God Bless Us Every One: A Gift Guide for our Pets

Gift Giving Wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t include our pets. Furry friends are an extension of our family and here at Yellow Scene, one of our favorites is Tiny Tim.

Like his namesake from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is tiny and has a limp. However, this Tiny Tim is a 7-pound Chihuahua. Tim likes to get his shopping done early and this year he let me tag along. He has found some new and old places to find great gifts and some places that you might not know about where you can give back for pets.

Our first stop was P.C.’s Pantry for Dogs and Cats. Opened in 1998 by Mary Lee Withers, P.C.’s is a Boulder institution for pet supplies and food. What makes it unique is its on-site bakery. Every day fresh, nutritional and yummy baked treats appear in the bakery case.  Timmy sampled a Snickerdoggie cookie which got two paws up, and picked up a pink, reversible sweater for his new sister, Molly, a Chug (Chihuahua-Pug) to keep her warm during the Colorado winter.

We checked in at the Humane Society Thrift Store where donated pet items are sold at reasonable prices. We scored a new cat tree for his feline friends, Prince and Marco, and a new bed for Bugster, the Pug. Tim chose some inexpensive stuffed animals for his friends. These will be great for rescue dogs and cats who might need someone to cuddle with during their first days in their forever home.

Buying a grooming gift certificate makes a great gift for any pet. Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming provides full-service grooming. Flatirons Natural Pet has self-service bathing for folks who like to do it themselves. They also have two vet techs who will bathe your dog for you.  Mobile groomers are an alternative for animals with special needs.

Tim didn’t want to forget his feline friends. The hottest gift item for cats is the CATIO. These indoor-outdoor confinements give kitties the fun of being outside without the danger of uncontrolled roaming. Tim (with a little help from me) found a great website called catioworld.com, which guides guardians through a range of catio options.

What do you get for the dog who has everything? How about a $12,000 platform tent or a $3,500 doghouse to match your architectural style. Pampered cats can get a Modular Cat Climbing Wall for about $1,200. These and other indulgent items can be found at Etsy.com and a variety of other websites.

As a rescue Chihuahua, Tim cares for his less fortunate friends who need help. Almost Home Adoptions for Rescued Cats in Arvada finds forever homes for the kitties in their care. They provide hands-on, guided adoptions matching potential parents with the perfect kitty for them. As part of their dedication to cat welfare, they adopt to indoor homes and do not allow declawing.  A few simple donations can really help – things like laundry soap and clumping litter. Tim donates by ordering items on Amazon and having them delivered to the Rescue. Monthly donations through Subscribe and Save help the Rescue plan for the future.

Colorado Pet Pantry, a non-profit that provides food for pet owners struggling to feed their pets, can feed a dog or cat for $5.00 a month. You can also donate pet food directly throughout Boulder County.

The holidays are a time when we expand our circle of care to include others. These are just a few suggestions from a Chihuahua who loves the friends he knows and ones he’s never met. This year let’s all honor kindness and compassion and join Tim in saying, “Dog bless us, everyone”.