The Best Twitter Accounts for Animal Lovers

Twitter has exploded this year by providing a new platform for the public to rant and communicate about the things they love. And while the 140 character updates can be mundane, they're not all meaningless. Groups like PetMD, PETA and the ASPCA now use Twitter to post useful information for their followers. And naturally, pet owners and "celebrity animals" like Jenny the Stroller Pug have added their tweets to the mix. Search tools and hash tags such as #TwitterACritter are also used to help facilitate animal adoptions.

On behalf of animal lovers on Twitter, Paw Nation did some research to find the 12 most useful and entertaining animal Twitter accounts for our readers to follow:

1. @ASPCA
The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has taken to the Twitterverse to reach out to the animal-loving masses, and it's working. With more than 14,000 followers so far, @ASPCA brings the latest updates about their campaigns, victories and efforts.

2. @TheQuackPack
No, it's not an afternoon animated series with Huey, Dewey and Louie. The Quack Pack's tweets are deployed by the "parents" of two mallard ducks (named Laylah and Saydee) who are being raised as children. Think "My Monkey Baby," with ducks.

3. @CuteOverload
Here's the Twitter counterpart to one of the best distractions on the Internet. If you want to be able to stop and say "Awww!" at intervals during your day, this is a perfect account to follow.

4. @World_Wildlife
"Protecting the future of nature" is the World Wildlife Fund's succinct description in their bio. WWF doesn't tweet very frequently, but following them shows your support and will keep you updated on larger news and global animal and environmental issues.

5. @ZooBorns
ZooBorns allows for a celebration of the finer things in life. Pictures of everything from baby Tasmanian Devils to Pygmy Rabbits are just a bit.ly link away!

6. @vetinfo
This Twitter account is run by animal-health experts and provides frequent updates on dog and cat health info.

7. @PetFinder
PetFinder's goal is to help find homes for shelter animals, and their Twitter component is notable for being really upbeat and having lots of interaction among users.

8. @OperMigration
Operation Migration is a fascinating project in which ultralight aircraft are used to safeguard the extremely endangered Whooping Cranes in North America. Their tweets give followers an inside look at the progress of their efforts to assist the migration of the roughly 300 cranes left in the wild.

9. @PEOPLEpets
Celebrity pets are the specialty of these tweets, and PEOPLEpets delivers gossip and fun pics on a daily basis.

10. @Sockington
The most popular pet on Twitter, Sockington the cat has built an empire of more than 1.3 million followers by updating from the hilariously non sequitur perspective of the feline mind.

11. @PetSmartTLC
This is a great resource for pet owners, whether you have questions about raising your furry friend, pet products, or want to be in the know about events at your local PetSmart shops.

12. @Paw_Nation
Follow us, of course!

Tags: animal lovers, AnimalLovers, animalsiteswelove, Twitter, twitter for animal lovers, TwitterForAnimalLovers