We all know that the online world is filled with any many negative, nasty individuals as it is with adorable celebrity-kitten pics and piles-of-puppies videos. I still don’t understand why people feel the need to attack others (insecure much?), but it’s a current reality, unfortunately. BUT…there are people and pets working against it.
Meet Oreo. He’s got an adorable face, a vast wardrobe, and a healthy social media following. He also once had (and probably continues to have) his own cyber bullies. But rather than hide in a box, he and his human fought back.
According to Catster, Oreo and his owner, Tina Modugno, the negative were very hurtful. “You would not believe the number of people I’ve had to block on various platforms for hateful and sometimes even violent comments,” Tina told the web site. “I am an adult, and reading those things really hurts me, so for a young child it has to be tenfold.”
Consequently, the pair teamed up with another famous cat, Atchoum, who experienced bullying. (If you take a look at his site, you can see he’s not your standard kitty and stands out–in a good way.) The group used words to fight back, authoring a children’s book called Atchoum and Oreo: First Day of School.
Oreo’s owner, Modugno, says the results have been overwhelming, with positive messages flowing in via social media since the book’s launch. The pair have several plans in the works, but she one clear goal: “As long as we are able to continue entertaining people and making people laugh, we will keep pushing ahead!”