The Truth About Holiday Pet Safety

The holidays are coming! Chances are that your pet is just as excited as you are to decorate, bake, and celebrate. Your pet can very well participate in your family’s holiday shenanigans, and may even be the star of the show. However, without a notice of holiday pet safety, there are multiple things that could land them in trouble.

Easily Integrated

The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s overflow with social gatherings, house parties, and gift exchanges. It’s only natural to dress up your home in holiday fashion, but before you go bananas with decor, consider how your display may look to your pet. Without realizing it, the items meant to bring holiday cheer to your guests could present significant risks to your best friend.

• Small parts can quickly become choking hazards or gastrointestinal obstructions.
• String lights, electric cords, and anything stretched out can present entanglement issues or electric shock.
• Candles or simmering potpourri should never be on surfaces that your pet can reach; use battery-operated candles to reduce the risk of house fires or burns.
• Plants like poinsettia, mistletoe, holly, and lilies are toxic to animals and should not be displayed on the floor or on surfaces that your pet can reach.

Other Hazards

Perhaps the stand-out centerpiece of the holiday season is, of course, the tree. While an artificial tree is always a better bet for holiday pet safety, it’s not always a family’s holiday preference. As long as the following holiday pet safety precautions are met, your pet can still enjoy the festivities:

• Anchor the tree to the ceiling or wall to minimize the risk of an accidental fall. Many pets cannot resist the opportunity to climb the newfound wonder that is a Christmas tree in the house.
• Be mindful of breakable ornaments. Glass or ceramic ornaments can cause problems if stepped on or eaten.
• The tree stand could have high levels of various chemicals leaching out of the tree. Cover the water so your pet doesn’t accidentally drink fertilizers, fire retardant, or pesticides.
• Tinsel is the worst holiday offender. Responsible for severe gastrointestinal distress, your pet could require emergency surgery if any tinsel is ingested. The same is true for ribbon or any kind of string.

Holiday Pet Safety

We love holiday foods and so do our pets. Try designing a plate of healthy foods that your pet can eat such as sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, and–if you really want to spoil them–some white meat. However, please consult our list of toxic holiday foods that should be avoided, never offered, and never left out for pets to sample on their own.

Precautionary Tales

Crate training can be a real boon to holiday pet safety, or just having a quiet room for your pet to be alone. When your pet has a place to get away from all the holiday commotion, the chances of an escape or feelings of stress and anxiety are reduced. Just to be safe, update your pet’s microchip contact information if your contact information has changed recently. Also make sure that it has been registered correctly in case your pet does get lost.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns about holiday pet safety. While our staff is always here for your pet, we truly hope you can avoid a pet emergency this holiday season.