Pet creators you can collab with instead of using AI

Scroll any pet hashtag right now and you'll run into pets that don’t actually exist. Perfect coats, perfect light, perfect summit views. It's easy to see why brands are tempted. AI pets are fast, cheap, and never refuse a harness. But pet owners aren't shopping for a pretty picture. They're shopping for an animal who can't tell them whether something works. So they look for someone they trust whose pet has already tried it.

That's what a pet creator gives you. Years of posts with the same dog or cat. An audience that knows the animal by name. And honest footage of your product on the trail, in the tent, or riding shotgun in the RV.

The seven creators below take their animals hiking, paddling, camping, and traveling, and they're all on Popfly. Here's who they are and what each one is great for.

1. Kyana, Retrieversjourney

Kyana is a Canadian vet tech who shares dog health, training, and outdoor adventures with her retrievers. Her background makes her picky about what she recommends, and her followers know it.

Great for: food, treats, supplements, and grooming products

2. Maia Perez, Tiny Terrier Tyranny

Maia proves small dogs belong outside too. She bikejors, canicrosses, hikes, and kayaks around the Midwest with her Jack Russell terriers, Tilney and Lottie.

Great for: small-dog harnesses, packs, and dog sport gear

3. JJ Yosh and Simon the Backpacking Kitty

JJ is an adventure TV host and filmmaker in Boulder with hosting credits on Discovery, TLC, and Tastemade. He's also the human behind Simon, the Backpacking Kitty, who comes along on real expeditions.

Great for: product launches, travel gear, and expedition content with a cat in the lead

4. Mandy Fries, Lost with Buzz

Mandy works a regular 8 to 5 and still gets Buzz, her rescue senior pup, out paddling, camping, and traveling. Buzz is reactive, and Mandy shows owners of dogs like him that adventure is still on the table.

Great for: calming aids, senior dog products, and camping or travel gear

5. Gracen and Austin, Happy Nomads

Gracen and Austin travel the US full time in an RV with their two cats. Kayaking, paddleboarding, e-biking, and outdoor cooking fill their feed, and the cats come along for every leg.

Great for: cat carriers, litter solutions for small spaces, and RV or van gear

6. Danielle Blasingame and Bradley

Bradley is a professional animal actor with more than 100 hours on commercials, movies, and print work. He knows more than 70 skills, so a tricky shot list takes him an afternoon. Off set, he and Danielle camp, hike, and travel.

Great for: product video where the dog has to do something on cue

7. Tiler Grossman, Our Northern World

Tiler is a Denver brand and lifestyle photographer covering dog-friendly adventure and international travel. Think 14ers, ski days, and dog sledding, shot by someone who photographs products for a living.

Great for: ad-ready photography and snow or mountain imagery

Meet them on Popfly

Every creator here has a Popfly profile where you can see their work and get to know their animals before you reach out. Start with the one whose followers look most like your customers. And if none of these feel quite right, there are plenty more pet people on Popfly worth a look.