Well my two cents...as a retailer...weird I know. I can carry cat things and they sell but dogs are REALLY breed specific. There is no poster child for rescue dogs. How they look etc. Maybe that's part of it. I don't know of the unpleasantness that went on before although I've been a member for many moons.
I have a good friend with a large doggie that recently had a severed ligament. She spent $5000 to fix him and it worked. Only to find out a couple of weeks later that a different leg/shoulder has a cancerous tumor eating away @ his bone and he's probably only has a couple of weeks left. I've been going to her home everyday @ lunch time to be with her and Major and it makes me appreciate that all pet bondings are equal if different. I'm a cat person @ heart but I love Major and his gentle giant manner. She has a cat as well that is definately a second class citizen. I give them both loves.
But I enjoy the cat section here and there just aren't enough hours in the day to hit ALL the internet spots I'd like to support.
Like everything in life, there are cycles. Perhaps this thread will prompt people to check out other forums?