Important! This Forum Will Sunset In 2020 Options

[LS Support]

With all apologies to our remaining members and with lengthy consideration I have decided to memorialize the Lightning-Strike Forum as of January 1, 2020.

Why?

• Traffic (for sign-ups) has dwindled to a couple or less per month since I launched this site in October 1996 (21 years ago!), which is way beyond the typical lifetime of forums like this which tend to start decaying after 5-8 years. And the very few that do get approved to use the forum don't even post.
• Trump this up to the rapid proliferation of media-rich social platforms as well.
• It takes time and effort to run a forum, from checking new registrations daily to weekly data backups to fixing hacker damage and more. Unfortunately my time is becoming more limited nowadays and I forecast time will become more "needy" over the next year or two.

So what does this mean?

• For now the main website and this forum will keep running as-is during the 2 year sunset process, during which time new people can still register and our current members can continue to post as usual.
• Once the final days near, the website and forum will memorialized in-place. Meaning there will no longer be updates, new sign-ups or the ability to post.
• This forum contains volumes of useful information and support vehicles for pet loss...85K+ posts created by more than 5K guests...so its original purpose will continue to serve people who have loved and lost their pets and other animals.
• The L-S facebook page will continue to operate as it does today. Though i realize it could never replace this forum, we are close to having 10K members, so there are plenty of people out there who will find even the restricted forum to have benefit https://www.facebook.com/pet.loss.grief.support/

The members here helped make what L-S is today. For that, I thank you all! I would also like to take a moment to give kudos to the few forum moderators who helped keep the forum under a watchful eye over the years. I'll admit that I sort of burned out on my personal pet loss support efforts about 10 years ago... so everyone's help is also greatly apprecicated!

Two years is still far away, so please continue to use the resources provided by this website and forum. There's plenty of time

MD Cohn

[moon_beam]

Hi, Marc, I just noticed your post, and am saddened that this wonderful forum will no longer be available 2 years from now. However, your decision is not entirely a surprise to me, as I perfectly understand your reasons. You really don't need the burden of continuing a service that is no longer being utilized. If I read your information correctly this website will still be available for information purposes, so that's good news. I'm not knowledgeable about Facebook, - - if I read correctly people who belong to Facebook will be able to post on the L S page as they do here on the forum? This may sound like a stupid question, but please bear in mind I am not technology intelligent - - can your Facebook page be accessed using a regular computer?

It has been an honor and a privilege to be here on the L S website and participate in the Forum, as well as to serve as a Moderator. Thank you, Marc, for your dedicated efforts in offering this wonderful website that brings comfort, support, and encouragement to people who are adjusting to the physical loss of their beloved companion.

I hope life is treating you and all your family kindly, Marc, that your holidays will be filled with much happiness, and that the coming year will be a prosperous one for you. Thank you again, Marc, for letting us know your decision about the Forum.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam