Who would like?

Question

A pet forum without all the BS found here.

I know its not entirely possible, but at least something would be done about it.

Repeat offenders would be completely banned, and before you could answer question you'd have to take a test about the animal in question.

Yay or Nay, what do you think?

Test would consist of basic knowledge questions. It could be modified frequently and would have input from members.

No forum will ever be without its trolls. However humans monitoring the forums could put people posting just to get a rise out of members could be put on moderation status. This way there question would have to be approved before it was ever seen.

Accounts could monitored to prevent people with multiple accounts.

There's alot of improvements that could be made.

User input would actually matter.

I do have something in mind. Its in the works. I have a few kinks to work out yet.

Answer 1

i would where people could come for genuine help and get it

Answer 2

I think Kristin has it figured out...make an age limit! However, forums are open to everyone and the answerer's have no criteria for knowledge and experience in the subject. I used to go to a forum for cocker spaniels on AOL...it was similar to this, only you didn't have an icon/avatar and anyone could add to the question or comments given to the question. The people who seemed to be knowledgeable were the people who the questioners trusted. So, I don't know if anything can be done to weed out the trolls or ignorance on forums such as this. I would love to see what you can congregate together.

Answer 3

Well..... Who would make up the test? Who would decide what a passing score was? How would people know the standards of that community?
I think it's something common to the net that everyone has an opinion; some are great ideas, some are not. Actually that's common in all areas of life that I've experienced.
In the case of this forum, I just take what is useful and leave the rest. Some questions and responses are entertainment (great comedy).

Answer 4

If you did that, there would be maybe 30 people who are capable of intelligently answering the questions posed by the 30 people capable of asking intelligent questions and who are actually willing to learn form the answers.

Sadly, we must WEED out the closed minded losers who only want an "amen" for their shady breeding practices, or refusal to have their dogs properly vetted, or prefer to spend their time displaying thier mental illnesses and trolling the boards so we can focus on TEACHING the folks who honestly want to LEARN and improve themselves.

I revel in the many e-mails I get saying, "I never thought of it that way. Thanks!" I ignore the few that have strange paranoias aobut people stalking them and who can't accept the guilt they mire themselves in over their own refusal to be ethical because it hurts their bank accounts.

There was a Q last night about a ***** that was either septic or had mammary infections causing the death of 7 out of 8 puppies. The asker was debating spending the money to take the mom and the remaining puppy to the vet. The asker said this was the female's first litter, but apparently breeds others because s/he "has no luck bottle feeding puppies and loses them all". There is a blatant example of a lack of ethics.

How do you answer that if you have done rescue for 20 years, and have frequently sacrificed your own recreational money and time to save animals carelessly bred and dumped by some jerk who is bragging about their trip to Six Flags they paid for with their "puppy money"? How do you answer the breeder of maltidachsipoos when they want to know how much they can make off the pups if they survive the home remedy for parvo (which they describe with symptoms of something totally different than parvo)?

All we can do is riddle the site with honest, ethical, informed answers and hope that someone hears it.

Answer 5

I think there's a place for most types of site.

Problem is with your idea, by cutting out anyone who doesn't know enough, you're cutting out an opportunity for those who need it most to learn.

I like the idea whereby you have to take a test before you ANSWER a question, but who would police that? Who would be judged such an authority as to set those tests?

Answer 6

I think implementing an age limit with legal age verification would weed out 90% of the problems. :)

And I agree, if you can't pass a general knowledge test on said breed/problem, why the **** would you care if you couldn't answer the question.

Is everyone that worried about free points??/

Answer 7

You would be amazed if you had any idea just how many pet boards there are out there. There is literally one for every niche.

This one is for people that run dogs in field trials. So it is probably over most peoples heads, but will give you some idea of what most of them are like.
http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=24
You will find one for every breed of dog, one for every sport that is played with dogs, and on and on.
Here is what most breed spicific sites are like
http://americanbeagler.huntingboards.com/

Answer 8

I like the forum as is. I ignore the people who are trolls. Actually, I laugh at the idiocy of some of them. I think it is funny that some people follow me around and give me "thumbs down", like it really means anything!

A wise person once told me, YA is like the Monkey Cages at the Zoo. They are entertaining to watch, but there will always be those few you must watch out for. So, go look and laugh, but be prepared to dodge flying monkey poo!!!!

Answer 9

I mean I see your point about getting rid of all the bs, however I dont think it's right to take away the rights of people to state silly things that don't hurt anybody and if they are hurting anybody, there is that attractive little report button. You don't have to read or respond to the bs, so I say nay.

Answer 10

I think the people answering the questions should be screened. I can't believe some of the idiotic answers people pass off as being "the truth."

Answer 11

Yes of course.