25 Gift Ideas That Give to Animals, Too

Just because we've already seen taxidermied piglet banks, frogs in plastic cubes and reindeer steaks for sale, it doesn't mean we can't have a humane holiday season this year.

Here are more than 25 ways to give without giving up on your love for animals.

Before you go shopping ...

Check your list twice at Caring Consumer or Leaping Bunny to make sure you're not giving the gift of animal testing.

Use the HealthyStuff.org ratings guide to make sure you're not stuffing your pet's stocking with toxic toys.

If you're walking on the wild side or shopping on vacation, the World Wildlife Fund shares endangering souvenirs to stay away from.

Gifts that benefit animals:

The web is full of sites that donate a portion of proceeds to animal causes, like The Animal Rescue Site and Bungalow360's handcrafted handbags. Born Free USA has also compiled a collection of animal-friendly, eco-friendly ideas.

Many rescue groups and nonprofits show off their work with cause-specific calendars. (Even Betty White has a calendar to benefit animals this year.)

Books make great presents, especially popular yet thought-provoking new titles, such as: Jim Gorant's The Lost Dogs, the story of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick and how they disproved so many preconceptions about pit bulls; Hal Herzog's well-reviewed look into our paradoxical relationships with animals, Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat; or Thomas French's behind-the-scenes look at animals in captivity, Zoo Story: Life in the Garden of Captives.

No animals were harmed in the making of this gift:

Check out the gift guide at Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe for animal-free accessories, candies, cookbooks and more.

Pangea also offers holiday gift ideas, including vegan versions of Christmas and Hanukkah chocolates, and gifts ranging from stocking stuffers to care packages.

Ebay's World of Good has a section of gifts that were made without using or killing animals, or disturbing habitats.

Adopt, don't shop:

If you're considering adding to the family, don't fall for the seasonal pet store promos. Save a life instead. (For bonus points, hold a puppy mill protest to redirect buyers from your local pet shop to the animal shelter.)

And if you're thinking of surprising someone with a holiday puppy ... Don't. Too often, these surprises are unwelcome and the animal is the one who pays for it. Besides, you can't wrap the bond between people and their pets. The humane holiday option is to ask your local shelter about gift certificates, or give the Petfinder Pet Promise Certificate.

Animal-friendly alternatives to traditional gifts:

The International Fund for Animal Welfare offers Gift of Life packages to support their campaigns to stop the seal hunt, help orphaned bears or support dog and cat rescue.

Defenders of Wildlife and National Wildlife Federation offer virtual adoptions of wildlife with kits including photos, certificates, stuffed animals and more. The World Wildlife Fund has over a hundred species to choose from.

If you'd rather sponsor individual animals, check out the dogs and cats at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary or the lions and tigers and bears (and elephants and other species) at Performing Animal Welfare Society.

Or find a farm sanctuary with Animal Place's state-by-state directory, where you can usually sponsor chickens, cows, goats and other animals who were saved from the slaughterhouse.

Farm sanctuaries and animal shelters have wish lists that no Santa Claus can ever fulfill. But you can help by holding a holiday drive for food and supplies they need to keep saving lives. Don't have a place nearby to donate? Programs like the Pet Postcard Project give you a way to help get food to pets in need without leaving home.

(These last few ideas are really just a variation on an old holiday classic: Donate to your favorite animal group.)

Last, but not least, give the gift of time. Volunteering not only helps the animals, but also makes life easier for the people who care for rescued and homeless animals 365 days a year.

Share your own ideas for humane holiday shopping.

Not in a buying mood this Black Friday? Join the Fur-Free Friday protest and virtual campaign to convince Nordstrom to stop selling fur.

Photo credit: Yvonne in Willowick Ohio