The holiday season has arrived, and if you’re like us, you want to lavish attention and affection on your pets more than ever during this time of year. We’ve found that the best way to include your fur friend in the holiday festivities is to give them gifts they can enjoy. And if you like buying for your pet, you likely know that most gifts are not only for the pet, but for the owner (ahem!) as well.

Read on for our best ideas for gifts for pets and their people.
 

Wrap Up Excitement

With numerous ways to entice your pets to have fun, there’s no shortage of excitement during the holidays. May we remind you to leave all pet treats (and people food, for that matter) in a safe and secure location, not under the tree, until you’re ready to unwrap the gift and go to town. Edible gifts in particular should be kept out of pet’s reach until the moment you give it.
 

Unleashing the Best Gifts for Pets (And Their Owners)

If you’ve been paying attention, you know that there are some amazing pet products out there. Here are our top picks:

• iFetch Interactive ball launcher for those dogs who are ball crazy, and just won’t quit!

• A pet fountain, which provides fresh drinking water and a pleasant aesthetic

• Barkbox, a monthly subscription service, sends your dog (and you) a new box full of toys and treats each month.

• Deluxe dog mattress

• New walking gear like glow in the dark leashes, collars, travel bottle and bowl, and bag holder.

• Dyson groom straps on to your vacuum attachment and lets you quickly and easily groom extra hair off your pet, gently.

• Nuzzle collars are GPS trackers that provide constant location tracking for your pet

• Deluxe cat perches will allow your cat to survey their territory with ease

• Feather wand, crinkle toys, and pet “mice” for cats will drive them wild and elicit their natural hunting behaviors

• Catnip plants or a kitty indoor garden are gifts that keep on giving.

• Puzzle feeder or interactive food dispensing toys are great for pets who eat too fast or who need stimulation while home alone. Great for dogs and cats alike!

• Go all out for your kitty with a custom catio. A great addition for any cat lover’s home.
   

The Gift of Love

There are many pets who will get everything on their wish list this year, but there are also plenty who are in desperate need of love and attention. Shelters are overcrowded, and fostering a pet is a wonderful way to share the love of a family home with a pet who needs a break from shelter life (the extra socialization often makes shelter pets more adoptable as well). Giving the gift of love is always one of the best gifts for pets, in our opinion.

If you can’t open your home to a foster pet, you can always give a meaningful donation to the shelter or rescue organization of your choice. Most of them post needs on their websites, so check around. Many need blankets, brushes, beds, and food bowls on a regular basis. Of course, a donation of any monetary amount goes a long way to helping pets in need.
 

Not So Great Gifts

Of course, there are those gifts that no pet wants, the kind that land them in the emergency room to be specific. Make sure you are aware of holiday safety precautions with holiday food, decorations, and festivities, and you’ll be on the right track. And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give your friends at The Pet’s Place Animal Hospital a call.

Happy holidays from our pack to yours!