Why post "horrible" stories.

[Grace]

Before anyone signs an online petition, they should read this - http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/internet.asp

[carole]

I am also one that steers clear of these posts, mainly because i did read one some time ago and it haunted me, i could not sleep at nights, thinking about it and it really made me physically ill, so for me i just have to stay away.

I am not ignorant to what goes on in this unkind world of our's and i think sometimes we have to put it out there for others who chose to read it,again if it helps animals in anyway then i can only be for it, just for me personally it is not what i need to read,me reading it is not going to change anything,except make me distraught.

[Catty1]

Grace, I agree - the Snopes article, however, refers to epetitions, that are "circulated" (Snopes' words) via email. They are worse than useless as signatures cannot be verified - I mean, what's to stop me from adding all the names and email addresses/location from my address book to such a petition?

The email address set up to receive all these "petitions" has usually crashed from the load long before you get to send your quota of '500 signatures' in.

Having said that, groups like Care2 and The Petition Site use a very different method - one must go to that site to sign the petition, and should some authority question the petition, it is quite easy for the petition creator to verify that all participants attached their name in a valid manner.

The petition 'form' seen here shows all the verifiable information - no pesky email circulating. http://www.change.org/petitions/view...animal_cruelty

But yep - email petitions are crap.