Holiday gift guide for animal-lovers

In August 2018, we were in Makueni County, Kenya to oversee a small rabies vaccination drive being carried out in the area.

For the dog-lover in your life

Dogs are the perfect best friend: they’re loyal, affectionate, and playful. And in countries around the world, dogs can contribute to our livelihoods.

That’s why it’s so upsetting that thousands of dogs are brutally and cruelly killed due to the fear of rabies. Instead of examining the root causes of stray dog populations, such as irresponsible ownership and overbreeding, some governments look to mass killing as a quick-fix solution. Dragged through the streets, electrocuted, poisoned or gassed – culling is nearly always a horrendous and painful death.

But we can do something about it: since the start of our Better Lives for Dogs program, we have saved more than a million dogs from this fate by vaccinating them against rabies.

It only costs $1 to save one dog’s life. Consider saving 25 dogs for $25, or 50 dogs for $50 this holiday. Click here to see all the gifts available for dog-lovers.

In 2018, the Balkasar sanctuary in Pakistan began work on expansion work which will increase capacity and allow a more comfortable environment for the current bears, like Rene (pictured).

For the friend who loves bears

We’ve been working with our local partner, the Pakistan Bioresource Research Centre (BRC), to end the needless suffering of bears in Pakistan. Together we've rescued more than 100 captive bears who fought for their lives during brutal bear baiting events or were forced to “dance” on busy streets for up to 12 hours a day for entertainment purposes. These rescued bears are now able to live better lives, and so are their owners.

Give the gift of freeing a captive bear, or the gift of caring for the bears who are given a second chance at life. View all gifts for bear-lovers here.

In July 2018, we visited Happy Elephant Valley in Chiang Rai, Thailand which agreed to transition into a higher welfare elephant camp with our support and guidance.

For the friend who thinks elephants are extraordinary

We know that riding elephants is cruel and unfortunately, it still happens every day in the animal tourism industry. With your support, we’ve convinced over 200 travel companies worldwide to commit to stop selling, promoting and offering elephant rides and shows.

Along with some of the world’s most influential travel companies, we are working with Happy Elephant Valley in Chiang Mai, Thailand as they embark on a landmark journey to become a truly elephant-friendly venue.

Give the gift of freeing elephants from suffering and getting them off wish lists.

Pictured: Chocoanita, a three toed female sloth from the Choco region of Colombia. She was brought to the AIUNAU sanctuary funded by World Animal Protection in July 2017, after a concerned citizen had rescued her. She was released back into the wild in November 2017.

For the friend who wants to hug a sloth

Removing a wild animal from its natural habitat for use as a wildlife selfie photo prop condemns it to a life time of suffering and in many cases, a death sentence. Across the world wild animals are used and abused in different forms of tourist entertainment and unknowingly hurt by the general public – the very people who love them so much. World Animal Protection is working with AIUNAU, a local partner operating a rehabilitation centre for sloths who have suffered in the tourism industry.

You can give the gift of helping abused sloths recover this holiday season.

Pictured: a puppy left behind following the eruption of the Ambae volcano in Vanuatu in 2017.

For the friend who loves all animals equally

As World Animal Protection, we move the world to end the needless suffering of animals, help the world see how important animals are to all of us, and change animals’ lives for the better.

We hope that one day animals no longer need us to be protected from cruelty and suffering. But right now, animals all over the world really need your help.

Show the animal-lover in your life that you understand their passion for animals by giving them a gift that goes where the need is greatest.

World Animals Gifts allow you to be the miracle animals need this holiday season. View the full gift guide here.