Michaela Meade
Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay residents buying Christmas presents for family members can be difficult, but RSPCA Victoria chief executive Dr Liz Walker says there are plenty of options for great gifts for the ones with fur.
Dr Walker said enrichment gifts would be ideal for the furry friends in a home.
Enrichment gifts are those that allow pets to get in touch with their animal instincts, to keep them entertained and release stress.
“There are some fantastic toys that you can buy [for] animals, to really entertain them,” Dr Walker said.
“Whether they’re chew toys or feeding toys for dogs.. [there] are really great [options].”
Dr Walker said pet owners do not necessarily need to purchase items to give their four-legged friends a fun outlet.
“There’s also some really great things that you can make… [like] snuffle mats for dogs, they’re really fun,” she said.
“You put dry food in the rug and the animal has to snuffle to get the food out.
“It slows them down and keeps them occupied.
“And with cats… you can probably just screw up a piece of paper and that’ll be fun [for the cat] to chase around.
“And [you can also] use all those lovely things like catnip.”
Dr Walker said comfort could be key if you’re browsing for a holiday gift for your pet.
“There’s some wonderful, really comfortable beds that you can buy them for Christmas as well,” she said.
“There’s some wonderful ones that you can get for cats, particularly if you’re renting, that you can stick on the window so that they can have a nice, high area to enjoy the sunlight and look out the window.”
RSPCA Victoria have outlined enrichment gift ideas on their website.
Details: rspcavic.org/services/education-and-learning/make-your-own-enrichment-toys
