Holiday Gifts that Give Back

Give back to the animal community this season!

Here at Skinny Ms., we’re big fans of gifts that give back during the holiday season. If you’re an animal lover or have a loved one who is, a donation to an animal welfare group is the perfect thing to give or ask for in lieu of gifts this holiday season. We’ve compiled a list of five of our favorite organizations to keep in mind as you’re playing Santa this year.

1. Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary

They’ve spent their lives as friendly and loyal companions, and this group works to make sure senior dogs receive the loving homes and high-quality vet care they deserve for the remainder of their lives. In addition to helping place senior dogs with fosters and forever homes, Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary works to provide education on the joys and challenges of caring for aging dogs. Like them on Facebook.

2. Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary

Blind cats require special care, and placing them in an adoptive home isn’t always easy. Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary works to provide shelters and find suitable homes for cats that would otherwise be euthanized simply because they’re blind. Visit them on Facebook.

3. The Pig Preserve – A Magical Sanctuary

Often overlooked when it comes to animal rescue, pigs have an ever-growing need for appropriate sanctuaries. The Pig Preserve provides a safe and permanent home for rescued pigs, some of which come from horrible living conditions. The animals here are “free to be pigs”, with natural access to woods, green pastures, ponds, and of course plenty of mud! Like them on Facebook.

Watch as a tiny piglet was found along a busy highway in Tennessee. A worried phone call and hours of driving later, Jasmine found a home to stay.

4. The Elephant Sanctuary

This unique group provides captive elephants with individualized care, the companionship of a herd, and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their well-being. The Elephant Sanctuary also works to raise awareness of the complex needs of elephants in captivity and the crisis facing elephants in the wild. Visit them on Facebook.

Two Circus Elephants, Shirley and Jennie, reunite for the first time in over 20 years.

5. PetSmart Charities

You know the PetSmart brand for its massive selection of pet food and supplies. But did you know its namesake group of charities facilitates one in every ten pet adoptions in the U.S.? PetSmart Charities works with a network of 2,800 animal welfare groups across North America to end pet homelessness, and the group received top marks from Charity Watch for spending more than 75% of its budget directly on its programs. Visit them on Facebook here.

A one-eyed cat named Waffles inspires a woman to care for free-roaming community cats in Albuquerque.