5 Holiday DIY Ideas for Pet Lovers

Guest post courtesy of PetSmart Charities and Brit Morin

Nonprofit PetSmartCharities is teaming up with do-it-yourself expert Brit Morin to showcase easy and fun projects to celebrate your adopted pet this holiday season. From lounging on DIY pet pillows to indulging in homemade holiday treats, your pet will feel the love as he or she relaxes in the happy place you helped create.

“I’m excited to team up with PetSmart Charities to teach pet parents creative projects to do for their pets this holiday season,” said Brit Morin, founder of Brit + Co. “Having pets myself, I love giving ideas on how to show adopted pets how special they are in simple and affordable ways.”

Brit Morin shares her top five DIY projects for your adopted pets this holiday. See the full projects here.

DIY Pet Pillows: Turn Fido’s photo into a decorative pillow for your home – all you need is iron-on transfer paper, fabric and a sewing machine. If you're not up for the sewing task, you can iron the photo onto an existing pillow or pillowcase to spruce up his bed or crate.

Paw Print Stamps: You can turn your pet’s paw print into art by stamping his or her print on a poster or wrapping paper. Turn a plain pattern into a masterpiece sure to please any pet lover on your holiday gift list.

DIY Photo Ornaments: Make your pet the star of your tree this holiday. Start with a clear ornament and print out a cardstock photo of your pet to include inside. Adorn with confetti for a festive touch!

Homemade Holiday Treats: Every dog or cat deserves a yummy treat, so why not bake some with love? These Peanut ButterPumpkin Dog Treats are not only delicious – they make a great stocking stuffer.

Etched Glass Treat Jars: Make a personalized gift your cat or dog will love by etching his or her name onto a clear treat jar full of his favorite goodies.

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Share Your #PetsHappyHome Projects

Feeling inspired by Brit’s tips? PetSmart wants to see how you’re making your adopted pet’s house a home for the holidays. Share your photos with on Instagram using the hashtag #petshappyhome. One submission, chosen by Brit, will be featured on her website, Brit + Co.

“Adopted pets bring so much joy to our lives, and we want to thank everybody who has opened their hearts this year to give a cat or dog a forever home,” said Jan Wilkins, executive director, PetSmart Charities, Inc. “We’re excited to have Brit help us spread the message that adopted pets deserve to be celebrated every day.”

Give a Happy Home to More Pets

Nearly 8 million pets will spend the holidays in a shelter. You can help give more pets a happy home for the holidays with a $25 donation to PetSmart Charities, a nonprofit that helps find homes for more than 400,000 pets annually. This donation may be tax-deductible and helps save a pet’s life by subsidizing the cost of vaccinations the pet receives while he or she waits to be adopted.

For the 10th year in a row, PetSmart Charities earned fourstars from Charity Navigator (their highest rating) and remains in the top 1 percent of all charities ranked. Learn more at www.petsmartcharities.org.

About PetSmart Charities®

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets. More than 400,000 dogs and cats find homes each year through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores and our sponsored adoption events. PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding spay/neuter services that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, separate from PetSmart, Inc.

Image: Flickr

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