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Forum swamped by animal rescue messages


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[quote user="Bugsy"][quote user="Chancer"]How about scrapping the working with wood and motorcycling sections and starting an animal rescue one????

Before anyone goes on the defensive I enjoy the postings from both those sections and have started subjects myself but they are very thin on the ground now that the original protagonists have departed. The postings could equally be made elsewhere.

[/quote]

Interesting choice 'Chancer' and without me going on the defensive [:P] -  do the maths
Post counts.
Motorcycling - 4597
Working with Wood - 2806
Books & Lit. - 2042
French Antiques - 760
Getting Married - 245
Pregnancy & Birth - 161
Book Club - 3
[/quote]

 

Blimey!!!!

I didnt research or do any maths, just guessed, badly as it turns out [:(]

I would have bet my woodworking shop that there were less than 50 postings in the working with wood section, motorcycling I had no idea really apart from you saying their were few postings.

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There are of course always 2 ways of looking at things:

 

The SW page is swamped with animal rescue posts.

The SW pages are being kept alive with animal rescue posts.

 

The front page of the SW region covers posts from around the last nine months.

My own region, the front page covers posts from the last four and a half years!!

 

I do not think the rescue posts are influencing whether people post on other topics or not, but they do seem to make for a thriving regional discussion page.

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You call me betty is correct, in that the 'other' French Forum has cracked down on the animal rescue posts as apparently there are French legal issues involved, which maybe the administrators of this forum should check out, as it is unlikely the other forum would have taken such a stance without good reason. (perhaps because some of these posts are from organisations like animal charities, rather than private individuals.)

The timing of this does correlate to the upsurge of animal rescue posts on this site and I have a certain sympathy with the OP, as there have been times when I go into the 'active' section of the Forum that these posts do seem to be taking over a bit.
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After giving this some thought I think the main problem is not too many animal rescue posts but not enough other posts. The forum seems to be going through a quiet spell just now which is a pity but this happens from time to time and I am sure it will pick up again soon
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People who post in the Animal sections do so because this is a passion of theirs

I do not post in the animal section since this is not an interest of mine. I do post in "Cinema" and "Are you listening" because they are.

I would love to see the Forum so active that other posts balanced things up, and none of the things I mention dominate.

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Well, I live in the south-west and never look at the geographical forum area posts - like others I use the Active feature.   As for lack of activity here, I would guess that we are all struggling out of a long wet, cold winter, trying to get the garden into shape and prepare for our Easter and post-Easter visitors.  I have no problem with the animal rescue messages, except I wish they would avoid links (Chats du Quercy, bow your heads in shame[:)]) and show pics.  I agree that having the location in the post title would help people to filter a little, but it's not a big deal to skip the messages totally if you don't like them.  Cannot imagine why anyone would avoid an area just because the inhabitants seemingly try to help animals!

Chrissie (81)

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The reason for the overall reduction in posts is quite simple, in that over the last couple of years there has been a dramatic decline in the numbers of Brit retirees and early retirees leaving the UK for Spain and France, according to official Home Office figures.

This should not be surprising with the decline in the value of the £, low interest rates on savings, weak UK housing market and increasing retirement age. The change in the French health rules against early retirees did not help either.

Meanwhile, there is a natural attrition rate of existing members due to people returning to the UK.

The other two French forums I participate in show the same story, with posts from new members seeking advice on moving to France, scarce as hens teeth these days!
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Overall emigration from the UK is on the increase but mainly comprises young well educated professionals that are headed to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. The decline in emigration is for older individuals and retirees who cannot afford any longer to retire abroad to sunnier climes, because of the demise of the £, final salary pensions, annuity returns and interest on savings. Also the above countries don't want you if you are over 55 as you are seen as a potential liability for their health care systems and as we know even EU countries like France and Spain are making it more difficult for early retirees to use their health care services.
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[quote user="powerdesal"]Norman, if you can learn French you can certainly learn Kiwi or Oz-speak, American may be a bit more difficult though.[/quote]

Norman is exercising the adolescent right: "You can't dump me:I dumped you first"

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[quote user="Bugsy"][quote user="Chancer"]How about scrapping the working with wood and motorcycling sections and starting an animal rescue one????

Before anyone goes on the defensive I enjoy the postings from both those sections and have started subjects myself but they are very thin on the ground now that the original protagonists have departed. The postings could equally be made elsewhere.

[/quote]

Interesting choice 'Chancer' and without me going on the defensive [:P] -  do the maths
Post counts.
Motorcycling - 4597
Working with Wood - 2806
Books & Lit. - 2042
French Antiques - 760
Getting Married - 245
Pregnancy & Birth - 161
Book Club - 3
[/quote]

Got the stats on the swimming pool section? I know we are only seasonal but there are a lot of mistreated pools in France, it's not just the animals I see in appalling conditions

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hello.

It's Phoenix here and we are responsible for many of the animal related postings. The reason in the upsurge since last year is that Phoenix at last has a PR team!

We're sorry that some of you feel that this regional section is being taken over by us. It's not our intention at all.

We don't choose this forum due to restrictions elsewhere either. Phoenix complies with the law on identification of animals, so we are also able to use forums such as AngloINFO (which are restrictive to animals without ID). We advertise in as many forums as we can out of necessity.

We post in this regional section deliberately and this is, of course, to reach local people.

There is no point someone in Alsace getting excited about adopting an animal, to find out that the animal is in the Dordogne.

We don't want to be a pain, and so we'll ask the Administrator for advice.

THANK YOU to all the very many of you who support Phoenix and our work.

Please feel free to email Phoenix PR directly on [email protected]

Phoenix.

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You & other animal support organisations shouldn't worry about it.

My impression is that the majority on here are either not fussed, perfectly relaxed, or enthusiastic about your efforts. Whichever, they don't feel the need to moan about it.

Carry on dancing!  You're doing no harm to anybody & hopefully sorting out a few lost souls. 

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 What we would like to try is that you put all your animal rescue posts in the animal rescue section, because that would logically be the first place people who are looking for an animal would look. However, we do understand your desire to capture the attention of those more local to you so we  suggest that in addition once or twice a month you post a 'round up' in the South West section - perhaps as well as dogs/animals still needing homes you could mention success stories too ?

 

 

 

 

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[quote user="Phoenix PR"]We post in this regional section deliberately and this is, of course, to reach local people.

There is no point someone in Alsace getting excited about adopting an animal, to find out that the animal is in the Dordogne. [/quote]

In the main adoption sub-forum, you could always include postcode and nearest large town in the subject thus managing the expectations of potential adopters...

Beautiful labrador x urgently needs home - 46005 Cahors

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