World Animal Day, founded in 1931 to draw attention to endangered species, falls each year on October 4. To celebrate the day and bring awareness to the holiday, people worldwide were asked to post animal selfies on Twitter this past Sunday. You can check out the fun and inspiring pics here, at World Animal Day’s Twitter account.
Though I still feel like a Twitter newbie, I’m finding myself on the social media site more now than ever before. Here I can connect with like-minded animal people and follow news and trends related to helping the world’s animals every single day (and not just on World Animal Day). Here are 10 of the best Twitter accounts for animal lovers. Follow them and get ready for a daily dose of inspiration, action and sometimes even adorable animal photos:
1. Victoria Stilwell (@VictoriaS): Stilwell is a celebrity dog trainer, and she has great advice for us dog lovers! She also tweets a lot to raise awareness about adoption and puppy mills.
Putting your dog outside is not a substitute for exercise. Dogs need physical & mental stimulation, so walk, run or play a game w/your dog. — Victoria Stilwell (@VictoriaS) October 4, 2015
2. Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais): One of my favorite comedians/cat lovers, Gervais’ Twitterfeed is usually filled with humor and news about his latest project. But when he tweets about an animal welfare issue, the message is a powerful one. Or funny like this one:
Have a peaceful night pic.twitter.com/Xgz0Qz6kgy — Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) October 2, 2015
3. She Dances Tibet (@shedancestibet): There are so many depressing animal stories in the world. I like her tweets because they are positive, uplifting and peaceful (and often feature stunning photography).
With love Anything is possible Khandro Rinpoche pic.twitter.com/HS9aLhxvUl — she dances tibet (@shedancestibet) September 29, 2015
4. World Animal Protection (@MoveTheWorld): World Animal Protection tweets about all kinds of animal issues, but has a real soft spot for helping the world’s elephants.
RT and sign petition if you agree. Elephants are wildlife #NotEntertainers http://t.co/nTgBNRMgTs #WorldAnimalDay pic.twitter.com/atyxWazIVM — Animal Protection (@MoveTheWorld) October 4, 2015
5. One Green Planet (@OneGreenPlanet): Inspirational tweets about vegan recipes, cute kitten pictures, uplifting rescue stories and more.
Little Rat Gobbles Up Spaghetti in the Cutest Way http://t.co/S7LZFg48f2 pic.twitter.com/UERkuYbiYA — One Green Planet (@OneGreenPlanet) October 5, 2015
6. Dogs Naturally (@DogsNaturally): With plenty of heartful quotes and sayings, this is a must-follow account for all dog lovers—especially those seeking tips on natural canine health care.
Does your best friend have four legs? pic.twitter.com/kfykdCGJno — Dogs Naturally (@DogsNaturally) September 19, 2015
7. Gene Baur (@GeneBaur): Baur, a vegan activist and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, tweets often on compassion for farm animals and the vegan lifestyle.
Americans are Eating Less and Less Meat Every Year. Why? http://t.co/2lnq7LYQYo — Gene Baur (@genebaur) September 28, 2015
8. The Dodo (@dodo): Founded by Izzie Lerer, whose dad Ken co-founded The Huffington Post, The Dodo does an amazing job reporting on important animal welfare stories we all need to know about. Sometimes they’re really sad; sometimes they’re heartwarming.
Watch these baby orphans get a second chance — happy #mondaymotivation @ViralHog http://t.co/AobJVdy69h pic.twitter.com/sTaWN6JtTn — The Dodo (@dodo) October 5, 2015
9. Lily’s Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary (@LilysLegacySDS): A volunteer run nonprofit organization based in Petaluma, CA. Their mission is to provide a safe and loving home for large breed senior dogs (50+ pounds, 7 years or older) who have been displaced from their homes and/or abandoned for any reason, until they are adopted or to remain at the sanctuary until they pass on.
Saving Senior Dogs Week starts today 10/25! SSDW is an initiative started 2 years ago, in collaboration with senior dog rescues across the country. It is a national senior dog awareness campaign to benefit seniors + rescues throughout the US. https://t.co/3xYZdMUPRy #seniordogs pic.twitter.com/up0M9UCNgi — Lily’s Legacy SDS (@LilysLegacySDS) October 25, 2021
10. Humane Society International (@HSOGlobal): Go here for international news regarding animal welfare issues impacting animals on a global basis.
VICTORY! EU Parliament Votes to Strengthen #EU ban on Trade in Cruel #Seal Products! #sealban pic.twitter.com/YnZ9hgUVDC — Humane Society Int’l (@HSIGlobal) September 8, 2015
Who are your favorite animal champions to follow on Twitter? Share them here!