SYDNEY, Australia -- The inaugural 2013 Australian Pet Blogger Awards will be held in Sydney on Friday 29th November and the search is on for bloggers who blog about pets; pet app developers and great pet websites to enter or be nominated.

Presented by Four Paws PR, www.fourpawspr.com, Australia’s only pet public relations and marketing agency, Awards entries are open to various types of bloggers such as; mums, lifestyle, travel, and food on the condition that their blog contains posts about pets.

There are also awards for best pet app, best pet website and best pet facebook page.

Pet bloggers are now bigger than Mum Bloggers in the US and Australia is set to follow this trend. Research shows that pet owners trust bloggers more than manufacturers trying to push product in a cluttered marketplace. Brands are finding that using Pet Bloggers as brand advocates is smart marketing and soft sell that pet owners respond more positively.

Australia is a nation of pet lovers and pet bloggers are growing in popularity There is a growing market of Petpreneurs in Australia who are taking advantage of the $8 billion plus dollar pet industry and starting up businesses to cater for pet owners who are spending significant amounts of money on their pets.

Australia’s leading media personality and dog lover, Kerri-Anne Kennerley will be hosting the Awards luncheon on Friday 29th November at Centennial Parklands Dining Wine Room, Sydney attended by finalists, pet industry members, pet welfare organisations and the media. Entries close Friday 15 November and finalists will be announced on the 22nd November 2013.

The Awards recognise the best of the pet blogging community and is an opportunity for the pet industry to get together annually and to support pet welfare organisations.

Special focus will be placed on pet welfare and each year funds raised from the Awards will be donated to a specific organization.

Furthermore, it will increase public awareness of the pet industry’s support of pet welfare in Australia.

Dogs Life Magazine, the leading national pet magazine, is a major Partner of the Pet Blogger Awards and will be covering the Awards extensively online and in the magazine.

There are seventeen categories that Pet Bloggers will be invited to enter and all entries will be judged by a panel of experienced bloggers, pet experts and members of the media including; renowned journalist Valerie Khoo, Kylie Baracz, Editor of Dogs Life Magazine and Rebecca Derrington founder of Source Bottle.

Each Award category is supported by Prize Partners, who have donated $5000 of services or products to the winners chosen pet welfare organisation. The overall winner will choose a pet welfare organisation which will receive a full page colour advertisement in Dogs Life Magazine valued at $6,000!

The 2013 Australian Pet Blogger Awards categories include:

Best Dog Blog, Best Cat Blog, Best Other Pet, Best Designed Blog, Dogs Life Magazine Readers Choice Awards, Funniest Blog or Blogger, Best Youth Blog (for bloggers under 18 years), Best Rescue / Cause Blog, Best Actual Pet Blog, Best Pet Company Blog, Best Veterinarian Blog, Best Behaviourist/Training Blog, Best Pet Travel blog, Best International Pet Blog

There will also be awards for; Best Pet App, Best Twitter Design, Best Facebook Page, Best Pet website

For further information, hi res images or to organise an interview with Louise Lees, Director, Four Paws PR please contact

Kate Richards, Four Paws PR M 0404 892 782 E kate@fourpawspr.com

Louise Lees M 0418 543 498 E Louise@fourpawspr.com