Holiday Hazards for Pets

Halloween

Halloween is a fun day for humans, but pets may become spooked (no pun intended!) by the altered appearance of their families. If your dog does not appear to recognize you and your children, use caution when approaching him or her.

Candy can make your pets sick, so you should always keep it out of reach of your pets, but especially on this holiday, when there’s so much of it around. You can encourage pet involvement in Halloween by making homemade dog and cat treats for your own animals and for other people’s pets. (Make sure they’re clearly labeled as pet treats!)

Dogs and cats should be kept inside on Halloween. If a lot of people will be coming to your door, put your pets in a bedroom with the door shut to prevent them from escaping into the night. Keeping them in a closed room will also minimize the fright they might get from loud voices and wild costumes. Black cats are especially vulnerable on Halloween, since black cats are often associated with evil and misfortune, and they can be the victims of abuse. So, to keep them safe, keep them inside.

Christmas

Here are some tips for keeping pets safe at Christmas time:

• If you have a real Christmas tree, keep the water in the stand covered so your animals can’t drink it. The pine sap is dangerous if ingested.
• Secure the tree to a wall or the ceiling with fishing line and a hook to prevent pets from knocking it over.
• Tree lights should not be left on when you’re not around, since your pets may tangle themselves in the cords. Unplug the tree lights when you’re not using them.
• Once you’ve decorated your tree, pick up all tinsel, ribbon and ornament hooks on the floor. These glittery items may be attractive playthings to your pets, but they can get sick if they ingest them. If a gastrointestinal blockage occurs, surgery may be needed to save your pet.
• If your pets express interest in playing with the decorations on the tree, decorate the bottom third of the tree with wood or plastic ornaments that won’t break.
• Keep all gifts that contain human food off the floor so that pets are not tempted by the smells. Human treats can be dangerous for pets – especially food containing chocolate, alcohol, raisins and onions.
• Holiday plants such as poinsettias and mistletoe can be dangerous, too, if your pets chew on them. Keep holiday plants well out of reach of your pets, or buy artificial plants.
• Burning candles can also be a concern around this time of year. Put burning candles in places that are inaccessible to your pets and don’t let candles burn unattended. Your cat can easily light herself on fire by brushing up against a burning candle or start a fire by tipping the candle over.

Sherry Woodard is the dog training and care consultant at Best Friends. She develops resources and provides consulting services nationally to help achieve Best Friends’ No More Homeless Pets mission.