I think as pet parents we can all agree that safety is always top priority for our pets. Often when I think of Christmas and the holiday season, I rarely think of the multitude of risks that come along with it. We’re so caught up in a holly jolly Christmas, that we forget about the dangers it can pose. Sounds silly, right? Well, not for our fur babies. The fireplace, Christmas lights and tinsel can put us at the vet’s office too quickly, so it’s important that we’re mindful throughout the season. I’ve compiled a holiday pet safety guide to get you and your fur friends through Thanksgiving and Christmas without any emergencies. This blog post is the first of twelve in our 12 Days of Holiday Planning for Pet Parents.
Holiday Pet Safety
Fire Safety
Fall and winter are the seasons for warming your tootsies by a fire and making s’mores with the family. The hazards which fire can pose are real, especially during the holiday season. Things like candles, Christmas lights and fireplaces can be dangerous for our pets.
- Watch your pets around bonfires.
- Keep a fire screen up if you actively use your fireplace so your animals can’t get near it.
- Never leave a space heater on or cover it with a blanket.
- Christmas lights can pose a chew threat, so make sure your puppy or chewer can’t get to them.
- When putting up Christmas decor, use a UL rated power strip. Never plug one power strip into another.
- Keep lit candles (and Menorahs) out of reach of dogs or curious kitties.
- Tinsel on a tree could catch on fire, or be ingested by your pet.
- Keep your pets out of the kitchen during holiday cooking to avoid accidents with the hot stove, grease or oven.
- Unplug Christmas lights when you leave the house. A house in my neighborhood burned down because of this 🙁
Treat Safety
Thanksgiving and Christmas are the holidays of delicious food! Both people and pets can gain weight or get sick during this time of year from all of the delectable goodies. Follow the guide below to see what you can and cannot feed your dog. You can also try making some homemade dog treats for this year’s celebration!
Decoration Safety
Shiny decorations this holiday season can mean lots of distractions for our cats and dogs. There are dangers lurking in your living room that you may not even know are there.
- Real poinsettias are toxic and potentially deadly if eaten by dogs and cats.
- Garland, especially if made from real foliage, can be toxic for animals.
- Don’t let your pet drink the Christmas tree water! Icky! Keep them far away from it, especially if you use some sort of chemical to keep your tree alive.
- Liquid potpourri – I know someone who had a cat that enjoyed drinking it…SO not good!
- Fake snow. It can go everywhere, and you don’t know what kind of chemicals are in that. Don’t let your pet near it.
- Glass ornaments on your tree can fall and break, creating a mess of glass. Be extra cautious.
- Try to avoid any loose wires that your dog could chew or choke on.
- Tinsel. Just avoid it. You don’t need your pet pooping out shinies, or getting them stuck in their intestines.
The holidays are full of joy, but they are full of risks for our pets. To keep your holidays safe and fun, watch your pets around fire, decorations and meal time.
This post is part of our 12 Days of Holiday Planning for Pet Parents series. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!
speedyrabbit says
All good advice,luck for me the only thing I have to worry about is cables for the lights and I always put them out of reach for Speedy and if I want a real tree I don’t need to worry about that because a little nibble won’t hurt him either.Speedy is actually very good around Christmas trees except for the hay in my nativity he will grab a piece of hay as he goes past but again its ok for him.But I do know most bunny owners have to pen off the tree because it is just to tempting for most bunnies……Cables and Rabbits is a big thing,xx Speedy and Rachel
Ivana Kinsley says
Most of the time I think about pet safety especially, fire safety. It too much dangerous and harm for all. But searching your content I think I remove most of my tension. Becasue at beginning of your content you put thing issue at top and show us some easy solution, that really helpful for pet and owners. Thank you so much.