Whether they’re on TikTok, Instagram, Youtube or Facebook, pet videos go viral like crazy and become memes. Think famous pet influencers like Jiff Pom, Nala the Cat and the late Grumpy Cat (R.I.P.). Some owners will go to lengths to make their pet famous. But how far is too far?

Will Braden is a curator for Cat Video Fest and watches an average of 15,000 cat videos a year. He spends time making sure no cats have been harmed in the making of videos. For instance, in one clip of a cat apparently jumping into a pile of snow, he found that the owner had thrown the cat in.

Viral animal videos also fuel the trade in wildlife, the new series #BeyondTheViralVideo discovers. In a study conducted by Cassandra Koenen from World Animal Protection and her team, 15% of first-time owners said YouTube videos inspired them to buy their exotic pets. Most owners are unaware of the extra care needed to look after exotic animals and some end up abandoning them.

Abandoned pets end up at shelters like Forgotten Kingdom in Seattle. It’s owner, Paul Lewis, has seen a sharp rise in pet ownership since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and worries the numbers would rise again once the lockdown eases, when owners return to their normal lives, leaving their pets unattended.

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