Twitter: Pet Connection has it. Let us show you it.

"So," Gina said yesterday, "You should do a post about Twitter, and all the Pet Connection people who are on it, and suggest some great pet feeds. And ask our readers if they're on it, and to recommend feeds we should be following."



And because I am if nothing Gina's loyal servant (oh fine, laugh at me; I can take it), here is my Twitter post.



Yes, it's true, I'm on Twitter. I'm on Twitter a scary lot, actually, and you can find me here.



Gina's there, too, tweeting as "PetConnection." Pet Connection bloggers Kim Campbell Thornton and Dr. Tony Johnson are there as well, as is Susan Tripp, although she hasn't updated lately. We'd all love to see our readers following us, and while I can't speak for the rest, I'll definitely follow you back!



If you aren't into Twitter yet, you might not really understand what it's good for, or why you might like it. I see it as a big bulletin board where people throw out little notes about news stories that interest them -- from the latest FDA recalls to breaking news from the Veterinary Information Network News Service to developments in the animal sheltering world from Maddie's Fund, Petfinder, Nathan Winograd, and hundreds of shelters and rescue groups -- from the Pennsylvania SPCA, which recently brought the Twitterlicious Sue Cosby on board as director, to Oregon's Cat Adoption Team and Austin's Heart of Texas Lab Rescue.



The big animal welfare organizations are there -- Best Friends, HSUS and ASPCA among them -- and so are innovative new social media-savvy folks like Start Seeing Black Dogs and AnimalWise Radio. I, along with a few other people, tweet for PetHobbyist.com. Pet Connection BFFs Therese Kopiwoda of PetSitUSA and Dr. Patty Khuly are there, too.



Some organizations tweet only rarely, and always impersonally; certainly these updates can be interesting and useful, but two institutional feeds manage to be interesting and personal at the same time. The American Animal Hospital Association's Helping Pets group, which gives grants to people to help pay for veterinary care for their animals, and AboutVetMed, both of whom have fantastic social media "voices" and share a lot of information that's both useful and heartwarming.



If you're on Twitter, post a link or your username in the comments, and please recommend your favorite feeds, too!

Comments

[The OTHER Pat]

See what happens! You leave town and Christie breaks Twitter!



(And to think some folks are trying to pin it on the Iranians . . . . . . . . . )

[Christie Keith]

@Nancy.... LOL, oh fine. Mock the shoe addiction. Pffft.



I meant, you know, "I'm doing the laundry now and then I guess I'll have to study for finals." Sometimes people follow me and when I go to their feed to see if I want to follow back, it's all those kinds of updates. This use of Twitter I don't get. At all!

[Colorado Transplant]

I am with the OTHER Pat on this one--I do not need to keep THAT much in touch so I do not twitter (yet).



As to tweeting, well, I will let the birds do that for me. After all, that is why I pay them with bird seed. :)

[Ingrid King]

I love Twitter (and I, too, had to chuckle at you picking today to post this here!). I use it much like you do - to share information, to build relationships, to promote my upcoming book and my blog posts.



I hesitated for a long time before starting to tweet and didn't think I would like it, but I find that I'm rather addicted at this stage - I was starting to twitch this morning when it was down for several hours!

[Gina Spadafori]

I so did not kill Twitter. I am innocent ... have been on Interstate 5 for the last nine hours.



Pamela says Faith cried all night. But she's in good hands and she'll learn that she is not glued to me for life.



As for us ... San Diego! I'll see Lia Palika tomorrow, and tonight it's the Padres-Mets with another pet-writing friend, Audrey Pavia ("Horses For Dummmies" and "The Ulimste Horse-Lover," which we co-authored) and her wonderful husband, Randy.



Whoo-hoo! (Although I do miss my pets.)

[Christie Keith]

Thanks for playing, even you Luddites. ;)



I have been hit by a killer intestinal bug of some kind -- so have both my dogs and, worst of all, my poor mom, who has enough to deal with right now thanks very much.



So I'm around but perhaps not quite as PERKY as I might normally be!

[Nancy Freedman-Smith CPDT]

Christie quote:

...I know there are people who use Twitter in a more “closed circle” kind of way and post more personal or mundane things to their feeds, but that’s not how I use it...



Oh really? Are you on the Zappos payroll to?

(couldn't help it)

[LauraS]

SaveOurDogs is on Twitter!

http://twitter.com/saveourdogs

[Carol V]

I'm new to it since May ... @cvec but have no idea what Tweetdeck is...but didn't use the internet until 2007 ... and I now know what an url is...ahhh..so far...to go! lol

[Nancy Freedman-Smith CPDT]

tweetdeck.com is better than twitter.com to keep track of your tweets. You can view them easier and personalize (word search, group friends etc)

[The OTHER Pat]

BTW, is this going to earn me a "Disorderly Conduct" citation from Christie?



heh. heh. heh.

[Nancy Freedman-Smith CPDT]

I have been on twitter for about 4 months and have a mini addiction that I am working on. It is fantastic here for local biz to cross promote each other. I was dragged to my first "Tweet Up", but went willingly to the next few and have met really great people via twitter here in Maine. I have connected with lots of great trainers on line that I would not otherwise have gotten to know. - @gooddogz

[Jason Merrihew]

I am using Tweetdeck and I am able to post/read tweets right now. Does anyone else use Tweetdeck or something similar?

[The OTHER Pat]

Yup - all the Luddites on PetConnection got together when they saw Christie's post and decided to do it in! VBG!



http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE57548520090806

[Jorge Guzman]

the best thing about twitter is that everyone has a different definition if what is it :)

[Jason Merrihew]

I was very hesitant to start Tweeting. However, it is way more than just knowing what others are having for lunch (I will unfollow someone for TMUI or too much useless information). I am amazed about how quickly breaking news spreads on Twitter before traditional media outlets pick it up. As a communications professional, it has been a useful tool. If anyone is interested, my twitter handle is @healthypet.

[Christie Keith]

Oh yes, of course Twitter had to be down for this post. And I'm sure we did break it! It was us!



I don't use Twitter to keep in touch with people, and it's obviously different than for substantive discussions, which blogs and forums and email lists are best for -- it's more for quick trading of pieces of interesting information and a little witty repartee. ;)



As to why not just email -- this is PUBLIC. I follow people I don't know, and people who don't know me follow me, and we can all see what each other finds interesting. It's fantastic for story ideas, and just for exposing yourself to information and sources of news and commentary you don't come across in your day to day life.



I know there are people who use Twitter in a more "closed circle" kind of way and post more personal or mundane things to their feeds, but that's not how I use it, nor the people who I follow. It's a vibrant meeting ground of information and ideas, and I find it useful, interesting, and fun.



Also, it's not "instead of" some other medium; it's in addition to. It's a synergy with blogs and news articles and video clips.

[The OTHER Pat]

And why do we all have to be THAT in touch? (This coming from someone who does not carry a cell phone because that's what voicemail is for!)

[Christie Keith]

Oh yikes, it's a denial of service attack on Twitter!

[Ark Lady]

I am on Twitter but my activity varies according to the username:



My inter active feed shares my blog posts and finds:

http://twitter.com/arklady



My private feed does not follow just shares blog posts and breaking news and is mainly a media feed:

http://twitter.com/DianaLGuerrero



Flea Control Secrets is all about the EPA Advisory and related flea control topics:

http://twitter.com/FleaControlBook



The Pet Parenting School should launch in the fall:

http://twitter.com/PetParenting



My favorites are pretty vast and the easiest thing to do is to check out who I am following on my Twitter page!

[The OTHER Pat]

Boy do you have good timing!



http://mashable.com/2009/08/06/twitter-down/

[EmilyS]

or Gina killed it...

[Eric Goebelbecker]

Great piece! I like the bulletin board comparison.



EmilyS - I don't see twitter as better than a blog, I see it as a companion. I use it to publicize my blog, get ideas for posts, and sometimes for making brief comments on things that don't require an entire post. It's similar to making (shorter) comments here, but sharing them with people that might need read this blog.



I think it is better than e-mail for distributing small bits of information to > 1 person.



OTHER Pat - it's not about keeping in touch, at least not for me. I don't post what I had for breakfast. :-)

[Rochelle Lesser]

I agree with everything Eric said. But, I have to admit it gets tiring posting to my blog, twittering, and adding content to an large 1000+ page site. Come follow me at http://twitter.com/landofpuregold (hopefully it will back up soon) & be sure to check out my last big tweet for a fun, spiritual journey. I actually got the supreme compliment this morning from him on the page ( http://tinyurl.com/knyf2g ).

[YesBiscuit!]

This post broke Twitter.

[Rochelle Lesser]

Oops, I forgot to mention who the compliment was from. It was the always fabulous Dr. Marty.

[Dr. Tony Johnsons]

Thanks for the info, CK. I must admit I was using Twitter but not totally clued in to what it does. This was a handy primer.

[EmilyS]

I really don't get Twitter.

Why is it better than a blog for substantive comments.. or personal email for those that aren't?

[Nancy Freedman-Smith CPDT]

Christie, I was only kidding. I knew what you meant. There is a couple I now who met on twitter...and they went on a date last weekend and tweeted EVERYTHING about where they were, all day long, even down to the stupid stupid stupid google function that gives you their GPS location map. I had to wonder if they were even talking to each other.

[Nancy Freedman-Smith CPDT]

They were tweeting from two different phones of course.

[The OTHER Pat]

Oh dear. Twitter looks to be down again (at least right at the moment):



http://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/



What an unfortunate time for people to be unaware of Christie's loss of Rebel today.

[Peggy Frezon]

Hi, I follow you on Twitter and find Twitter useful for finding current info and connecting with other pet lovers. I'm also on twitter @peggyfrezon.(And I also blog helpful tips for pet owners.) Thanks for your tweets!

[Dr. Tony Johnson]

Wow - a blog about twittering - and I just tweeted about my blog the other day. I think we have come full circle; the internet is eating itself!

[EmilyS]

looks like a TOS or something re Google and blogs... if you try to go to most blogs, you'll get a "sorry we're blocking you" message

[Colorado Transplant]

Let the internet eat itself--I am going to eat my cupcake that my daughter is supposedly going to bring me for my birthday (cake too fattening) and any twittering or tweetering is off to the future.



I have a twitter account, but I forget the name and I haven't used it for fear of lack of privacy--does anyone have an issue about that?

[Anne T]

This discussion reminds me of my father. When confronted with something he found incomprehensible, he'd pontificate with "De gustibus, non est disputandum" which either got a rise out of one of us, or brought the conversation to a screeching halt.

So in his memory; De Gustibus...lol.

[Christie Keith]

Anne, in a way I agree, because clearly not all forms of media are "right" for everyone.



What I don't like is when someone both rejects a form of media -- television, social media, the Web, email lists, the radio, whatever -- and confounds its form with its content.



Twitter might be something you don't find useful because you have an existing source of similar information that is meeting your needs, because you are not/don't want to be online enough to use it effectively, because you prefer less information with more context and commentary to more information with little or none of either (although you self-select for context on Twitter by subscribing to people's feeds, so that's not necessarily relevant here)... the list could be endless.



But that doesn't mean that Twitter IS useless, or that it's a demonic force out to suck your brains away via the Interwebz, or that people who find it fun and useful are weird or geeky or somehow "other" than the rest of the planet.



Micro-blogging is simply a form of communication, just like any other. It has natural limitations related to the "micro" part, but in the case of Twitter those are by design. It was always meant to be used by people who are using mobile devices, and it was meant to be lean and fast.



Certainly I don't want lean and fast to be all there is, but there are times when lean and fast is just what you need.



So while Twitter the FORM might be a matter of taste, the information shared on Twitter is not. It's just information. You might prefer to get your information in another way (taste), but information is not a matter of "taste" per se.

[Christie Keith]

I sometimes tweet from public events, but I find it annoying. Unless I was covering some seriously breaking news or covering a crime or disaster, I can't see doing that too much. I've never gotten into texting so my micro-typing is slow, very slow.