tend to have ADD when it comes to anything on the internet. If it can't happen in 144 characters, it doesn't exist. *sigh*

[Karen]

I'm stuck on Farkbook mostly because of DJ promotion and keeping up with friends. If pet talk stayed away from there, I'd be happy. The only reason why I don't hang around here more is due to lack of active threads (I should just make a few :rolleyes: :p .) People griping and such kind of turned me away as well, although all that drama happened at a point in my life where I wasn't doing much online and I missed most of it (thankfully.)

I'll try to post more, and use my social media influence to encourage others to join. PT isn't really a bad place, but people tend to have ADD when it comes to anything on the internet. If it can't happen in 144 characters, it doesn't exist. *sigh*

Aww, thanks! We would love you to be more active here - and we do not demand anyone post more than 144 characters to start a thread! ;)

[SWHouston]

Karen,

PT is one of the first forums I got on. I visit sometimes twice a day, and totally enjoy the congeniality, intelligence and experiences I see posted by the Users here. It's one of the most "easy going" forums around ! I don't do Facebook or other social sites, and as far as changing something...don't.

This site is better than most, just like it is. ;)

[astrid]

Hi dear Karen!
I felt so guilty when I read your email and the main reason is because PT has been very special to me, unfortunately I haven't posted in a while because of my job, since I was promoted I have more things to do and sometimes I just visit COTD but fail on posting a comment... :(

I don't think you have to change anything, maybe it's us, the PT people, who have to get more involved, the way we used to some time ago; maybe we should promote activities on the forum like discussing every day topics related to our fur kids or sharing articles, pictures, etc.

I can't think of anything else...

BTW, thank you for your email :) it made me stop and think.

Love to you all!
Astrid

[Freckles]

No Google+, Twitter or Pintrest for me.

[Karen]

Hi dear Karen!
I felt so guilty when I read your email ....

BTW, thank you for your email :) it made me stop and think.

Love to you all!
Astrid

So good to hear from you! We were worried about you, and missed you and Sophie!

[Lobodeb]

Talk about a blast from the past!! Wow! It feels like forever since I've been here.

Thanks so much for the email, Karen! I sent you a friend request on fb.

But to answer your question, the reason I stopped coming around, besides facebook :o is that I felt everything was getting very cliquey. When I came back to share pics of my Boxer, Sheila and I received very few responses and saw little interest in what I shared. It was pretty discouraging. I hope I don't offend, but I really felt that way in the cat forum and had stopped posting in there long before I stopped coming to PT.

I too miss the old days.

Looking at my signature, it's been a long time since I've been here since 2 of my dogs went to the RB and Hugito is now 8! :eek:

I'm not sure if my response helps as I don't have any suggestions as to how PT could be better (it's already so wonderful). It was so great to hear from you again. :love::love:

[mon]

I am not on FB and don't wanna be. I would sure miss PT and really appreciate it so I will be more active in the future. I have just been busy. Cannot think of much to improve. Think all the bases are pretty much covered and am very satisfied with all of the content. Love this web site a lot.Thank-you.

[Karen]

Thanks, Mon, and thanks everyone for your input! We do so value this community, and do not want it to fade away!

[Karen]

Talk about a blast from the past!! Wow! It feels like forever since I've been here.

Thanks so much for the email, Karen! I sent you a friend request on fb.

But to answer your question, the reason I stopped coming around, besides facebook :o is that I felt everything was getting very cliquey. When I came back to share pics of my Boxer, Sheila and I received very few responses and saw little interest in what I shared. It was pretty discouraging. I hope I don't offend, but I really felt that way in the cat forum and had stopped posting in there long before I stopped coming to PT.

I too miss the old days.

Looking at my signature, it's been a long time since I've been here since 2 of my dogs went to the RB and Hugito is now 8! :eek:

I'm not sure if my response helps as I don't have any suggestions as to how PT could be better (it's already so wonderful). It was so great to hear from you again. :love::love:


Hard to believe Hugito is 8! We still think of him as the pudgy little baby in your signature image! So glad you posted, do come back, and folks will get to know you again and vice versa! Things have changed - I have a new doggie niece at Lady's Human's house, and Angel keeps us amused!

[MoonandBean]

Hi Karen,

I also responded to your email but said that I would post here as well.


PT was the first forum I joined when I only had Moon and Bean. A few months into it, TATS (Sandra) sent me a message saying "when are you going to get that rescue puppy you've talked about?" I went on petfinder that day and found my Sunny. I have always considered Sandra to be Sunny's aunt since she is the direct reason we found her. You will all always have a special place in my heart for that and of course, the help I got when Sunny was just a puppy. Then...Bean went missing. Don't know how I would have gotten through that without my PT and dogster friends. And you all rejoiced with me when he came home :love:

I will try to get back to posting on here daily as I really do love this crazy, animal loving community :D



I think all websites have taken a big hit since Facebook
and Twitter; dogster has been all but dissolved. But...your site is still
active and well loved by your loyal followers. I will try to brainstorm for
some new ideas...

[Karen]

Hi Karen,

I will try to get back to posting on here daily as I really do love this crazy, animal loving community :D

I think all websites have taken a big hit since Facebook
and Twitter; dogster has been all but dissolved. But...your site is still
active and well loved by your loyal followers. I will try to brainstorm for
some new ideas...

And we love you!!!! And your crew!

[TopCat3]

Hi Karen and Paul and all POTD folks,

Thank you for your email Karen. I think it is easier and less "isolated" in feel and more friendly to reply on this post rather than privately in an email.
I cannot remember when I was last on here. Even when I stopped posting I used to dash in and check the POTD DOTD and COTD pics for a while until life sort of took over.
Life has been busy for me and I have been through many changes. I turned 60 (aaarrghh!) two years ago and as a 60th birthday present to myself I moved out of my apartment in the city (Sydney) to the lower Blue Mountains (right where all the bushfires were last year) bought and renovated a house with a garden all of my own ! and am sort of semi-retired and planning a retirement and have reconnected with a gentleman from my past (found him on FB lol) and ... who knows... :love: so life has certainly been busy.

I first found this site through a book I got out of my local library on how to use the internet and what sites to go to for particular interests, it was in there. That was waaayyy back in 2005 when I got my first laptop and got connected to the internet.
In 2008 my blue point Siamese became paralysed and I did post on here about it and a long fight with a petfood company and Australian Quarantine ensued which took up a lot of my time and it was then that one of the other cat owners whose cat also became paralysed suggested we set up a group about it on Facebook to raise awareness about the issue and I looked after the FB page. That's how I got on to Facebook and got lured away from here. As someone else said previously on this thread, it is quicker to check into FB, scroll thru quickly and 'Like" or comment briefly on posts. This I think must have killed a lot of chat forums as people just set up group pages on FB now and it's a convenient one-stop-shop to stay in touch with friends and family far and wide, My sister and niece for example, in UK. Chat forums now, after FB, feel "clunky" and unwieldy and (sorry!) old-fashioned.

The other thing is that since I got an iPad mini about 18months ago, I use the Facebook App and my Email App and my iMessenger App and that's about all. I find it much more convenient than the laptop and Apps are great. If Pet of the Day had an App I would definitely make it something else to check into each day on my iPad and if it was the kind of App that was able to be posted on as easily as Facebook is I would definitely use it. I too am getting annoyed with a lot of things FB does and its advertising and pushing stuff onto your pages (suggested friends, posts you may like, repeating posts out of order just because someone comments on them etc etc and the privacy issues that keep being eroded) I only stay on there to stay in touch with my sister and niece and a few political activist type pages/alternative news, and there is a really lovely small closed secret group for Siamese cat lovers who post pics and anecdotes which is where I spend most of my time. However now I know there is a POTD FB page I will hit LIKE so it comes up on my newsfeed.

I hope that helps. In no way am I critical of the POTD website I think it is a lovely warm fuzzy, it is just that one cannot keep up with everything and as I say, FB as a one-stop-shop seems to be where everyone is these days whether they like it or not. I have no interest whatsoever in Twitter I hate it.

Looking at todays bunny rabbit POTD and the cat and dog reminds me how much I used to look forward to checking in each night and having that warm fuzzy (lots of pricklies on FB sometimes). It all just seems such a long time ago now. Nine years!

Best wishes to everyone on here and their pets.

TopCat3
xxx

[Catty1]

Hi Karen.

I love it here and have no ideas of my own to share. :love: One idea that someone else mentioned - here or on FB - was to make the forums less "cluttered" or something like that.

To that end - perhaps "Health and Behaviour" could be one heading, as often the two are connected; in Cat, "Cat Games" could be mentioned under General, maybe; Breeds, not sure on that one.

These are just off the top of my head - maybe PT Forum needs no simplifying. Facebook may have spoiled some people with their 'one-click-instant-info' system.

I ain't going anywhere! :)

[Freckles]

I've read where some people report they only look at cat topics, for example.
Not me. I start with "Today's Posts" and read down the list. I usually open all of them. And I check back to PT two or three times daily.

[Randi]

Freckles, I too start with Today's Posts and just scroll down - so much easier. You can always skip what doesn't interest you.

[Karen]

TopCat, glad you stopped in, we do understand how busy life can get sometimes. We are glad to hear from you, and hope you will keep checking in now that you remember we are here!

[TopCat3]

TopCat, glad you stopped in, we do understand how busy life can get sometimes. We are glad to hear from you, and hope you will keep checking in now that you remember we are here!

You're welcome, nice to be back. Xxx

[Zoeysmom]

Dear Karen,
I come to Pet of the Day every day, never miss one. Recently I found you on FB and did like your page. I have no idea how to make this better, I suppose social media will let more people know about it, you could try some of the "pages" devoted to animals and see if them liking your page would bring more people. The two that come to my mind are "cat addicts" and "the hearts of the crazy cat people" they have a lot of followers. People come and people go, I love this site and I love the changes you have made over the years, my cat was Cat of the day back in 2010, Oct. 30, but I have been coming here since 2008. I have no real advice just honest praise for you.

[issop]

hello.. I am here almost everyday and over half my visits here I read pet talk.. I have facebook but not really a facebook fan. I view it a lot as I am not really a poster. please keep pet talk here in its originality here as it is .. ii have no twitter account or yahoo , i have google but for a google group about statrek. have youtube but nothing posted by me(susscan) . I visit ebay frequently . every morning I come here to see todays pets and check out pet talk. then read news. please don't dump this site in favour of facebook. maybe I should post more.. I will give it some thought. 20140509.0950

[WILDCATS]

:love: I haven't been here that long but I love this forum, people are so helpful and NICE, I cannot stand facebook etc and would like PT to stay the same. :love:

[PetPsychic]

Hi,

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to answer your email. This is part of the problem that prevents me from coming in as much as I would like. I'm so swamped usually with work that I don't seem to find time to do the other things I enjoy.

I'll make it a point now though, to pop in more often. This is a lovely site. Like what others have said, I detest Facebook, too. I keep joining, then remember why I hate it, and quit again. I'd much rather be with pet people. :)

[mbsmum]

Karen, please don't change anything about this site. First thing I do in the morning is reading the Pet Talk while I am having my first cup of coffee.
People in th forum are very friendly and I feel very comfortable asking questions or requesting for purrayers. I do have a facebook account but I am not active in it.

[kaycountrygal]

5.29.14
Hello, I just read this entire thread. For me, I like PT the way it is. I usually check out the cat, dog, pet of the dog, etc and read comments and topics. Often I post a comment but not always, not if I don't have anything to add. I particularly like little dogs on DOTD and I comment on them and often comment on COTD. PT has been helpful to me when I had a health question re my pets.

I didn't even know you were on Facebook. I'm a member but I rarely go to FB anymore as it consumes too much time. IF I hear an ad that says, check us out on FB, then I might go there but I do not accept friends there. Back to PT, I like it so much more than FB. One of the first sites I go to each morning is PT and look at the pets; it's part of my routine. I sure hope PT stays around. Thanks for all your hard work. ... Kay in NC

[Misty_Pearl]

Its been some time since I've been here too. Life got in the way for a while then when i came back it just wasn't as active so i think that is why I'm not here very often.
personally i love a forum much better than FB so i definately wouldn't participate on facebook. i find the groups confusing and frustrating .

i love this firum and promise ti try and participate more.

just recently i discoved an app for iphone called tapatalk that i keep up with my other forums on. i have had computer problems and can't see pictures at work they are blocked and it tends to be difficult browsing a forum on an ipad or iphone. granted it pretty easy now but with tapatalk all the forums i follow show up to remind me to check in.

thanks for all you do for the forum. i do like keeping up with the animal folk.

[Karen]

Glad to hear from you! How are you and your furry ones?

[Misty_Pearl]

Glad to hear from you! How are you and your furry ones?

We've had a few go to the rainbow bridge since I've been gone. added a couple to our family also. Us caretakers are doing well. thankd so much for asking.

[chocolatepuppy]

I forgot all about replying to this.:o I'm on here everyday. I miss that Pet Talk isn't as active and so many members no longer visit.:(

I wouldn't change a thing. Pet Talk is that peaceful 'home' to come to after the rush of going through the newsfeed on FB and the drama there. ;)

I've met so many nice people here! :)

[Karen]

We've had a few go to the rainbow bridge since I've been gone. added a couple to our family also. Us caretakers are doing well. thankd so much for asking.

Aww, do update us in Dog general, Cat general ... as is applicable!

[pomtzu]

I said it once before, and I'll say it again..........I find FB much more confusing and difficult to navigate than PT. You have to scroll thru so much junk and ads in FB in an attempt to find something that you were looking at just hours before, and so much is repeat-repeat-repeat over and over again. I just don't see how folks find it easier than PT. I get bored and frustrated with FB most of the time and just leave. On PT - you can find exactly what you're looking for in just a snap, and don't have to contend with the ads and repeat junk over and over.

Don't change PT Karen and Paul - you have a winner just the way it is.

[Karen]

Don't change PT Karen and Paul - you have a winner just the way it is.

Aww, thanks, Pomtzu! We do appreciate it!

[momcat]

I said it once before, and I'll say it again..........I find FB much more confusing and difficult to navigate than PT. You have to scroll thru so much junk and ads in FB in an attempt to find something that you were looking at just hours before, and so much is repeat-repeat-repeat over and over again. I just don't see how folks find it easier than PT. I get bored and frustrated with FB most of the time and just leave. On PT - you can find exactly what you're looking for in just a snap, and don't have to contend with the ads and repeat junk over and over.

Don't change PT Karen and Paul - you have a winner just the way it is.

I couldn't agree with you more, Ellie. Technology and I have a "Hate you - hate you more" relationship. PT is the ONLY website I come to because it's easy to follow and it's the only one where I feel safe from techno-intruders like hackers.

[Barbara]

I just read an article about the terms and conditions sheets in website. There was one website that hid the phrase "You are seling your soul to us." in the text and it took thousands of registered customers before somebody noticed. I refuse to sign up to websites that are more complicated than I understand...and I feel fairly safe at Pet Talk:)

[cloverfdx]

I check in a couple of times a week for a quick look. A lot of the time the forums are very inactive sadly.

I spend most of my online time on a non pet related forum & FB now (although have taken a big FB step back).

[Karen]

I check in a couple of times a week for a quick look. A lot of the time the forums are very inactive sadly.

I spend most of my online time on a non pet related forum & FB now (although have taken a big FB step back).

As always we are glad you are still here - and of course the "cure" for an inactive forum is to post! Even the little thing - like Frito feet (http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?2619) or How to Boil Eggs (http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?97778) can become a classic!