Wanna Be a Pet-fluencer? So Do One in Four Pet Owners, Apparently

Wholesome content only.

The Grumpy Cats (RIP dude) and the Jiff the Pomeranians of the world have done really weird and wonderful things to the influencer game.

Now, according to a survey by ManyPets on 2,000 cat and dog owners, over a third have profiles for their pets, and one in four dream of their furry friends one day becoming a social media star.

Full disclosure – the survey comes from a US pet insurance company and we’re not entirely sure how scientific the study is, but don’t rain on our parade. This is the exact content we need today.

Hilariously, the study found people put more time and effort into curating their pet’s social media presence than their own. Iconic and relatable.

You might be thinking, why is this? Well, pet-fluencing has proven to be massive in recent years.

There's a whole market there, and there are even pet-fluencer management companies like the Dog Agency in the US. That was founded by Loni Edwards, who wrote the book on how to make your pet Insta-famous.

She told VOX the top dogs (hehe) on the platform are making $15,000USD per post or more. Grumpy Cat was worth $100 mil USD before he sadly passed away. 

During my extensive journalistic research for this article, it was hard to come by a fluffy social media icon without their own book (yup, dog authors are a thing) and merch.

So, it sorta makes sense people are keen to give pet-fluencing a crack.

What’s the secret, though? I mean, surely my rescue Staffy x Ridgeback couldn’t crack millions of followers on the ‘gram? Even though he is the cutest there ever was, in my professional opinion.

When VOX asked Loni if a “basic golden retriever” could become a star, here’s what she said:

“The way pets become famous is all different, but what they have in common is that they stand apart to develop a following. So, either they’re very unique-looking or the copy is super witty — as long as there’s something, whether it’s that they are insanely cute or really not cute, that make people go, ‘Oh, my god,’ and tag their friends.”

She said pets are valuable on the platform because they raise endorphins, make people happy and are easier to connect with than human influencers because there’s no barrier, like jealousy.

So, on that note, here is an exhaustive list of the cutest lil floofers who’ve hit the social media jackpot. You’re welcome.

Juniper and Friends (@juniperfoxx)

Betchya didn’t expect a fox on this list! Juniper was rescued after being born into captivity and now she’s never without a smile on her face. She’s the main attraction of the account, but the feed is also full of exotic critters including a chinchilla, an opossum, a racoon and more. We’re not crying, you are.

Venus the Two Face Cat (@venustwofacecat)

The only time it’s okay to be two-faced! Venus has used her uniqueness to land two million followers, sponsorship deals and even her own calendar!

Jill the Squirrel (@this_girl_is_a_squirrel)

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jill The Squirrel (@this_girl_is_a_squirrel)

Jill is NOT like other influencers. This eight-year-old squirrel was rescued after Hurricane Isaac and is now living her absolute best life. With over 724k followers on the ‘gram, her face is now on merch, lifelike pillows, posters and more. Her feed often features photos in her signature tiara, or just laying around the house eating nuts. Same, Jill, same.

Doug the Pug (@itsdougthepug)

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Doug The Pug (@itsdougthepug)

WHY HAS THIS PUG MET MORE CELEBRITIES THAN WE WILL IN OUR ENTIRE LIVES?

Prissy and Pop (@prissy_pig)

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Prissy and Pop (@prissy_pig)

Prissy is the original oinker of this squad, which has expanded to include her life partner, Pops, as well as other little piglets from their rescue group. A fashionable queen who HOGS the spotlight!

 Lionel the Hedgehog (@lionelthehog)

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Lionel And Lilo The Hedgehogs (@lionelthehog)

We will not stop with the cute, niche animals. Lionel the hedgehog became an overnight sensation when his mum started posting pics of the cutie in creative poses and fun hats. Since then, he’s been in People and Forbes magazine, made television appearances, and won over the internet.

Bosco (@boscoandhisbigstick)

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Bosco (@boscoandhisbigstick)

Just. Oh my goodness. We have no words for this, just look at this smol sausage confidently trotting around with these massive stickos!!!

Alright, that’s about as much as our hearts can handle. We hope everyone reading this gets to boop at least one snoot today.

Header Image: @lionelthehog via Instagram