They may have been born as strays on a porch, but thanks to the efforts of some wonderful volunteers, seven Labrador retriever–mix puppies spent their first Christmas indoors, surrounded by their loving adoptive families.

Thanks to a Christmas display at the framing shop of John Esty and John Bartlett, anyone wearing fur on New York City's Greenwich Avenue will feel like the West Village idiot.

Since, as the holiday classic explains, "the weather outside is frightful," you have to admire the dedication of PETA's "Mistletoe Misses," who have been braving Arctic breezes wearing nothing but mistletoe-covered bikinis to share "kisses"—along with the word about the many advantages of a vegan diet.

The delightful duo has been giving away vegan chocolates with tags saying, "Be Sweet to Animals," along with PETA's vegetarian/vegan starter kits.

Sophie is a rescued dog who accompanies PETA Vice President Lisa Lange to work at PETA's Los Angeles office. Not to be outdone by Bubbles, Sophie has also written to Kris Kringle, asking him to help less fortunate dogs.

Bubbles, one of the resident cats at PETA's Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters, has written a letter to Santa (with a little help from the author of 250 Things You Can Do to Make Your Cat Adore You):

We all know about "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but what about "The 12 Days of Rickmas"? Ricky Gervais is doing his own take on the classic carol on Twitter. On the first day of Rickmas, you should give your true love your signature on a petition to ban the tiger-skin trade. On the second day of Rickmas, you can give your true love whatever you like, just so long as it isn't anything furry—dead or alive.

What will Ricky recommend next? A ban on foie gras? A donation to an animal rights group? The suspense is like … waiting for Christmas. 

The turdoggie hybrid we rolled out on billboards just in time for Thanksgiving proved so popular that we decided to return to the laboratory and craft a new creation for Christmas—the puplet:

Dog: © iStockphoto.com/Angelika Schwarz • Pig: © iStockphoto.com/Clint Scholz

Pigs are a lot more like dogs than you might think. Piglets and puppies both love to play and have their ears scratched, and they can easily master skills like sit, fetch, and jump. When in their natural surroundings—not on factory farms—pigs are social, playful, protective animals who bond with each other, make nests, relax in the sun, and cool off in the mud. Pigs are known to dream and recognize their own names, and they are thought to be more intelligent than 3-year-old human children. And just like kids—and dogs—pigs don't want to be eaten.

To celebrate a compassionate Christmas, keep the ham off the table and whip up a pig-friendly feast with the holiday recipes available on our "Living" page.

Making up songs about my cat, Wellington, set to holiday jingles is one of the season's great joys. ("Wellie, the Pink-Nosed Kitty" is a big hit at parties.) The best thing that we can do for our animal companions this holiday season, though, is to keep them safe. Here are some tips:

Cats are wonderful, but they don't make great gifts. And please always remember to spay and neuter.

• Keep tinsel, ribbons, and ornament hooks away from prying paws. If you see ribbon or tinsel hanging from your animal's mouth, call the veterinarian, pronto. Never pull it out—it can cut their intestines.
• Make sure that guests and kids don't share unapproved holiday treats with animals. Chocolate and some nuts are toxic to dogs, and even seemingly harmless foods such as onions, raisins, and grapes can cause severe reactions in dogs and cats.
• Plants such as holly, mistletoe, and lilies are pretty to look at, but they can make animals sick or even kill them if eaten. Keep plants well out of animals' reach—or better yet, choose other types of plants.
• The comings and goings of guests provide opportunities for animals to slip out of the house. Have your animals microchipped (at your veterinarian's office or an animal shelter), and make sure that they wear collars and I.D. tags while guests are in the house, just in case.
• Save the phone numbers of your veterinarian and the nearest emergency vet in your cell phone so that you're always prepared for unexpected mishaps.
• Holidays can be hectic, but be sure not to overlook your animal companions' needs for regular walks and playtime.
• Share the holiday spirit of giving with your animals by getting them a dog or cat gift set—they also make great stocking stuffers for the other animals in your life.

Happy holidays to you and your furry friends!

The holidays. A couple of months filled with holiday cheer, carols, and snowflakes—followed by a flood of animals being dumped at shelters.

That's because after the hustle and bustle—after discovering the cute little puppy under the tree wearing a big red bow—come the puddles on the carpet, the walks in the cold, the chewed-up shoes, and the vet bills. So when the kids who begged, "I'll take care of him every day, I promise," are too busy playing their new video games to care for their new puppy, Rover is tossed aside like last year's Call of Duty.

Puppies need a stay-at-home person to housetrain them properly (they can't "hold it" all day) and multiple walks every day, even when it's cold and rainy. Both puppies and kittens need lots of patience and understanding, room to grow physically and mentally, and a fat wallet for sterilization and all the shots, wormings, grooming, food, medicine, and toys.

People who give animals as gifts are essentially sticking about 16 years' and thousands of dollars' worth of responsibility under the tree. Sounds festive, right?

If a family member or friend is genuinely ready and willing to adopt an animal, wait until the holiday hoopla is over and offer to accompany them to your local animal shelter where you can help pick out a wonderful companion for life, not just for Christmas.

A Tofurky and some mistletoe will help to make the season bright, according to Katy Perry. She told the Italian magazine Grazia that she and her new hubby, Russell Brand, plan to celebrate Christmas by gathering 'round a pink (!) tree and extending some peace and goodwill to turkeys by dining on a vegan roast.

What a coincidence—my family plans to do the same thing (except for the pink tree part). Stars: They really are just like us.

Written by Alisa Mullins