Gifts for Vegetarians and Animal Lovers: Charitable Donations

Vegetarians, vegans, and animal lovers who have it all are particularly hard to shop for. So who says you have to hit up the mall to give them a holiday gift that will be well received and deeply appreciated? Stay at home in your sweats and slippers, get online, and do your Christmas or holiday shopping from your cushy office chair. By visiting the websites of nonprofit organizations that support animal rights and liberation and clicking your way through the "Donations" section, you can easily make a contribution in someone else's name and give it as a caring and thoughtful gift that is right in line with the charitable spirit of the season.HSUS

HSUS
Recent major campaign efforts include: lobbying Congress to pass a plan of action to provide assistance for animals during national disaster crises (such as hurricane Katrina) and attempts to stop Canada's practice of clubbing baby seals to death for their fur. For more information on the HSUS, or to subscribe to their e-newsletter, please visit the following website: http://www.hsus.org/ To obtain information regarding donations, please see this link: https://secure.hsus.org/01/hiphiphumane

PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has more than one million supporters and claims to be the largest animal rights organization, not just in the U.S., but in the world. Much like the HSUS, PETA's main mission is to protect the life and rights of all animals. Their tag line? "Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment."

PETA advocates mainly in the four areas they say cause the largest numbers of animals intense suffering and a compromised quality of life: factory PETA's laboratories, the clothing trade, and the entertainment industry.
To obtain information regarding gift donations, please see this link:http://www.petacatalog.com/peta/buynow/gift55.asp?code=G99

ASPCA
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a different organization than the local SPCA down the road where you might have adopted your pet. Both charities are worth giving to, of course, but just be aware that they are not the same. The ASPCA is headquartered in New York and takes on more than adopting out dogs and cats. They also conduct education programs, advocate for disaster preparedness. Many people may not know this, but the ASPCA was started by a man who protested abusive behavior toward horses. In keeping with Henry Bergh's compassion for horses, the ASPCA also has an Equine Program. To learn about gift donation opportunities to the ASPCA, follow this link: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=donate_home

Local
Local animal shelters and rescues often do participate in gift-giving donations, providing the buyer wBergh'sms such as certificates to present to the gift recipient and honorary name plaques hung by the animal they are sponsoring in the shelter. However, these are often far more difficult to find online. While most small shelters have websites, their budgets and staff are so small that they are just not as well designed and frequently updated. This means information regarding holiday features, such as Christmastime gift-giving opportunities, may not be updated. To find out what you can donate locally, please contact the individual shelters or rescues directly. These small shelters and rescues are often in need of the money more than larger organizations, so donating to them on behalf of someone else is not only a thoughtful, helpful gift, but a needed one as well.