1. Animal Rights and Vegetarian magazine subscriptions
are a great gift to give this holiday season. Just take the December
issue(s) of whatever magazine you want to give, and wrap it up in a
beautiful package. Write a gift card that says that the magazine has
been subscribed to and you are done! What a superb way of educating
family and friends on how to live a cruelty free lifestyle.
* There are several Vegetarian magazines out such as
"Vegetarian Times." You can find these magazines in large bookstores and
just about any health-food store.
* A great Animal Rights magazine is Kim Stallwood's "The
Animals Agenda" For more information, write: PO Box 3083, Langhorne, PA
19047-9294. The subscription runs $24/year for 6 issues or $48/year for
12 issues.
* Or make a donation to any of the animal-friendly
organizations, such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals), the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States), AHA (American
Humane Association), or any other organization that has publications for
its members. The HSUS puts out a quarterly magazine, "Animal
Sheltering", for those who may be interested in working to make our
nation's animal shelters better, and AHA has the "CHAIN" letter, for
those tracking cruelty cases and their outcomes. "CATNIP" is another
great new newsletter about feline behavior, distributed by Tuft's
University Veterinary School (800-829.0926).
* If the object of your gift-giving is a lawyer or
paralegal, consider a membership in the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Membership entitles members to periodic publications of interest to
lawyers. (www.aldf.org)
* If your recipient is in the medical field, consider a
gift membership with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
Their quarterly publication, "Good Medicine," is of interest to anyone
in the medical or nutritional community. (www.pcrm.org).
Medical/nutritional types will also enjoy Foods That Fight Pain, by Dr.
Neal Bernard.
* Got a teacher on your list? The HSUS has a whole
educational branch called NAHEE (http://www.hsus.org/fun/nahee.html).
Send in a small donation and your teacher-friend will become a member
for a year. NAHEE will make humane education a breeze!
2. I don't know about all of you, but I first became
involved in animal rights due to some literature that was mailed to my
house. If it wasn't for the text that I read, I may not be such the
animal advocate that I am today. I still find it very important to
continue to educate myself on animal rights and the travesties that
occur daily in this world. Whether the person on your list is already an
activist or is almost there, but just needs a little push, consider
buying them some of the following books:
* Diet for a New America, by John Robbins (the book that
changed my life forever) is a great gift. This book covers all the
benefits of the vegetarian diet including health, religion, and ethical
reasons. John has another book out now called, Reclaiming Our Health -
Exploding the Medical Myth and Embracing the Source of True Healing.
* Vegetarian Cook Books, such as Moosewoods selections
or Linda McCartney's vegetarian cookbooks are always a delight, and so
much fun to cook from with all the little illustrations!
* The National Anti-Vivisection Society announces the
release of its 8th edition of Personal Care for People Who Care. A
well-researched, 200-page reference manual for shoppers, this work is
considered one of the most comprehensive guides available for choosing
cruelty-free cosmetics, household products, and personal care items.
Costing only $4.95, the paperback is well worth the investment for the
armchair animal advocate. It's also an easy way for anyone to start
their own cruelty-free lifestyle revolution.
* Jane Goodall's newest offering, Reason for Hope, is a
great read and speaks to the heart. Jane tells the story of how she
became involved in the animal advocacy world and why. I found she was
speaking from experiences that I shared as a young child.
* For the children on your list, any of the children's
books by the late James Herriott would be a terrific way to introduce
children to animals and may bring about a love for animals that will
last them a lifetime. My favorite children's book from James Herriott is
Only One Woof. Other children's books can be found by visiting PETA's
website.
* Another great book for children is Dear Socks, Dear
Buddy, by First Lady Hillary Clinton. This is a heartwarming book of
letters written by children all over the country to the "first pets."
Mrs. Clinton is an advocate of early sterilization and says so in her
book.
* Dog owners would do well to have in their library the
Complete Guide To Dog Care, by Marion S. Lane and the Humane Society of
the United States. This book explains a great deal about canine behavior
and medical treatments. Or, for a fun gift, try any of the Dummies or
Idiot's guides to raising dogs and/or cats!
* Got some friends that aren't quite "there" yet when it
comes to animals? Marilu Henner has a great new book out, Total
Makeover. SSHHH! It's a vegan treatise disguised as a mainstream,
self-help book.
* Robin Cook, author of such medical mysteries as COMA,
has a book out called Toxin. It will make even the most ardent
burger-lover think twice and Nicholas Sparks, "The Loop" will break even
the coldest heart of steel. While none of these books are "animal
rights" books, their messages are loud and clear.......leave the animals
ALONE.
3. There are many animal lovers who cannot have a pet of
their own due to medical reasons or work and personal schedules that are
too hectic to devote the time and attention necessary to care for a pet.
However, there are many no-kill shelters that conduct "sponsor a pet"
programs. By giving the gift of a sponsored pet, you can help a friend
or family member fulfill the desire to help save animals without
directly housing one of their own.
Contact one of your local no-kill shelters to see if
they have any sort of programs intact. Better yet, there is a very
reliable, amazing organization, the "Pet Action League," which has a
website where you can sponsor a pet via an online transaction. For only
$20, you can help ensure that an unwanted cat or dog has enough food,
maintenance, and medical attention to last for a year!
There's truly no greater gift for the animal lover than
the gift of knowing that they helped to save a life. Visit the link
below and help create a Christmas to remember...for you, the gift
recipient, and the animal whose life you've helped save.
http://www.petrescue.com/sponsor.htm
4. Perhaps the best source for cruelty-free, animal
rights paraphernalia is the PETA catalog. In the latest Fall edition you
will find many of the old favorites, plus some new, very interesting
items.
In addition to books (animal rights materials, cook
books, and children's books), you will find stickers, pins, coffee mugs,
calendars, cards, magnets, tote bags, pet toys and foods, and many, many
more products ~ all totally cruelty-free and they help sponsor one of
the most productive animal rights organizations out there.
To access the catalog online, visit http://www.peta-online.org/ps/index.html
5. You may know someone who is simply dying to have a
pet. However, Christmas is a very hectic time of year and does not
provide for the right atmosphere to bring a new animal into a home.
Instead of giving animals as gifts this Christmas, why
not put together a basket of animal supplies: pet food, toys, bedding,
and other accessories. Get some pamphlets from your local animal
shelters on such subjects as the pet overpopulation crisis, puppy mills,
and any other information you can find to encourage the pet seeker to
adopt a pet from a rescue organization, rather than a pet store or a
breeder, and place these pamphlets in with the supplies. Perhaps you can
even provide the receiver with an IOU that says, once the holidays are
over and the individual is fully prepared to house a new roommate, you
will personally accompany them to the shelter of their choice and pay
for the adoption fees of the animal of their choosing. Whatever you do,
please wait until the holidays are over before you invest in a pet.
6. There are numerous stores out there dedicated to
animals and their rights. They offer every product under the sun. The
difference between them and other companies is that we can buy their
products with a clear conscious, knowing that no animals suffered for
anything they market. These stores include Bath and Body Works,
Victoria's Secret, and Origins. There's also a few online stores that
aren't as well known. That's about to change. For any and every cruelty
free product under the sun, (the gift doesn't even have to be for an
activist) visit some of the following sites:
Aesop's: www.aesopinc.com
Pangea: www.pangeaveg.com
The Enviroshop: www.enviroshop.com
You can also purchase "Origins" products online at: www.origins.com
7. Just about everyone knows at least one person who has
a pet at home that is not yet spayed or neutered but is of an age where
reproduction is highly possible. A perfect gift for this person on our
lists is a spay or neuter gift certificate! You will not only be helping
your friend or family member to do what is right, but you will be
preventing more lives from entering this cold, uncaring world. Remember,
millions of dogs and cats are being killed each year because there are
just not enough homes for them.
8. Most everyone enjoys watching wildlife. Not only
would a birdfeeder and/or birdbath be a great gift and source of
entertainment for the receiver, but it would help ensure that those
little critters outside have a daily source of food and clean water...as
long as your friend or family member remembers to feed them and keep the
bath clean! :) To help ensure the feeders are kept full, you can also
pick up a large sack of bird seed.
9. Cecie McCaffery is a fellow vegetarian/animal
advocate who creates beautiful animal rights cards. "PINX" cards feature
whimsical, die cut watercolor designs, which showcase animals and
children interacting peacefully in numerous vignettes. An even closer
look reveals them using recycling bins, wearing "fake furs", or
decorating artificial Christmas trees. Most cards have a statement on
the back which Cecie uses as a forum to express her thoughts, ranging
from those of a spiritual and philosophic nature, to issues revolving
around animals, the environment, dreams, and hopes for a noble future.
For more information, contact:
Pinx A Card Company, Inc
P O Box 1168,
Studio City, CA 91604
Tel: 800-544-7469 or 805-498-7521
Fax: (800) 443-4441 or 805-498-8620
10. You know those little stands that pop up in the
malls around this time of year; the ones that sell the personalized
license plates? Why not get the animal rights advocate or the vegetarian
on your list one of these plates with a pro-animal message on it? One of
our staff members has such a plate with, "Eat Your Veggies, Not Your
Friends" on theirs and a picture of a cow. You can have any message you
want engraved on it. The plates are most often made of a very sturdy
material that stands up well to adverse weather conditions. The average
cost is $18. A proud gift for a proud advocate of animal rights. You can
display the message everywhere you go.
11. For those people on your list with a real concern
for the environment and all the creatures on this Earth, a donation in
their name to an organization whose cause they support is a great gift
idea. You can keep the receipt and include it in a Christmas card. Not
only will you feel good knowing that you contributed to a good cause,
but the receiver will feel wonderful as well, knowing there is no
greater gift on Earth than that of helping another being to a better
life.
12. You really can't go wrong with gift certificates.
Get that special someone a gift certificate to their favorite veggie
restaurant or to a store, like those mentioned earlier, that support
animal rights and don't test their products on animals or use animal
ingredients.
13. I don't know about all of you, but my animal rights
mindset has landed me many requests for pet sitting. A wonderful gift
idea that will cost you virtually nothing is to give your friends,
family, and neighbors who have pets, gift certificates for free pet
sitting or walking.
14. Maybe there is someone on your Christmas list who is
interested in being involved in animal rights activism but does not know
where to begin or does not have the supplies. Why not subscribe them up
for an action alert newsletter, such as the "Legislative Action Alert"
distributed by the ASPCA (contact [email protected] for more
information) and buy them some stationary, pens, stamps, envelopes, and
an address book. A little bit of money for a gift with a whole lot of
heart.
15. There are numerous organizations that conduct "adopt
a wild animal" programs. Your contribution could help save a certain
wildlife species, like a whale, manatee, or wolf. There's no better gift
for the animal rights advocate then the knowledge that they've helped
save a life. For more information on organizations with such programs,
please contact [email protected]
16. Perhaps you feel that none of the ideas we presented
for you will appeal to that certain someone on your list. Well, we've
found a solution for you! If you enjoy shopping online and avoiding the
hustle and bustle of the malls, you can do so while supporting SPEAK
(Supporting and Promoting Ethics for the Animal Kingdom). Speak is a
national humane education speakers' bureau and activist organization.
They teach about animal rights and environmental issues in universities,
colleges, high schools and elementary schools.
Simply visit www.speakingout.org and click on the "Shop
at SPEAK" button and then on the "Shop2Give" logo. Every purchase you
make will generate a donation for this wonderful organization with NO
additional cost to you. Shop2Give is composed of 80 participating
stores, such as JC Penney, Office Max, ESPN, Borders, and the Disney
Store. In addition, 100 additional stores, including Spiegel and Old
Navy, offer gift certificates.
17. And one more thing ~ Cookies for your hound! Here's
a great cruelty-free recipe for you to make up gift baskets for your own
bow-wow and all his friends! Better yet, make a couple extra batches and
take some down to share with the animals at the shelters.
Vegan Dog Biscuit Recipe
9 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
Mix dry ingredients. Add approximately 3 cups water.
Knead into a pliable dough. Roll out to 1/8" thickness. Cut into desired
shapes. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350�F. (Important: After turning off
oven, leave biscuits in the oven overnight or for an 8-hour period so
they become hard and crunchy.) (reprinted from PETA's Companion Animals
Factsheet #14)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ANIMAL RIGHTS ONLINE!
Go on to Beware of
Dog Chews
Return to 8 December 1999 Issue
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