Disclosure- The ASPCA sent me some toys from their online store for my furry children but I received no other compensation and all opinions are 100% my own. I am very passionate about protecting animals.
If you’re anything like me, your pets are like your children only furrier. We love our pets and many of us like to get our pets gifts during the holiday season. And let’s not forget all the pet lovers on our holiday gift lists. Studies show that over a third of Americans purchase holiday gifts for their pet. Every year, the ASPCA encourages shoppers not to buy anything at stores that sell puppies. You see, most pet store puppies come from puppy mills—you know, those large scale breeding operations where dogs live in horrible conditions and never receive love. Well, every time you buy anything from a pet store that sells puppies, you’re actually supporting this very cruel industry. Check out their holiday video below to learn about the connection between pet store puppies and puppy mills. You can also visit No Pet Store Puppies to learn more and take the pledge to I pledge that If a pet store sells puppies, you won’t buy anything there.
Then click to tweet to share the pledge with your friends!
ASPCA behavior experts have put together some fun gift ideas for DIY enthusiasts or just those trying to cut back on costs:
(Photo Credit For All Photos In This Post ASPCA)
~To make a tasty chew toy, soak a rope toy in chicken broth and then freeze. Once frozen, give the toy to your dog for hours of savory chewing.
~For cats, rip off a piece of aluminum foil paper or tissue paper, put cat food or cat nip in it, and crumble it up into a ball. This serves a fun batting toy for hours of kitty entertainment. (I was given this idea by the ASPCA but it has been brought to my attention by a reader that tin foil might not be safe if your kitty is left unattended with the foil so use paper or tissue paper instead just in case.) 🙂
~For cats, fill plastic Easter eggs with wet cat food as a fun food puzzle.
~Rinse out an empty, cardboard milk carton, fill it with dry pet food and poke holes for a food-dispensing puzzle toy.
Here are some other cute gift ideas for pets, available on the ASPCA Online Store and the prices are very reasonable.
Gifts for pets:
5-piece Dog Gift Set – $5.99
Dog Stocking Toy – $8.99
Cat Play Balls – $1.99
DJ Cat Scratching Post – 39.99
Cat Fling-ama-String – 29.99
Gifts for pet lovers:
Walker’s Shortbread Chocolate Cookies – $4.19
Zales Diamond Pendants – prices vary depending on the piece, the pieces above are some of my favorites!
Symbolic Transport of Animal Rescued from Cruelty or Disaster – $25.00
Symbolic Puppy Socialization Class – $25.00
Make sure to check out the ASPCA’s FULL holiday gift guide for pets and pet lovers alike.
Make sure to join their annual #SantaPaws Holiday Twitter party coming up on Wednesday, December 18th at 7pm EST (RSVP here) with special co-hosts Tails Magazine, The Fluffington Post and Two Little Cavaliers.
Special holiday giveaways every six minutes!
