Something for their pet

It’s not the Isaac Mizrahi yellow dog hoodie or the litter-box cleaning robot your pet-loving family and friends really want. But there are some creative, thoughtful and useful gifts available in Baton Rouge for pet owners.

Here Comes the Groom. Forget the sugarplum fairy. Anyone with more than one pet dreams of mobile groomers. Baton Rouge has two, and they can defunk, clip, dip, fluff and buff prized pets right in the owner’s driveway. Both Southpaws and Paws N Claws are already accepting new clients for February 2007.

Dog grooming: $35 to $80, depending on the dog’s breed and the services requested. Cat grooming: $55 to $65 including combat pay.

Hello Kitty. Feline-friendly families recommend something to keep kitty busy, such as Target’s Cat Jungle ($19.88) with its vertical and horizontal tunnels, obstacles and platforms, and Petsmart’s Whisker City Helicopter ($59.99, above), which features a solid wood scratching post with angled perches and batting toys.

Phat Fatboy. A Dutch company has created the ultimate in canine comfort: the Fatboy beanbag bed. One owner recently raved, “The cats can even be found sharing space on the Fatboys with the dogs. My dogs love them, even opting for them over my luxurious king-sized bed!” Two sizes accommodate anything from a yorkie to a pair of rottweilers ($99 to $139, designpublic.com).

Bye-bye, blue dog. George Rodrigue has blue dogs. Tara High School photography instructor and animal rescuer Simon Baxter has a funkadelic rainbow of colors at his disposal. He uses photographs to capture the right expression for his high-energy, acrylic-on-canvas originals of cats, dogs, tigers, kangoos and monkeys, among others (above). A commissioned 16×20-inch portrait begins at $355. Call or visit Petropolitan at 926-8282 or Rue Cou Cou 201-0703.

A Gift of Lifetime. Families can perform their own Christmas miracle or Hanukkah mitzvah by saving an animal’s life and adopting a rescued pet.

East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control, Cat Haven, Ascension Animal Advocates and other rescue groups encourage adoption application in advance of the holidays and provide gift certificates and guidance to help children (or adults) select their perfect pet. For information on breed-specific rescues (such as duck, sugar-glider, ferret, rabbit, collie, poodle and others), go to petfinder.com and click local shelters. Adoption fees begin around $30 for rabbits and smaller critters and extend from $70 to $300 for kittens, puppies, cats and dogs.