10 best gifts for animal lovers

Everyone has an animal-mad mate who just goes crazy for anything in the shape of a cute creature or printed with some sort of animal. Whether it’s something to wear, eat, use or just look at, we’ve trawled the web and hunted through the stores to find the most adorable animal-themed gifts around. From pet cats to leopards, ducks to zebras, we’ve got it covered.

Custom Printed Socks: £24, Lovimals

Socks get a bad press when it comes to gift giving. Secretly everyone loves dipping their toes into a snug new pair of socks.

These ones are extra special, though. They feature hand-drawn personalised illustrations of a pet and not just any pet, the pet of your choice. Upload a pic of your specified pet, choose one of the six background colours and add to the basket.

The finished result is incredibly lifelike and the socks are super warm and soft. A truly unique gift for anyone who is obsessed with their pet.

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Animal Ink Badger Cushion Cover from £24.99: Perkins & Morley

Who wouldn’t want this striking badger cushion featuring a line drawing by designer Jan Morley livening up their sofa?

Available in faux suede or linen, this practical, stylish cover is machine washable and very comfortable and supportive when stuffed with a cushion. There are a variety of other animal cushion covers in the collection too, so if you’re feeling generous you can buy a whole menagerie.

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Chocolate Animals Farmyard Selection Box: £12, Choconchoc

You can never go wrong with handmade Belgian chocolates, and these are sweet in both senses of the word.

These chocolates, made in the shape of all sorts of animals you’d find down on the farm, are a guaranteed winner. Each one is a good-sized piece of solid chocolate so the box should last a few days too and for the amount of chocolates you get, this is a very reasonably priced gift.

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Exotic Jungle Leopard Vase: £40, Ella James

Fans of anything feline, will love this sculptural leopard-head vase, which can be filled with plants or flowers to create a striking jungle-like display.

It looks good empty too, so when not in use it can be left out on a mantelpiece, shelf, sideboard or windowsill. To complete the collection, matching giraffe and zebra vases are also available.

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Zebra Long Hot Water Bottle: £39.95, Potwells

There are times when a standard-sized hot-water bottle, isn’t up to the job. In these instances you need one that is torso length, or as long as you are if you’re a child, and encased in a cuddly, fleecy zebra.

Fill up the 75cm bottle with hot water, seal and embrace. It stays warm for up to eight hours. This is the hottest gift you’ll buy this year.

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Fox and Hare Wrendale 6.5 inch Coupe Plate Set: £16, Royal Worcester

Although reasonably priced, these delicate little porcelain plates look and feel expensive.

The perfect size for serving biscuits to guests who come around for tea, these cute watercolour designs will look lovely at work on a coffee table, or alternatively displayed as wall art. They are hand-wash only, which could be a pain, but then again if it’s a gift, that’s not your problem.

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Bruno the Bear Makeup Bag: £9.95, Rex London

What’s not to love about this furry teddy-bear-head make up bag? It's roomy enough for lipsticks, mascara, eyeliner and powders, there’s a separate internal pocket to help with organising everything and it has a plastic lining to contain any spills. It would also work as a child’s wash bag. At under £10, it’s a bargain, too.

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Sneaky Cat Towel: from £16.95, Juniqe

Cat lovers will delight at this towel available in hand and bath sizes and featuring a rather startled cat drawn by artist Laura Graves. This piece of graphic design will make any towel rail a talking point and, made from a super soft terry velour, it’s a practical present too.

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Fetch Dog Bottle Opener: £15, insidestore

How cute is this canine-shaped bottle opener? Pop the top of a bottle of beer in this little dog’s mouth and the cap will be off in an instant. Made from beech wood and stainless steel, anyone will be thrilled to receive this funky, functional piece of kit.

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Lionel Lamb DIY Crochet Kit: from £48.99, Wool Couture

Crafty folk will want to get started on this lovely lamb project as soon as it’s handed over. Available in a selection of merino wool colours, the kit contains all that’s needed to crochet a rather large cuddly lamb. This is a gift that crochet pros will love, novices may find it a little tricky.

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The Verdict: Best gifts for animal lovers

The most unique piece, guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone lucky enough to unwrap them, is Lovimals’ Custom Printed Socks . Plus, these tootsie warmers are really good quality and wonderfully cosy. Get hold of a great animal pic and sock it to them.

Click here to view our guide to the Best Black Friday Deals

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