Tis the season to give. And this year individuals and organizations are going to feel the effects of a bad economy probably more than ever. Remember that every little bit helps; no donation is ever “too little” whether it is one dollar or one can of peas. Think of the result if every person gave “a little”.

In this season of giving, I turn my attention to the critters. Through my years on the radio, I have (happily) gained a reputation for being the “animal person” and it has nothing to do with my table manners (those are really pretty respectable). I love animals. And animals depend on us to help them. During the holidays I think people get so caught up (and understandably so) with helping other PEOPLE that often the animals get forgotten. Here I am to remind you.

For starters I want to introduce you to a terrific website. If you are an animal lover, chances are you already know about it. It is www.petfinder.com and is a great place to start if you are thinking about adopting a pet. But the website is more than that; it’s also a great place to locate animal welfare groups in your particular neck of the woods. In other words, whether you are thinking about adopting a pet or perhaps about making a donation to an animal shelter in your area, www.petfinder.com is an incredible resource.

Giving a pet as a gift is tricky. Promise me you will determine FOR SURE that the gift recipient will want and love your gift. Otherwise DON’T DO IT. The last thing anyone wants is a surprise they can’t handle or afford and one that will end up back at the shelter it came from. You’d be far better off making a donation to an area shelter in someone’s name…perhaps “sponsor” an animal. In most cases your gift will also be tax deductible so it’s a “win-win”: give a gift, get a tax write-off

Whether or not you are looking for a holiday gift to give to someone else, you can be sure your local shelter would love a donation. Monetary donations are always welcome but shelters also have a wish list a mile long. Some items that all local animal shelters can use include: wet and dry pet food, toys, beds, blankets, towels, bedding, flea treatment products, bleach and other cleaning products (I’d go for the natural ones), newspaper, litter, litter boxes, paper towels, plastic bags and trash bags, and even gift cards to pet supply stores and places like Target and Walmart

Most area animal shelters also will use donations to help pet owners who are having difficulty affording to feed their own pets. If you are in need of such assistance, check with your local shelter.

There are so many Connecticut animal shelters that I won’t be able to come close to mentioning them all here. Go to www.petfinder.com, enter your town and state and you will be able to find the animals shelter nearest to you.

Some area shelters will take your redeemable bottles and cans to raise money for their respective shelters. West Haven Animal Shelter at 7 Collis Street (203-937-3642) is one as is Milford Animal Control at 664 East Broadway inside Silver Sands State Park (303-783-3279).

A popular fundraiser for our local animal shelters during holiday time is “Pet Photos with Santa”. The shelter gets a donation and you get a great photo which you could then use for your holiday greeting cards. As we get closer to the holidays there will be more of these Pet Photos with Santa events; for now I know that Halfway Home Rescue in North Haven (where I adopted my beloved Shea and Lucie) have several of these “photo ops” planned at PetSmart , 400 Universal Drive, North Haven: Saturday and Sunday, December 5&6, December 12&13, and December 19&20 from 11am-3pm each day. Photos are just $9.99 with $5 from each photo going to Halfway Home Rescue (203-985-8338; www.halfwayhomerescue.org)

Also the East Haven Animal Shelter at 183 Commerce Street (203-468-3249) has Pet Photos with Santa on Saturday, December 5 from 10a-4p.

In addition, the East Haven Animal Shelter also has another nifty fundraiser/holiday gift idea: their “buy-a-brick” fundraiser. You can purchase an engraved brick in their sidewalk for $50, engraved with your pet’s or your family’s name. Call the shelter for more info (203-468-3249).

My friends at the Greater New Haven Cat Project always have something creative going on to raise funds to help the abandoned, stray and feral felines of the Greater New Haven area. On Monday, December 14 (4pm to closing) you can go Mexican and help the kitties at the same time. Go to their website: www.gnhcp.org and download the flyer to bring along to On the Border Mexican restaurant in Orange. A portion of what you spend on food and drink will go to the Cat Project. You can also reach them at 203-782-CATS.

On Halloween I helped host The Animal Haven’s dog costume parade fundraiser. When it comes to finding ways to raise funds for the animals, the humans at Animal Haven (89 Mill Road, North Haven 203-239-2641) are always wearing their best thinking caps. Once again this year, Animal Haven is holding their Holiday Gift Card fundraiser. Purchase holiday gift cards for everyone on your shopping list and a portion of what you spend goes directly to Animal Haven. Visit the Animal Haven website for a list of participating retailers www.theanimalhaven.com (and they ARE numerous…from Advance Auto Parts to the Gap to Stop and Shop…and everything in-between). Also check their website for a full list of all their holiday fundraising events including Pet Photos with Santa Saturday, December 12 11-4 at Petco in North Haven, a holiday open house at the Animal Haven shelter on Saturday December 19, and a post-holiday comedy show fundraiser with Rick Carino at Joker’s Wild on February 4, 2010.

If you be buying a wreath to decorate your home this holiday season, another rescue group I have worked with – the Stratford Animal Rescue Society (STARS) – has the perfect holiday fundraiser for you. On Saturday, December 5 STARS will hold an adoption event and wreath sale from 11-4 at the Stratford Animal Shelter, 9 Frog Pond Lane (203-385-4068). Pre-order your wreath by November 27 through their website: www.stratfordanimalrescue.com.

Another wonderful website that I visit frequently and purchase through often all year ‘round is the Animal Rescue Site: www.theanimalrescuesite.com. Click daily on the site’s banner and food is donated to animals in need. Plus every purchase made through the site means more food donated. You can also vote daily for your favorite local shelter and help them win a share of $100,000. They have tons of great gift items.

This holiday season remember those who have less than you do. Give a dollar or a can of peas. It all adds up. And please don’t forget about the animals: they are counting on us.

Editor’s Note: I decided to pop in a shot that Pam took. In addition to being a great writer, she is also pretty handy with a camera. I have a whole slew of her stuff, and every now and then, I will pop some in.