Holiday Safety for Pets

By Lisa Cunningham, Director of Communications

The holiday season is here! The bright lights, shiny bulbs, candles, and beautiful decorations in your home are a source of beauty and joy for you and your family — and a source of curiosity and temptation for your pets. Each year, thousands of pets become injured or ill during the holidays, and more times than not, those accidents or illnesses could have been prevented with a little preparation and foresight.

Run down this quick checklist to pet-proof your home for the holidays and make sure the most helpless members of your family don’t fall victim to unforseen danger.

Give Sparky some turkey, but remove all the bones

Who can resist the taste of turkey and ham and the smell of all those goodies baking in the oven?

Go ahead, give Sparky a bit of juicy turkey as a tasty alternative to his regular meal, but make sure to remove all the bones! Bones can have splinters and get lodged in your pet’s throat, having potentially deadly consequences.

Chocolate can be deadly

Chocolate contains the chemical theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Keep chocolate in all its forms–candy, frosting, etc.–away from pets, no exceptions. If your dog does ingest chocolate, call your veterinarian or poison control center right away.

Plants

Holly, misteltoe, and poinsettias are synonymous with the holidays. They’re also poisonous and should be kept out of reach of animals. If you have cats, which can jump and scale large distances, it’s a good idea to avoid live versions of these plants altogether.

Decorations

How can your furry little friend possibly resist the bright, shiny, sparkly little balls and bells hanging from your tree or dangling from doorknobs? In all likelihood, he can’t, which is why it’s best to choose plastic, unbreakable ornaments over their glass counterparts. It’s also a good idea to avoid hanging ornaments on the lower boughs of your tree, to deter Sparky from reaching for them.

Avoid decorating with tinsel, which can cause choking and damage to the intestines.

Finally, remember to place lighted candles far out of reach of your pets and always keep them in an enclosed holder.

Beware electrical cords

All those electrical cords streaming from the Christmas tree or beneath the mantle look like little more than extra chew toys for your pets. But chewed cords or frayed wires can be a fire hazard — and deadly to your pets. To avoid potentially dangerous situations, be sure to corral the cords, tape them down, or keep them out of sight, if possible.

It might seem like extra work, but this little bit of preparation will go a long way to make sure your family’s best friend has a safe, enjoyable, extra special holiday season.

Happy holidays from Pop-A-Lock Atlanta. For regular, timely, safety-related tips and updates, be sure to subscribe to our blog.