Holiday Gift Guide: For the Animal Lover
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York on 11.17.08
Photo via ny156uk @ flickr
Just because your pets get spoiled every other day of the year is no reason to leave them out during the holidays. We know most cats and dogs can entertain themselves for hours with low-hanging ornaments, ribbon remnants, and balled-up wrapped paper, but if you’re willing to take it one step further, we’ve scouted out the best organic and eco-friendly toys, beds, carriers, and gear—at prices that will leave you plenty left over to spoil your human family members, too.
Photo via Simply Fido
Simply Fido organic toys
Pups are not easy on their chew toys, whether it’s a golden retriever pulling the squeaker out of a mallard or a black lab mauling a pint-sized squirrel. Make sure the bits and pieces that they’re gnawing on are safe with these natural hemp toys from Simply Fido; Taco the bird, Eddy the elephant, Jeri the mouse, and Ollie the owl are all made of organic, unbleached, untreated fibers and dyed with gardenia seed, clove, and chestnut bur. Even the squeaker is nontoxic (it conforms to European standards of safety for infant toys) so you can feel at ease while Rover goes at it, and, at $10, his destruction of the charming little guys will be no great tragedy. (Trixie and Peanut, $10)
Photo via Olive
Organic Hemp Woodland Friends
Why do dogs get all the good toys? As anyone who’s ever spent half an hour fishing foam balls from under the couch can tell you, kittens like to play, too. Keep your cat busy with these handmade bird and mouse toys: organic hemp, non-toxic dye, and organic catnip come together for irresistibly bat-able shapes that you’ll be digging out from under furniture for years to come. (Olive Green Dog, $5.50)
Photo via Fibercore, LLC
Eco-Forage Box
Bird owners know how their flying friends love to dig. The Eco-Forage box makes it easy, green, and inexpensive to keep birds happy, with 100 percent recycled paper cut and stuffed into cardboard boxes—perfect for bedding or burrowing. Add some organic treats before you put it in the cage for extra incentive for your parakeet, cockatiel, parrot, or other winged pet. (Doctors Foster and Smith, $5.49 fox a box of six assorted sizes)Next: chic collars, clothes, and beds
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I believe Simply Fido is made in China- I would be nice to feature organic pet products manufactured in the United States.
This is all you could find? Check out Etsy- all handmade products! No giant, polluting factory made products. All crafters and artisans who are very waste conscious! AND you can see right where the product is made and talk directly to the artist!
I agree with the above comment.
The Leash We Can Do carries green gift sets and does not carry anything made OR sourced in China. There are only two items in the catalog that are not Made in the US (Biobags, made in Norway and Bonito Flakes that are caught off the shores of Japan).
In addition to the health reasons (recalls!), it is much greener and more sustainable to not ship products from overseas. Keeping jobs in the US is more important than ever.
http://www.leashwecando.com
Agreed - there are so many great brands/products produced here in the U.S. - why not support them? Some of the items in this list are great though - don't get me wrong.
Personally, I'm a cat lover and really love Square Cat Habitat's take on modern cat furniture. Not only are their products eco-friendly, but they're also made right here in the USA. They'd make a great gift for any cat lover!
RE: Made In the US, this is the world wide web. Not everyone reading these articles are in the US!!!
Check out this cool Aniseedog toy (DOGNIP) by KellyMichael. Got it for my dog and it's awesome! My dog love it!
The Huck from west paw designs is great for aggressive chewers (dogs that can chew any toy up) and is even guaranteed. Not only guaranteed, but if your dog chews up the ball, don't throw it away, just send it back to West Paw Designs and they will recycyle it right back into a new Huck. great, huh?
http://www.westpawdesign.com/product_categories/44/products/322-huck