The pug's big buggy eyes stare balefully from beneath the wide brim of an orange cowboy hat. A red bandanna circles the chubby neck and chaps adorn the rear legs as the fawn-colored dog stands in a gunslinger pose.

"Forget the 10 paces," says the photo caption. "Just shoot me now."

The little dog sheriff is one of the stars of a new book, "Pets Who Want To Kill Themselves."

When I get e-mails with pictures like this, I forward them to friends and co-workers, and we all have a big laugh. I wonder about the people who spend time and/or money making or buying animal costumes for Halloween, Christmas, Easter and other occasions. I wonder how they get their pets to stand still for this kind of thing.

Los Angeles screenwriter Duncan Birmingham did more than wonder. When he received these e-mails, he created a Web site (wwww.petswhowanttokillthemselves.com). His standing invitation: "E-mail me photos of your over-loved pets!"

In a phone interview, the 34-year-old Boston native says he doesn't own a pet, "but if I did I am embarrassed to say I would be dressing it up."

His book contains full-color photographs of more than 150 pets. Dogs wear bunny ears, reindeer antlers, hats, wigs, veils and sunglasses. They dress as firefighters, mustard-covered hot dogs, pirates, pumpkins, peapods ... and more. Many of the dogs look sad or sheepish, and a few look downright ticked-off in keeping with the title of the book and Web site.

Cats are usually too smart or too proud to stand still for this kind of thing, but there are quite a few costumed cats in the book. A sheepish tabby in a white gown and a black and white cat in a black tux stare at five adult people gathered around them.

"There's nothing good on TV. Whaddya say we marry the cats?" says the caption.

The book, which will be released Dec. 1 by Three Rivers Press, is small enough to be a stocking stuffer. The cost is $10.

The book is laugh-out-loud funny, but keep it away from the kids. There are some four-letter-words and much of the humor is adults-only.

A very appropriate book for children 3-6 years old is "Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library!" (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $16.99)

Authors Vicki Myron and Bret Witter earlier penned the best-selling adult version of a true-life story: "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World." In the kiddie version, the text and beautiful full-color illustrations by Steve James tell the story from the orange cat's point of view, starting with the cold night when a tiny kitten was dumped into the book return box at the Spencer Public Library in Iowa.

Dewey Readmore Books, as he was dubbed by Ms. Myron and other staff, lived the rest of his life in the library. He enchanted regular library users in the small town and attracted visitors and journalists from far and wide as his fame spread.

When Dewey died in 2006, his obituary appeared in more than 250 newspapers, including The New York Times. In the new children's picture book, Dewey doesn't die. He cuddles and cavorts with children in a 32-page romp.

Both books could be great Christmas gifts for animal lovers.

Animal Friends is helping to get gifts into the mouths, paws and claws of pets.

For the second year, the shelter is holding the Presents for Pets toy drive, which aids people who can't afford to buy presents for their two-and four legged pets. Donations will be collected through Dec. 15 in the lobby of the shelter, 562 Camp Horne Road, Ohio Township.

Donated toys will be distributed through 15 local food pantries that participate in the Animal Friends Chow Wagon Program.

Since its inception in 2007, Chow Wagon has dispensed more than 38,000 pounds of pet food to needy families. For further information, call Ann Cadman at the shelter, 412-847-7031.