by Bethany Clayton

Created on: December 01, 2008   Last Updated: April 24, 2010

Admit it. You would rather pick out an irresistible doggie sweater and a mammoth pig's ear for Sadie to contentedly gnaw and hide under the living room rug than agonize over what to get your brother for Christmas.

You are not alone. According to the Consumer Reports National Research Centers Holiday Shopping Poll, 23% of Americans will slash their holiday shopping budgets for their pets this year - far less than the 40% who will limit gifting to family and friends.

What's not to pamper? Our pets bring us joy, excitement, friendship and even better health.

Yet according to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), a staggering 10,800 cats and dogs are euthanized daily at U.S. animal shelters.

Lend your affection for your own pets to the efforts to shrink these sorrowing statistics this holiday season by sponsoring an animal society.

Choose Carefully

Animal societies can be as unique as any charitable society. Before launching a finger at the phone book, consider what focus appeals most to you.

While some animal groups specialize in particular breed or species rescue or rehome former research and circus animals or injured and displaced wildlife, others focus on improving pet behavior or on training assistance and search-and-rescue animals.

Your veterinary clinic or hometown pet store can recommend reputable animal rescue organizations in your area, and both the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) offer web links to contribute to national animal relief causes or find local adoption facilities.

If possible, visit the societies that interest you. See what they do and ask where they need help most. When you have pinpointed where you want to give, don't be shy! With a little creativity, you can even compound the effectiveness of your support.

Volunteer

There can never be too many hands. Spend a day washing bedding and walking dogs or changing litter boxes and playing with kittens at a local shelter. Help answer phones or staff a seasonal charity event. Want to have a bigger impact? Enlist a friend or two to help with you, then go for a decadent coffee to reward yourselves.

Whether you can commit just one hour next Tuesday, or a day a week for the next year, your efforts will be appreciated by those who can spread out the work. After all, your free time is free, and spending it loving animals will do wonders for your blood pressure after the stress of holiday shopping.

Supply

Many

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