You All Everybody

Just a head's up, I'm going to mention pet death here. Not my own, and not in any way graphic.

I follow several animal accounts on instagram, youtube, ect. You know the ones. Accounts that consistently post photos and videos and memes of a certain pet, often times to the point where they end up being quite famous. These animals become internet personalities or even influencers in their own right, and even get brand deals.

Or rather, the pet's owner does. The person running the account does.

Now, I obviously don't have any issue with this. Like I said, I follow several. But I noticed something recently that sort of gave me the ick and I guess that's why I'm bothering to sort of muse about it.

I figure all these accounts originally begin as accounts people make because they want to showcase their pet. I kind of have to hope that, right? An account to share pictures and videos of their pet with the world. But they grow. They get followers. They go viral, maybe, and they realize they've "got something here."

Alright, so some people are willing to make money off of their pets. Fine. At the end of the day, no one's getting hurt. People get to follow a cute dog or cat or micropig or whatever, and the owner of that animal makes some money. Sometimes a lot of money. Some of that's going to go toward taking care of the animal, after all! Feeding it, buying toys, funding vet visits.

Recently, a dog whose account I follow passed away. It was devastating. It was awful news to hear that the poor thing was no longer with us, and I can only imagine how the owner must have felt. The weird part, though, is that the account continued to post. Not photos and videos in a "this is her memorial page now" sort of deal. But like, memes. Cutesy little memes, and the sorts of post that encourage engagement, which continues to grow a brand.

Your pet has died, and you are still trying to use them to continue making money on social media?

I dunno. Doesn't sit right with me.