Virtual Pet Book Club: Connect, Read, and Celebrate Your Furry Friends

You love reading, and you love your pets. Why not combine your two passions and join an online pet book club? Traditional book clubs help you connect with fellow bookworms with similar interests, but there's a lot of organization involved. You could skip the time spent planning and driving to various locations to meet by joining an online pet book club—maybe even more than one. These clubs prompt you to read great pet-focused books and then chat with likeminded pet lovers.   Some online book clubs even give members opportunities to interact with authors as well as fellow readers. You always have the freedom to choose when you participate, and you can log in from the comfort of your own home, your local coffee shop or even while you're on vacation. If you want to give an online book club a try, consider joining any (or all) of the following pet book clubs:  

1. Animal Book Club from the Animal Legal Defense Fund

Founded by a group of attorneys who wanted to help advocate for stronger anti-cruelty laws and the humane treatment of all animals, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) is a leading supporter of animal-based causes. The ALDF's book club showcases stellar pet books (fiction and nonfiction), hosts engaging discussions and provides detailed interviews with authors. To join, visit the ALDF Book Club website and sign up for free.    

2. The Doggie Book Club on Goodreads

Goodreads is a free website that launched in 2007 to connect book lovers from around the world. It allows you to see what your friends are reading, keep track of your reading wish list and join book clubs. The Doggie Book Club is devoted to reading pet books and bringing dog lovers together to join in discussions, invite friends to join and read titles like "The Good Companions" and "Hounding the Pavement." To join a pet book club on Goodreads, simply find the group that best meets your pet personality and click the "Join Group" button.    

3. Animal Ethics Reading and Discussion Group from Global Justice for Animals and the Environment

As the name suggests, Global Justice for Animals and the Environment works to provide a voice for both animals and the environment through research teams, advocacy groups and an online book club that's ideal for pet lovers. The book club, known as the Animal Ethics Reading and Discussion Group, typically reads titles that support the organization's advocacy for animal rights and help its members become better spokespeople for the movement. After signing up online, you can suggest books on animal ethics that you're interested in reading.    

4. DogRead Online Book Club on Yahoo

This group of more than 6,600 readers describes itself as "the original cyber book club," and it regularly features authors who join in the discussions, which are presented in a workshop-like format. Members read one dog-related title every month. To join, email [email protected].   Do you have a favorite online book club that wasn't mentioned here? Tell us about it on Facebook.