Don’t know what to put under the tree for your pets? Here’s a guide to the best pet gifts

The holiday season is made for gift-giving, and that includes presents destined for our furry friends.

This time of year, people have even more of an excuse to splurge on their non-human companions. Food treats, toys, a new leash, a fancy bowl or perhaps a goofy hat could be on your animals’ holiday wish list (whether they know it or not).

Many such items wind up under the tree for dogs, but “cats get their fair share too,” said Marsha Vallee, co-owner of Noble Beast, a pet supplies store in north-central Phoenix. And sometimes that extends to less-traditional pets as well.

“A lot of people around here keep flocks of chickens,” Vallee continued. “Some people consider chickens to be their pets.” Holiday presents for chickens include dried bugs and small cages with bells and nooks designed to hold food surprises as an enrichment exercise.

Lorraine Zomok carries ornaments, jewelry, clothing, toys and other mostly human-focused items at her Memory Lane Trinkets and Treasures store in Glendale’s historic district. She also has a section of the store devoted to pet items such as handmade collars, toys, pet pajamas and bandanas for dogs.

“For many of us, the kids have moved away but the pets have stayed with us,” Zomok said. “So we buy them toys and gifts.”

The small-store touch

Zomok’s store specializes in merchandise from more than 150 artisans, most of them women and most of them live in Arizona.

“One by one, artisans came into the shop and asked if we could make a place for them,” she said. The merchandise at Memory Lane Trinkets and Treasures is sold on consignment. Zomok said she donates some of the revenue from the sale of pet items to local animal rescue groups.

Her store and other small retail businesses, including Noble Beast, are exceptions to the rule in the pet supplies world, where PetSmart, Petco, Walmart, Amazon and other large chains dominate. PetSmart and Petco together account for 36% of industry revenue, estimates researcher IBISWorld.

What allows small, independent stores to survive? “The biggest difference is the service,” said Vallee. She and co-owner Alison Chandler opened Noble Beast 16 years ago, and some employees have been with them the whole time. “They know the products, including supplement and remedies,” she said. “The staff can explain how products work, what they’re intended for.”

Vallee also said a lot of consumers want to support independent businesses. “It’s a charming little store, and people like that,” she said.

Favorable industry trends

Pet stores have prospered in recent years as household finances have stabilized and pet ownership has risen, said IBISWorld in a report on the industry. “Pet parents have increasingly lavished their pets with premium food products, designer pet accessories and luxury grooming services,” the report said.

Many small retailers have managed to hang on “in spite of mounting competition from supermarkets, mass merchandisers and online retailers that offer similar products at greater convenience and competitive prices,” IBISWorld continued, adding that independent pet-supply businesses have responded by selling higher-quality food and offering services such as grooming and day care.

IBISWorld expects an aging human population will contribute to steady demand for pets and pet-related products, as older consumers adopt animals to fulfill their needs for companionship.

According to the American Pet Products Association, roughly 70% of U.S. households own one or more pets. Cat ownership has grown faster than that of dogs, IBISWorld noted, “as the lower maintenance nature of cats has fit nicely with consumers’ busy schedules and desire for convenience.”

Give pet gifts, not animals

If you’re still stumped on what to buy your animal this holiday season, the American Pet Products Association offers a holiday gift guide.

The suggestions include games, tug ropes for dogs, cat tunnels, plush toys, food treats, GPS trackers, winter coats, beds, blankets, and calming herbs and vitamins, in addition to more traditional foods, litter and skin/coat ointments.

One type of gift you shouldn’t typically give is that of an animal itself. Owning a pet is a multiyear commitment that should be considered carefully, and a particular pet given as a gift might not be suitable for the recipient, Vallee said. Kids in particular can lose interest in a pet, and even adults might not have the money to care for one.

Besides, the holidays can be a stressful, traumatic time for animals brought into a new environment.

It’s usually better to stick to those food treats, plush toys, pajamas, bandanas and dried bugs.

Reach the writer at [email protected].