Even if you don't own a pet, you'll find that shops selling pet-related products are perfect places for locating that special holiday gift - and not just for cats and dogs, but their owners as well.

At Prima Dog, most of the items for sale are for dogs and their masters, although in some outlets, cats enjoy a bit of a representation, mainly with pillows (around Bt1,450).

All of Prima Dog's four branches (the Emporium, Central Chidlom, Suan Lum Night Bazaar and J Avenue) offer dog accessories, leashes, collars and doggie sweaters. Some branches are larger than others. For instance, the J Avenue branch offers a range of chewy toys by Buddy. Made of cow skin, they're very strong, and to please the human element in the buying factor, they're modelled after human food.

The doggie won't notice, of course, but when you buy one for your woof-woof just make sure it's not so small that it might be swallowed accidentally. Be as careful as you would when you're buying a ball for your dog.

Though most shops concentrate on dogs, you could try the Thonglor Pet Hospital's shop for toys for your furry feline. They offer all sorts of dangly string toys. Sukhumvit Animal Hospital, on Sukhumvit between Soi 53 and Soi 55, also has little fuzzy, rat-shaped blobs for around Bt80.

At Ozono, on Sukhumvit Soi 39, just across the bridge from Phetchburi Road, Doggie Bag and Cat Societe offer all sorts of dog and cat accessories, including beds.

They also offer a lot of animal-related accessories for the owner, such as statuettes, both in porcelain and papier mache, as well as a range of tableware with line drawings of cats.

The major problem with Ozono is that the owner, Dhanesha K, has stocked his two shops with what he personally likes. For instance, the lovely pink dog house installed right outside one of the shops could have been sold many times over, but it's there for Dhanesha's own dogs. He says he might entertain offers, but he wouldn't reveal the price.

Re-Tail, opened a few months ago by the Soi Dog Rescue people, doesn't offer much in the way of pet accessories - just a few doggie treats - but it does give you the opportunity hunt for something you could use. And if you buy anything, the proceeds go to support cats and dogs rescued by SDR.

The shop was set up as a used-goods shop, but around half the items are new, donations from well-known companies who want to support SDR.

They have clothing, knickknacks, jewellery, books - Givenchy plates going for Bt1,000, Marks & Spencer suits for Bt500, Swarovski jewellery for half the price, DVDs and CDs for Bt50 and a whole bunch of other things.

There's so much stuff in this shop that you really do have to spend time browsing,            and the Re-Tail staff, all volunteers, have                             a pot of coffee going at all times if you fancy                     a cup of java.

Re-Tail is located on the ground floor of Lake Rajada Complex, opposite of the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. For information, call (089) 661 0230.

You might find it interesting to check out these shops and make it a shopping expedition for the significant four-footed creature in your life - and you.

I'm sure your little doggie won't mind if you buy a few dishes with drawings of cats on them.

Laurie Rosenthal 

The Nation