Code of conduct
In order for LORD to remain a useful tool and a pleasant space for everyone, we wish for each user, whether a simple owner or a team member, to commit to respecting these few common-sense rules.
Mutual Respect
The LORD team is entirely volunteer-based and maintains the tool in their spare time. Users are asked to address its members courteously and to show patience as staff is dealing with their requests.
In return, team members handle data and tasks entrusted to them with the utmost integrity and show the same courtesy in their exchanges with users.
No behavior resembling insult, harassment, or discrimination will be tolerated.
Compliance with Applicable Laws
No abusive, defamatory, discriminatory, or content promoting alcohol, drugs, or illegal practices or behaviors is tolerated on LORD. We also remind you that identity theft is a criminal offense.
To protect minors, it is also prohibited to make violent or sexual remarks, to provide links that are not “family-friendly,” or to use images related to such topics.
You must also own the rights to the photographs and texts you upload to LORD.
Compliance with LORD Rules
We also ask you to respect some specific rules of LORD to ensure its smooth operation and the quality of its data:
- Provide a valid email address: We sometimes need to contact you. Without this address, it’s impossible.
- Do not create multiple accounts: If you can’t log in to your account, use the password recovery function, or visit the support forum to explain your problem to us.
- Provide mandatory information about the origins of rats: Follow the instructions in the registration form and, in particular, provide informative comments about the origins of rats with a “generic” affix (pet shop, rescue, etc.). The team will check for the presence of this comment and may delete the record if it is absent. In the previous version of LORD, 70% of records blocked during moderation were due to non-compliance with this clause, especially for rats from independent breeders (IND prefix). Think about our volunteers!
- Enter a date of birth: Day, month, and year must be entered, even if it’s just an estimated date.
- Enter a date and cause of death: In case of death, it is also mandatory to indicate a date and cause. Information and options are available in the forms for unknown causes and rats you have lost track of.
- Enter all the offspring of your litters: Even if it’s tempting to only register your holdbacks, it goes against the spirit of LORD and distorts statistics. Ratteries not complying with this rule cannot claim “certified” status and may be excluded from statistics. It is permissible not to register a complete record for stillborn pups. However, as soon as they are born alive, even if they die very young, they must be registered to have statistics that are as close to reality as possible.
- Do not bypass the rules: Errors made in good faith are always possible, but any attempt to tamper with or misuse the tool will not be accepted. If the site does not function as you think it should, contact us.
In general: when in doubt, ask before acting! A quick response will be given, and this will prevent many inconveniences.