We love the holidays for celebrating some of life's happiest moments and making memories with our loved ones. This includes our furry family members too! Dogs and cats love the holidays, especially when their owners share extra time and treats with them. Amongst the flurry of holiday activities, it's important to remain mindful of our pets' well-being. All the interesting foods and decorations in our homes during the holiday season can be irresistible to pets, sometimes landing them in emergency pet hospitals after tasting or eating them.
To inform pet owners, and to keep their furry best friends out of harm's way this holiday season, we're sharing some important safety precautions to follow as we all celebrate our way through Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas!
Pet Safety Through the Holiday Season
Most dogs and cats cannot resist the smell and taste of new things, sometimes causing them to ingest items that can seriously put their health in jeopardy. Don't let a pet accident or emergency put a damper on your holiday festivities this year. Below are a few safety tips to keep in mind this holiday season:
Keep Harmful Foods Away from Your Pets: Keep candy, cookies, and anything else that's sweet away from where your pets can reach it, and don't leave food unattended. Additionally, secure the lids on your garbage cans to ensure your pet can't gain access to them. You may even want to consider placing your trash in an area that your pet can't enter. We know it can be tempting to feed your pet leftovers, however, it could be detrimental to their health. Onions, garlic, chives, raisins, grapes, citrus, dairy, and other foods can be toxic to pets. When in doubt, don't feed your leftovers to your pets!
Take the Right Precautions: If your pet tends to get skittish around large groups of people, you're going to want to do some stress control beforehand. Make sure they have access to a comfortable, quiet place inside if they want to retreat away from the commotion. Inform your guests ahead of time that you have pets, and let them know if your pets aren't so keen on lots of attention and cuddling. Before the party starts, make sure your pet has received ample exercise earlier in the day to take the edge of in the evening. Ensure they have a fun toy to play with throughout the night to stay occupied.
Decorate Responsibly: Whether it's a candlelit jack-o-lantern, decorative tinsel, or hanging mistletoe, you should always place your holiday decorations in areas where your pets can't reach them. It's our jobs as pet parents to be mindful of where we put our holiday decorations and to keep them out of reach. Strings of lights, breakable ornaments, Halloween candy, and glowing candles can all attract your pet, so management and supervision are a must. Electric lights can cause burns when a curious pet chews the cord, so be sure to unplug decorations while you're not around.
