Animal lovers are a special breed. Ask any pet owner how they feel about their furry companions, and they will tell you that their dog, cat, bird or other animal friend is an essential member of the family. And that can make finding the ideal gift difficult. Fur-tunately, we’ve curated a collection of gifts from small makers that celebrate pets and their humans. We’ve got it all from genius treats to one-of-a-kind attire. There’s something paws-itively paw-some for everyone on the list below.
Asher + Arden’s illustrations for its stationery and gifts are designed and drawn by hand in beautiful, Burlington Vermont. Many of the hand-drawn animals are based on rescued or adopted animals. We love the maker’s selection of little gifts especially the cat and dog bookmarks. Crafted from pewter and ribbon, these handy pieces will neatly hold your spot until you return. Plus a percentage of each sale goes to the Pawsitive Change Program , an innovative and progressive program that pairs incarcerated men and juveniles with rescued dogs for mutual rehabilitation.
The owner of Maine Street Bee Company is an organic gardener whose passion for the environment was the inspiration for her business utilizing beekeeping in the creation of honey, natural beeswax skincare products and pet products. Her Paw Protector is a must have for furry friends in the winter months especially in northern climes. The balm is designed specifically for dogs and cats to protect their delicate paws from the buildup of snow between toes and preventing cuts on pads caused from salt and ice.
Solid brass Dog Collar Bells from New England Bells are made with weather resistant, low maintenance, easy to clean, Brahma Webb material, and feature a heavy-duty snap for you to quickly attach to your dog’s collar or harness. They emit a sound that is easily heard from a distance, even in the thickest grasses or darkest night, making them a wonderful safety tool when hiking during hunting season, playing at the beach and great attention-getters in parades or other public events.
The Belted Cow Company started out making fun, vibrant ribbon belts. Over the years, they’ve applied a fresh take to a number of products, including dog collars, leashes and lead lines, believing that our furry friends deserve a collar as good looking and dependable as they are. Belted cow’s products are field tested on dogs that swim in saltwater, traverse Maine’s wilderness, and play in Maine’s winter snow so you know they’ll last.
The Pussums Cat Company is a small Maine, family-owned business that provides premium, superior quality catnip toys, and cat lover gifts, using all-natural catnip, diverse fabrics, and unique graphics. All products are handsewn with great care by skilled Maine stitchers to please even the most finicky felines and their families. Present the boss of the house with any of the company’s toys and treats (which range from teasers to catnip mice to pillows and toss-abouts), and gift their owner with a magnet, tote bag or t-shirt.
YAYA Organics is owned by three friends, all active moms who live in rural New Hampshire. Passionate about staying active outdoors with their families throughout all four seasons, they were concerned about the serious health risks that go hand-in-hand with tick bites. Finding nothing natural on the market, the trio set out to make the ultimate all-natural tick repellent. The result is a premium non-toxic bug repellent line that is truly effective, enjoyable to use, made with authentic ingredients and environmentally friendly. We think it makes a great stocking stuffer for active pet owners.
Each piece from Austin Designs is a one-of-a-kind original made from a combination of materials that are either remnants, re-purposed, vintage or new materials. The owner, a one-woman dynamo, works directly from her home in West Tisbury, on the island of Martha's Vineyard, in a basement shop with 5 sewing machines and countless yards of amazing fabrics. Her reusable adult and child cotton face masks are machine sewn with reenforced corners to firmly hold elastic and are triple pleated to offer a spacious pocket in front of the mouth. They feature the cutest animal prints, including birds, fish, kitties, and pigs. Another fun stocking stuffer!
Woodfield Press’ whimsically hand-illustrated cards, calendars and keepsakes have a permanent place on our yearly holiday list. Artist Cindy Hendrick blends watercolors with pen and ink drawings to create cuddly characters in nature-based, nostalgic backgrounds. Featuring endearing subjects like pigs in tutus, ducks in Easter hats, squirrels on parade, the maker’s wide-ranging line has something for every pet owner.
The Fish and Bone understands the deep connection between pets and their humans and provides the closest-to-whole, most-natural food for animals, so pets and their owners thrive. What better way to pay tribute to our pets than through their taste buds? The Fish and Bone also carries hats and tees for Dog Moms and Dog Dads – purrfect gifts to show the animal lovers on your list that you understand what it’s like to live with pets.
For the bird lover, look no further than the charming, easy to assembly 3D bird ornaments from Doles Orchard Box Shop.. Handcrafted in Maine, they come packaged in sets of five individual birds and include attractive wire hooks. They snap easily together, no glue required, making an easy, fun and charming product for any age. We love them as ornaments and for hanging in windows the rest of the year.
Owner Gwendolyn Gardner created Simply Chickie in response to a need for affordable organic baby rompers and blankets. She offers organic clothing for newborns, babies, and toddlers - with cute and funny slogans that keep parents laughing. Her cute illustrations, featuring, whales, lobsters, owls. and of course, chickies. are irresistible and make an ideal holiday gift for the new-ish animal loving parent.
And we can't forget our own McCrea’s Candies. We're a small business full of animal lovers. As we considered the theme of our annual caramel Advent Calendar, we thought about how much our beloved pets had contributed to keeping our spirits up when things felt bleak and pandemic scary. It was a small step to creating a piece of edible art that celebrates the thousands of pets who were there for their humans during the pandemic in a year like none other. Plus Aaportion of the proceeds from the sale of our calendar will benefit NEADS World Class Service Dogs so it's a win-win.