The holidays are upon us—a time to celebrate and enjoy time with our friends, family, and loved ones. It’s a time to make memories and enjoy traditions, both new and old. As many of our fellow animal lovers know, our pets love to be a part of our holiday celebration; after all; pets are family too!
While we prep, plan, and enjoy the holidays, it’s important to remember a couple pet safety tips to keep our fury friends happy and healthy.
An Eye on the Evergreen
Christmas trees are, for many families, a vital part of the holiday celebration and festivities. From setting up and decorating the tree (artificial or real), to enjoying its’ beauty all holiday season long, it’s important to make sure your pets are safe from the hazards of having a tree. Be sure to keep an eye on them with the ornaments as glass and other types of décor are choking hazards. If you see your pet is messing with the ornaments, consider moving them up higher (depending on your pet’s height and/or climbing ability) or blockading the room or tree in a décor-friendly manner. Also, if you have a real tree, be sure to make sure pets aren’t sipping from the tree water; this is a breeding ground for bacteria, causing vomiting and loose stool.
Holiday Feast-ivites
The holidays are filled with plenty of delicious goodies and treats for us humans, but it’s important to make sure that your pet isn’t feasting on what’s meant to be our menu. Many ingredients in our recipes such as onions, mushrooms, nuts, and chocolate can cause our pets to fall ill and in many cases, cause life-threatening symptoms. Keep “human foods” away from your pets, and be sure to let guests know not to feed your critters from under the table. Instead, have pet treats and goodies prepared beforehand so that your animals can have a fun holiday too! Check out Pinterest for some great holiday munchies for your dogs and cats.
O Silent Night
The holidays can be a loud and crazy time regardless of what holiday you’re celebrating. Take this into consideration as your pets can be extremely sensitive to noise and chaos. Perhaps offer a quieter room that is just for your animals, offering them their own water (to avoid the Christmas tree water mishap), pet-friendly treats, and some down time away from the noise. Come New Years Eve, be sure to keep an area quiet from the noise of firecrackers, party favors, and more.
How are you “Pet Proofing” your upcoming holiday season?