PETA gets a bad rap most of the time, but the organization does do some good to protect furry creatures who can’t speak for themselves. The group’s youth division is tipping a special hat to music stars like Justin Bieber and Kesha for being uber animal friendly — the pair will go up against one another for the Most Animal-Friendly Pop/Hip-Hop Artist award, and in this case, we don’t even care who wins.

“Our nominees have all worked hard to shine their spotlights on a variety of important animal issues,” peta2 Division Manager Marta Holmberg said of the star-studded nominees. “As our accomplished stars demonstrate, compassion isn’t just a virtue — it’s also a road to success.”

This is not the first time that the Biebs has been involved with PETA, as he fronted one of their campaigns in early 2011. The ‘Baby’ singer reached out to his young fanbase by telling them in the ads, “My world includes passion for animals, yours should too” and “Animals can make u smile. Adopt from your local shelter,” prompting more people to adopt from shelters.

As for Kesha, she spoke out against the slaughter of Canadian seals, which is another hot topic that, with the help of her fanbase, could easily become less of an issue. The two pop icons are in good company with rappers k-os and Waka Flocka Flame, who are also in line for the Most Animal-Friendly Pop/Hip-Hop Artist award.

‘Glee’ star Lea Michele is up for Top Animal-Friendly Celebrity, while the Ready Set, Tokio Hotel and Hellogoodbye are Most Animal-Friendly Band. Kesha is up for an additional award, Best peta2 ad.

Fans can vote for their favorite stars through Dec. 23; winners for the Libby Awards, as decided by votes, will be announced on Jan. 17.

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