I’m an animal person. Well, except for spiders and snakes and sharks and eels and bugs of all kinds and other terrifying animals. Allow me to rephrase: I am a furry animal person who also has a soft spot for turtles, dolphins, manatees, seals, and other fat, but not really hairy, animals. Give me some story on CNN about some dog that saved its blind owner from a fire and I’m in tears. In fact, just the other day, my world came temporarily crumbling down when I heard the news that the racehorse Barbaro had been put to sleep.
It’s no surprise then, that I’m a total sucker for Hallmark-like images of animals (usually furry baby animals) doing adorable things like snuggling, kissing, or curled up in Nikes. Such precious moments—and I mean “precious” in all senses of the word—are the sole purpose of Cute Overload. Sure, the site is cloying and cheesy, but it’s not trying not to be. Think: baby koala bears sitting on their mommies’ heads, a baby polar bear with its tongue sticking out, and of course, no site would truly be certified “Cute Dispenser” without plenty o’ baby panda snapshots.
I can’t say that I like this site on a regular basis, but sometimes after reading the front page of The New York Times and getting briefed on the latest bombings and tragedies, Cute Overload is a welcome respite. Lookie! There’s still innocence and bright eyes in the world! Even if I have to go to the Internet to find it.