Gizmo the Griffon (
@heygizmo)
We've never seen another dog on Instagram quite like Gizmo, who once dressed in a bathrobe and aviator sunglasses and asked, "Pimpin ain't easy, or is itttt?" The Brussels griffon is small, but he's not afraid to say what he's really thinking—or to give you the side eye. This
video of Gizmo wearing sunglasses while electronic dance music plays in the background is the perfect example of this funny little dog's confident and sassy attitude.
Road Dogs and Rescue (
@roadogs)
Nikki Carvey, a journalist by training and bulldog lover, started Road Dogs & Rescue in 2011 to help dogs in LA. She estimates that she re-homed 70 dogs last year alone. Though Carvey works with all kinds of dogs, she specializes in bull dogs—a breed she fell in love with when she rescued her own bull dog Huxley—and her Instagram feed documents their journeys to their forever homes. "There is nothing like seeing an animal blossom under your care and to realize that they too are sentient beings and deserve to be treated with love and kindness,"
she writes.
Photo: Helen Panagiotopoulos
Little Lord Reginald, known as Reggie for short, is so beautiful it's a wonder how anyone could resist his requests for seafood at every meal. Not to mention we love his take on Saturdays (they're for napping), and his appreciation of good hair days.
Mr. Bagel the Chinchilla (
@chinnybuddy)
Dogs aren't the only animal celebrities on Instagram. Check out Mr. Bagel, an eight-year-old chinchilla who buys groceries with a mini shopping cart and spends his time chinchillin' at home in Southern California. Owner Steve Byun adopted Mr. Bagel from a rescue organization, and started snapping photos of his pet after hearing his friends talk about the animals they follow on Instagram. Today, Mr. Bagel uses his stardom to encourage pet adoption and to stand up against wearing fur.
Esther the Wonder Pig (
@estherthewonderpig)
What do you do when your micro-pig turns out to not be so micro after all? If you're Steve Jenkins and his partner Derek Walter, you'll fall in love with your pig, buy a farm and start an animal sanctuary. Esther the Wonder Pig was just four pounds when Jenkins and Walter brought her home. Sweet Esther is now 650 pounds—and her Instagram account showcases her days sleeping, searching for cupcakes and cuddling with humans.
Otter the Pit Bull (
@otterthepitbull)
Pit bulls get a bad rap, but Otter is showing the world how gentle the breed can really be. His strategy for winning people over: wearing crazy outfits and cuddling with babies. His owner Leslie O'Neill adopted him in Philadelphia five years ago and he even walked down the aisle at her wedding.
Guus the Duck (
@guustheduck)
Sometimes, all it takes to improve a bad day is a duck dressed as a celebrity. Just ask fans of Guus, a runner duck from Holland, who stars in hilarious parodies of Kim Kardashian, Donald Trump, Miley Cyrus and Borat. He debuts a new outfit and props every Tuesday (also known as Trendy Duck Tuesday). We can't wait to see what he'll wear next.
Huff the Hedgehog (
@huffthehedgehog)
What could possibly make a hedgehog even more adorable? Try two front fangs, which stick out in nearly every picture of Sir Hodge Huffington the Cricket Slayer, an African pygmy hedgehog. Huff, for short, was adopted by Carolyn Parker, a student who recently told
BoredPanda, "I started the account because I wanted to share something that made me happy with other people." His positive messages only add to his aw factor.
Most days, Fuzzberta the guinea pig is hard at work putting her own spin on characters, like Fuzzrosie the Riveter and Fuzzy Potter. She makes the famous scenes cuter, and her prop collection—which includes a mini MacBook, tortoiseshell glasses and her own set of dishes—is a sight to behold.
Blox the Bull Dog (
@blox_the_bulldog)
It's almost impossible not to crack a smile at Blox, a three-year-old English bulldog with some serious wrinkles. His love of the finer things in life—naps, potato chips and quality time with his huskita brother Yakul—speaks to the part of us that always wants to be on vacation.
