Ten Nice Gifts to Buy for Animal Lovers

Animal lovers come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and types. From wildlife enthusiasts to pet owners whose animals are regarded as "people in fur coats" an animal lover is one of the most compassionate types of individuals. Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and the environment, was said to have once blessed a wild wolf, is celebrated with a blessing of animals tradition on October 4th. Who honored the wild animals of the world, companion animals like pets, and tame roaming creatures as the blessed creations of God.

Purchasing gifts for animal lovers during the holidays often means recognizing this warm position toward the meeker creatures of the world. Many gifts come to mind that recognize a love of animals, but some of the best are:

1. Zoo Pass - A membership to a local zoo is a lovely expression to an animal lover. At the zoo, an individual can see animals in habitat displays while supporting education and often ecology programs around the world. Zoo passes usually include free admission for a year, discounts on services and the gift shop, and unique member opportunities. A nice way to package the zoo pass would be in a card attached to a Noah's Ark snow globe.

2. St. Francis Medallion - A St. Francis medallion is a lovely way for a pet owner to encourage the return of a lost pet if it should ever end up missing. The back of the St. Francis metal bears a poem that lets any finder of a lost pet know the animal is loved and the loss of the pet would be heart wrenching. Any animal lover with pets would want one for their pet's collar. They retail for $15.

3. Your favorite animal lover will appreciate an animal welfare donation given in their name. Just find out the name of their favorite animal charity or no-kill shelter and make a donation in their name. Most charities will be more than happy to sign your holiday card along with you and include information about the gift presented to them in the recipient's honor. If you can't donate a financial amount, consider checking out the charity's wish list for ideas of how to help.

4. The "FF" necklace is making a chic fashion statement as well as a statement for humane awareness among animal lovers everywhere. (FF stands for "Fur Free.") This stunning crystal encrusted pendant bears the initials FF. For $15 you can buy the necklace and support the Humane Society while taking a stand against wearing fur.

5. A subscription to the NWF's National Wildlife magazine is a great way to support the National Wildlife Federation, an organization dedicated to helping raise humane awareness and care for wildlife everywhere. Every animal packed issue will be delivered to your recipient's mailbox six times a year with web exclusives to bring the print magazine together with the online web offerings.
6. Binoculars are a great gift for people who love to watch wildlife. For watching everything from the squirrel plodding along the power line to a flock of geese heading south for the winter, binoculars are a must have for animal lovers everywhere.

7. Calendars are a wonderful gift for animal lovers, and if you know where to look, you can find a great calendar to buy that supports an animal welfare organization. One such organization, the ASPCA (American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) offers an annual calendar and personalized holiday cards for purchase on their website as well as other ASPCA supporting goodies.

8. Traer Scott's book Shelter Dogs is a photographic account of dogs dwelling in shelters across America. The portraits are moving, amusing, and sometimes heartbreaking. Fifty dogs were photographed to make this labor of love. Every shelter dog in the world was in her heart as she completed it. It retails for just under $20. Please note, other writers have used the title Shelter Dogs. Make sure you select Shelter Dogs by Traer Scott.

9. If your animal lover enjoys photographing animals, why not buy them a digital camera? From inexpensive 5 or 6mp to the pricy 8mp, many digital cameras go on sale at holiday time. Be sure to steer away from extremely cheap models, which likely produce low quality grainy photos.

10. With Snapfish, you can use photographs of an animal lover's pets to make lasting gifts. Personalized items like memory books, mugs, mousepads, and calendars can also be created on the site Cafepress. Through using this website and with a digital image of a beloved friend, you can create a T-shirt, apron, or even underwear. Prices are fairly reasonable, from about a dollar for a pin style "button" or under thirty dollars for a track suit.

Whether your animal lover is a fan of pets or wildlife, these gifts for animal lovers are sure to bring a smile this holiday, and if you choose a charitable gift, you are not only giving to your animal loving friend, you're giving to the special animals that charity helps out. Happy Holidays!