Sometime next week, a new Facebook Group At Bedlam Farm – “The Loving Animals Group” will be up and running on my Facebook page. This will be the second Open Group I’ve started, this one has it’s own unique history. The first Open Group, a great creative success is focused on creativity – photos, blogs, writing, painting, sketching, fiber arts. Many people were disappointed it was not more focused on animals, and that, of course, turned into a pitched battle for some for a few weeks.

It is natural, of course, for people coming to my sites to care about animals – I sure do – and I have long explored subjects relating to our love of them: attachment theory, emotional connections, therapy work, grieving, and the feelings we evoke in them. I’ve also talked about the dangers of loving animals too much – emotionalizing, anthropomorphising, projecting too much of our thoughts and feelings onto them. It is wonderful to love animals, and yes, I believe it is possible to love them too much, and not always a healthy thing for them. The Open Group for Loving Animals will be limited to 100 people at first – please do not e-mail or message me about it now. To join,  you just click on the name on the left of my home page (it won’t be there for a week or so) and you will be admitted in order of application. I’ll make an announcement when it’s up and running.

I made a major mistake in the first group, I underestimated the number of people interested and underestimated the great work being produced, the content was overwhelming and communicating individually was impossible, so I reduced the group by several hundred members. Many people accepted this graciously, many did not, so to avoid this drama this round the group will evolve slowly. Eventually, I can see it growing to five or six hundred members, even more. But that will be done slowly and gradually and over time. So be patient, if you apply, it may be awhile. I will be looking for one or two co-administrators to help oversee the site, so keep that in mind.

I do consider membership a privilege, not a right, and I will ask for people to follow certain guidelines. No hostility or arguments, I feel strongly about the textual violence online, I won’t tolerate any of it.  I am looking for a group that explores animal love, not simply and uncritically proclaims it. The Open Arts Group has become an exciting and creative place, mostly because there are guidelines and I learned that some people on the Internet believe they do not have to submit to guidelines, they feel they are entitled to post whatever they want. Not so. I feel very strongly that a good and successful site sometimes needs direction and in applying you are submitting to that idea and accepting it. If you feel no one can ever tell you what to write on a site, take a pass. We will be offering positive and constructive feedback.

I am not much for censorship but this could be a wonderful contribution to the study of animal love, and I want this to be a thoughtful and enlightening place, not just another place to post sweet photos (although they are welcome.) If people are uncomfortable with these suggestions, best they not apply at all.

Lots of experts and behaviorists talk about loving animals, but I’ve never seen a group of actual animal lovers talk about it in a way that is meaning to others. It could be an amazing place, I am sure it will be.

My wish for the page is that it lovingly and thoughtfully explore all parts of loving animals – what is good, what is sad, what is happy, what is bad. It is not going be a “cute” only page, or primarily a place to grieve and seek sympathy and mourn. If you can’t bear to hear about an animal dying, this may not be the place for you, although mostly I think the stories will be happy and uplifting. There will be honest explorations, stories about loving real animals in the real world, not just cuddly fur babies at home. There is a great divide in America between people who live with animals and people who live with pets and I hope both groups are drawn to this new group to share their love and experiences. A photo of a dog or cat with the words “I love Cocoa” is not a thoughtful post, it is a statement, I am urging members to be thoughtful and self-aware about their posts. Otherwise, I will get out of the way, except as a fellow poster. Hope to meet you next week at the “Loving Animals Group At Bedlam Farm.”