Social Networks for Pets (and Their Owners)

The other day I read in a magazine that 56% of women and 41% of men felt their pets were more affectionate than their partners, but I think the number of people who are more affectionate towards their pets than their partner is probably higher. Case in point: This article on Business Week says Americans now spend $41 billion a year on their furry companions, making pet care the fastest-growing category in retail after consumer electronics. I think Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Manufacturers Assn. (APPMA), is right on the money when he says, "People are no longer satisfied to reward their pet in pet terms, they want to reward their pet in human terms."

Aside from fueling the pet economy by spending exuberant amounts of money on gourmet meals, pet braces, and pet hotels, animal lovers are also fueling another trend: pet social networks. These social networks have been around for a few years, but lately they've gained traction, proving that they're here to stay. Most of the sites offer a free membership to encourage sign-ups, and seem to offer a great place for pet lovers to swap advice, tips, and even find play dates. If you haven't joined these flourishing communities, then you need to check out these up-and-comers.

Who Let The Dogs (and Cats) Out

Dogster and Catster are social networks offering free memberships, with an option to upgrade your account in order to enjoy more features. Members can share video, photos, and connect with other pet owners on the site. Dogster has been around since January 2004, and grown to 310,938 members, while Catster launched in August of 2004, and currently serves 129,135 members.

MyDogSpace and MyCatSpace are newcomers to the social networking space recently launching both sites in the last three months. Members can set up a blog, upload photos, leave comments, make friends, and soon they'll be able to add video. Pet owners can include a photo of themselves in their profile, as well as create multiple profiles for their other pets under one account. One login can access both sites, and there's no paid subscription model available yet.

Animal lovers from all over the world socialize on the Estonia-based United Dogs and United Cats. The site is very Web 2.0 full of AJAX goodness, special effects, and real-time counters so owners know who's stopping by. Anyone can rate a pet, but only members can set up a profile, leave comments, or upload photos. A combination of MySpace and Hot-or-Not, this site is a lot of fun to visit for all animal lovers alike.

All Pets Welcome

If you don't have a cat or a dog, there are plenty of sites that welcome other species. Petster, PawSpot, Fuzzter, and Vivapets are just some of the few social networks out there offering all the features you need to find friendships locally or all over the world. Try them out, most of them are free to join, and easy to set up.