SFist Cares Holiday Gift Guide: Animal Lovers
In keeping with the general SFist holiday gift guide, the Cares columns for December will feature gift ideas for the more philanthropic of our readers. We love stuff, don't get us wrong, but it can be a big relief when you and your friends decide to exchange charitable donations. Hopefully, we'll have some ideas you can use and feel free to chime in in the comments with more. First, up, we've got some ideas for you for your animal-loving family members and friends.
Now is not the time to forget the SF/SPCA where you can find all sorts of gifts, many very reasonably priced. We love the advent calendar of doggie treats!
You know by now that adopting an animal as a holiday gift is a super bad idea. However, if you know that someone really wants and will take care of an animal, you can instead give them a Pet Promise Pledge from Petfinder.com. It's a certificate that you customize, print, and then give to the future pet owner that says you'll take care of the adoption fees when they're really ready to adopt (free for now, you pay later).
Save the Chimps provides sanctuary for chimps previously used in laboratory experiments. You can adopt a specific chimp (god, how can you pick from those pictures!) and get adoption papers, pictures and updates. You know how you always dread drunk Uncle Bob acting like a chimp at Christmas dinner every year? Well now he'll have company, but not an excuse ($120 a year). Also, check out the Wish List - Little Tikes toys and stuffed animals? We see lots of wish lists here in the Cares department but that's the most charming one ever.
Through WildAid you can adopt a tiger. Rowr! ($35) But if big cats aren't your thing...
The Stanford Cat Network takes care of the cats abandoned on the Stanford campus - both by feeding the feral cats and by taking in others to be adopted. You can sponsor a cat on someone's behalf (via automated billing) and they'll receive a photo of the cat ($10-25 per month or a one time donation).
Perhaps the most popular exotic animal to adopt is the panda and you can do that through Pandas International and for most donations ($50 and up) you'll get a teeny stuffed panda, which is an awfully cute stocking stuffer. And, totally unrelated to the holidays, please invite us if you ever have a Panda Party!
Everyone knows the World Wildlife Fund for their work with pandas. But did you know you can help out other animals through them also? Our pick is the polar bear - definitely top three in Cares list of favorite animals (and yes, we have a list) ($25-100).
And finally, we need to put a plug in for our favorite animal - the monkey. Specifically, the red howler monkey which is in serious danger from poachers. You can help support one monkey as well for just $23.
Say you can't choose just one animal. Then maybe a good choice would be to save an acre of the rainforest and the animals just get to come along for the ride (approx $50). Via the World Land Trust.
There are many other animal-related causes that can use your support. We tried to find an Adopt a Reindeer program in the US, but could only find this one from the UK.