Using a combination of expert articles and Wikipedia-like contributions, Vivapets is trying to catalog every pet breed -- and it's a social network to boot. Unlike Dogster or Catster, Vivapets is open to all pets, including reptiles and exotic animals. The site allows users to create pages for their pets and add photo albums, then engage with a network of friends through forums, chat, or personal messaging. The site currently has 100,000 registered users and claims 220,000 unique visitors each month.
CEO: Marcos Cerqueira
Location: Oporto, Portugal
URL: vivapets.com
Launch date: 2003
Funding: Not disclosed (founders)