These Pet Influencers Do More Than Just Bring Smiles and Laughs To Your ‘FYP’
Nothing brings the internet together more than the social media accounts of adorable animals. Perfectly timed photos and relatable videos […]
Cate Staff
Nothing brings the internet together more than the social media accounts of adorable animals. Perfectly timed photos and relatable videos bring the “feel good” atmosphere to every platform. And, some of our favorite pets are doing more than just creating positive content to interact with but also doing “real good” things for the world.
Many popular animal influencers use their platform to do good for others such as supporting other animal welfare efforts or raising funds to fight childhood cancer.
Hamlet The Pig
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Hamlet the pig is just so cute. How could you resist a smile looking at her?
Anyways, she is a therapy pig to her owner, Melanie, who has epilepsy. Her side gig is being a social media star in eclectic outfits and chic sunglasses.
Aside from that, Hamlet works with Penelope’s Purpose. With them she helps abandoned pigs receive the care that they need as well as adoption. She also works with Best Buddies Nashville, to support those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
My Grandfather’s Cat
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After inheriting her grandfather’s cat (Mackenzie), Angela Rafuse couldn’t resist sharing her unique personality with the world. Mackenzie became a popular pet to cat lovers around the world leading Rafuse to an idea.
She knew that she wasn’t the only person to have inherited a pet from someone who passed. On her grandfather’s birthday she launched, My Grandfather’s Cat. The mission behind the organization is to help seniors or those with a terminal illness find a second home for their pets instead of sending them to animal shelters.
My Grandfather’s Cat became a team of 10 volunteers across Canada who helped over 25 cats and dogs find a second forever home. By February 2022, the Canadian government turning Rafuse’s mission into a registered charity.
Rafuse writes on the My Grandfather’s Cat website, “Through sharing videos of Mackenzie on TikTok, I heard countless stories of how many seniors worried about what would happen to their pets when they moved to a retirement home or, heaven forbid, passed away.”
“I’ve always believed you can be the change you want to see in the world, and My Grandfather’s Cat is the embodiment of that. We are making a difference, one adoptable at a time.”
Lil BUB
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Lil BUB came with a personality and spunk that inspired her human, Mike Bridavsky, to start Lil BUB’d Big Fund. The Fund celebrates the human-animal bond and is also an advocate for special needs companion animals. They provide grants to shelters and created a special need foster program initiative across the nation.
Unfortunately, BUB is no longer with us but, his legacy lives on. Before passing, his platform raised over $700,000 for animal welfare and continue to do this work.
Josh The Doodle
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Josh the doodle teamed up with his “service human” to start the Be Like Josh Foundation. Its mission is to spread awareness along with acceptance for dogs with disabilities, specializing in the rescue, rehabilitation, and advocacy of dogs with neurological disabilities.
“We like to empower our adopters, and in turn, they empower the dogs that they adopt from us,” the Be Like Josh Foundation website reads. “Each dog should be set up for success, supported, and empowered. We also provide support to our adopters by coaching them on how to welcome a pet with special abilities and by building lasting relationships with the adoptive families in the process.”
Doug the Pug
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Doug the Pug is based in Nashville and has nearly four million people follower on Instagram.
Doug’s parents, Leslie Mosier and Rob Chianelli, recognized his reason behind social media stardom following their visit to cancer patients at a local children’s hospital. This trip inspired the launch of the Doug The Pug Foundation, which supported both children and families battling pediatric cancer. Doug visits kids and families for emotional support and also raises funds for the children and families who need financial support.
“Doug has this very beautiful quality of knowing who needs the most love,” Mosier said. “We realized we could actually use Doug’s social platform to raise good money to help these kids.”
She added in, “There is always going to be a dark side of the Internet, and we all have the power to be the good side of the Internet. And Doug has really brought that out in us.”