Dec03
Top 10 Quirky Gifts for Animal Lovers
Posted at 01:38 PM | Permalink
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Comments (20)
My own extended family and circle of friends are a ravening bunch of carnivorous barbarians who would gladly eat their own dogs and cats if they ran out of ground beef one day. But my colleagues have informed me that, thankfully, not all families are like this, and what with Christmas round the corner and all, they’ve suggested that I write an entry focusing on some of the fun, funny, and occasionally kind of weird gift ideas for animal lovers that we’re currently featuring in the PETA Catalog. With that in mind, here’s a top 10 for you. Because although there may be fewer animal lovers in the world than we would like, everybody loves a top 10 list. And that includes you. So read and enjoy. And Merry Christmas.
 1. The Cat Vomit Warning Sign. If you like cats, vomit, and signs, you’re not going to do much better than this. It’s also a great way of letting guests know to tread carefully if little Mittens is prone to expressing herself via hairballs. |
 2. My Dog/Cat is a Rescue T-Shirt. Tell the world that you rescued your furry friend from a shelter! Bragging is OK if it’s also a public service. |
 3. Eat No Animal T-Shirt. Paul McCartney himself wears this very T-shirt in his latest video. And if it’s good enough for Sir Paul, it’s good enough for your family. (Recommended for vegetarians—otherwise it’s just confusing). |
 4. Let’s Have a Dog Party. The latest book by PETA President Ingrid Newkirk is actually a hell of a lot more practical than it sounds. Full of fun tips that will help you make your canine companion the happiest pup on the block, it’s a perfect gift for those people who never stop talking about their dog. You know who you are, Allie. |
 5. Dogfighters are Cowardly Scum T-Shirt. Put animal abusers in their place and make a fashion statement at the same time. Just by wearing this T-shirt, you’ll be accomplishing two of the most important things you’ll ever do. |
 6. Be Scratch Happy, Don’t Declaw BackScratcher. Is your current backscratcher missing a humorous, cat-friendly message? Never fear, we have the answer. This is an ideal present for cat-lovers with itchy backs. |
 7.This KFCCruelty.com Bobblehead Ink Pen is perfect for composing that angry letter to KFC about their refusal to make even minimal changes to alleviate the suffering of the hundreds of millions of chickens killed for their restaurants each year. To be fair, it’s also good for writing, like, other stuff. |
 8. 'PETA Saves' Piggy Bank. Ah, so many levels of meaning. PETA “saves,” because PETA saves pigs, but you’re also “saving” money by using the piggy bank! OK, maybe it’s not quite so fun when you explain it. But it really is pretty darn cute. |
 9. Humane Smart Mousetrap. Catch and release, baby. It’s good for the mice, and it’s good for your soul. |
 10. And finally, the Gift Sets for the Animal People. In all honesty, this is more of a gift to us than it is to the person in question—but it’s a fun way of giving a donation in someone’s name. Pick the perfect donation package for your animal-loving family member, or, if you have a hunter in the family, why not give them the Peace for Animals Gift just to annoy them? |
Oh, and for what it’s worth, everyone in my family’s getting a copy of this PETA book of New Yorker cartoons. That way I can eat my tofurkey in peace on Christmas day while they all laugh pompously and pretend they understand the esoteric jokes.
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Comments
No.3, lol!! Ok, ok I'll get that one for my sister's husband!
Posted by: Carla | December 3, 2007 04:03 PM
Give the cat a dog in a blender.
Give the dog a cat in a blender.
Then bbq them both.
PEOPLE EATING TASTY ANIMALS
Posted by: Epic Fail Guy | December 3, 2007 06:45 PM
Omnivores are barbarians? Really now, cmon.
Pretty nifty toys, too bad they're made from petrolium.
Posted by: Caboose | December 4, 2007 06:17 AM
You know, I'd really only call 1 and maybe 4 "quirky." The rest is just obvious "get something from PETA." Plus, if it's FOR an animal lover, why would you send a gift like a back scratcher that urges them not to declaw? They probably already know that, and if they have declawed their cat or are thinking about it, it's a lot more annoying to get the message in the form of a back-scratcher than a concerned conversation.
You know, it doesn't hurt to plug products by *other* people every now and then. Plus, I think it'd be sweet to give an animal lover a certificate that says you donated in their name.
Posted by: J. | December 4, 2007 09:36 AM
Let's get this straight. It's OK to surgicaly mutilate a cat by neutering it but declawing a cat is cruel?
Posted by: Anonymous | December 4, 2007 01:18 PM
Anonymous
All of my cats ( and the ones that went to kitty Heaven) were either spayed or neutered but they were not mutilated as a result of this. Declawing is both cruel and unnecessary. Claws are vital to the well-being of felines; declawing serves no purpose but only to the cruel and insensitive human who pays for this surgery. My cats have their own furniture to scratch and I also trim their nails. Cutting off your fingers up to your knuckles in order to satisfy the whim of a human is cruel. My children broke things as toddlers but I didn't resort to amputating their fingers; I taught them acceptible behavior. Can't handle the nature of felines, get a pet rock!
Posted by: Ana | December 4, 2007 03:42 PM
Neutering prevents overpopulation and the suffering of many unwanted animals. It's done for animals overall. Most animals are running around hours after the surgery as if it never happened...they sure don't seem to be suffering to me.
Declawing prevents a cat from defending itself. It's done for the owners who don't want the scratching, not for the animal.
Posted by: Otillie | December 4, 2007 03:51 PM
Anonymous--yes. Do the research.
Posted by: Canaduck | December 4, 2007 04:40 PM
Spaying and neutering is the responsible thing to do, but it can also provide health benefits to your companion animals. Female rabbits in particular are at high risk of getting ovarian cancer when they are not going to have bunnies - I spared my rabbit from this possibility by having her spayed, even though she is an indoor rabbit. They can spay animals by using laser surgery now, so I gladly paid the extra money for my rabbit to have this surgery - it is less painful and the recovery time is shortened as compared to traditional surgery. This may also apply to other female animal species but I do not have specific information about this - maybe someone else out there has more info about it.
Posted by: Michele | December 4, 2007 09:23 PM
I would LOVE a "My BIRD is a Rescue" t-shirt...any of those available??
:D
Posted by: Tamara | December 5, 2007 12:17 AM
Anonymous, It's also proven that spayed/neutered animals live longer than unaltered animals and are less suceptible to certain cancers. And to be blunt, no, they don't "miss" their balls.
Posted by: BullyDawg | December 5, 2007 12:01 PM
"Declawing prevents a cat from defending itself. "
Defending itself from what? Be a responsible owner and the cat will not need to defend itself or have unwanted litters.So nethier mutilation is needed unless your an irresponsible owner that let's the animal go out of control.
Posted by Ana;
" My children broke things as toddlers but I didn't resort to amputating their fingers; I taught them acceptible behavior."
Nor did you resort to nuetering when your children started having sex.
Posted by: Anonymous | December 5, 2007 01:12 PM
anonymous
Must be Mars!!!!More stupid comments!!! Same style of stupid comments...yuk!! Are you neutered????
Posted by: Ana | December 5, 2007 01:42 PM
Ana - yes it's the neutered M-ars - this fucker got an other e-mail address - maybe from the person who pays him for harassing here!
Jack - open your eyes - this fucker wants to play with us!
Posted by: candy | December 5, 2007 02:32 PM
Ana,
I agree it sounds like Mars. Maybe if Jack compares the IP addresses he can tell.
Don't declaw. I got my one cat interested in the scratching post by brewing a catnip tea and then spraying it on the post. I've replaced the carpet on the post a few times, but she totally ignores the furniture (other than sleeping where I want to sit).
Posted by: Mike Quinoa | December 5, 2007 03:47 PM
To "anonymous" (yeah, right, who do you think you are fooling??), so you are saying that mutilating animals (by declawing them or by having them spayed/neutered) is wrong.
That's a pretty convenient comment when you want to write something that opposes anything said/written by an animal rights activist.
But, it is no longer a convenient argument when we get to the hunting/trapping and meat-eating discussion, is it? Because the animals who are kept in factory farms are MUTILATED by being castrated without anaesthetic, MUTILATED by having their beaks seared off, MUTILATED when their throats are slit, MUTILATED when they are shot, when their legs are caught in a trap, or when they get a hook piercing their skin. THAT kind of mutilation is most definitely wrong!
Posted by: Michele | December 5, 2007 03:57 PM
re:neutering/spaying, here's where I have a problem with animal rights, particularly their selectivity:
It's alright to completely alter an animals body/hormones by invading and removing unwanted(in humans view) items, yet complain bitterly about say wool because of the animals "rights" to not be exploited.
Is it only farm animals that should be given full rights?
For the record desexing animals is important and has my support, but don't pretend that it isn't an infringement upon the very rights peta espouses.
Posted by: rojo | December 5, 2007 06:57 PM
Which is why Agriculture should be HEAVILY improved.
Posted by: Caboose | December 5, 2007 10:18 PM
It is amazing how some people think they are cool and smart and they can only show how stupid and misinformed they are...
Before making ANY comments at all, please educate yourself...and quit wasting time here...go find a pet to adopt and love...you will be loved back, I promise you...apparently ytou never felt love in your life...an animal can do it for you...
Posted by: Teresa | December 18, 2007 07:52 AM
teresa
WTF DID YOU JUST SPLUTTER OUT?
Posted by: Caboose | January 3, 2008 03:19 AM