Happy Holidays for You and Your Pets!
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If you’re like most animal lovers, your pets are like family and of course they’re part of the holiday festivities, Santa hats and all!
But just like you safeguard your kids against certain safety hazards, you need to do the same for your animals. So often, we think Fido is such a smart dog that he’ll know better, but we say don’t count on it!
So County Animal Services has seven tips on how to keep Fido and Fluffy safe this holiday season.
- Anchor your Christmas tree so your pet can’t tip it over and if you’ve used anything but tap water for the base of the tree, make sure your pet can’t drink it.
- Cats love tinsel and the way it moves and sparkles. Unfortunately, they also like to eat it and your dog may munch on it too. Once swallowed, the tinsel can obstruct the digestive tract leading to vomiting, dehydration or a trip to the veterinarian. Keep tinsel out of reach or don’t use it at all.
- Your pets might get inspired to eat that merry mistletoe, holly and poinsettia. Those plants can also make your animal sick so go with artificial plants or something non-toxic.
- Keep your stockings out of reach, especially if they contain any chocolate, as it can be toxic to your pets. And, if you leave cookies out for Santa, make sure your pets don’t get to them first!
- Hide all electrical cords from your pets and make sure they can’t play with or knock over any candles.
- Set aside a quiet room for your pets. Many dogs and cats are shy with strangers or they just get overwhelmed with all the hustle and bustle of visiting relatives and friends. A quiet room allows them to escape all the commotion and sleep undisturbed!
- Ringing in the New Year? Your dog needs a quiet, secure place on New Years’ Eve. The loud noises from firecrackers and other fireworks scare dogs and some will do anything to escape the noise; they run for miles and become lost. Create a safe place where he can hide out from the explosive sounds of the New Year and make sure your dog is wearing identification, just in case.
The holidays can be a joyous but stressful time for all of us; make sure your pets can celebrate the season by keeping them happy and safe.