Welcome back. The Animal base is relatively new and came out within the past year. While it is not currently as customizable as the Human avatars, new items are being released all of the time for that base.
If you are searching for new friends with a specific interest, I would recommend looking for these friends in the Friends Chat forum:
http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/f.151
Keep in mind that we also have many other forums, and you might find that one or more that better fits your interests.
I hope that you find what you are looking for on the site. If you need assistance finding a specific community for your interests, please let me know.