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HOLIDAY PET SAFETY
Winter brings a variety of religious and cultural festivities that involve temporary changes to our homes: we may light candles for Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, invite guests to a meal celebrating the end of Ramadan, trim trees for Christmas, or decorate with flowering plants for Chinese New Year. While these activities add richness to our lives, they can also present hazards for our pets.
Here are 10 tips to help make your holiday safe for you and your animals.
 1. Secure electrical cords so pets won’t trip over or chew on them.
2. A trimmed Christmas tree is a cat magnet. They will want to climb it, bat at the decorations, chew on the branches and play in it. Your dog may mistake a tree as its personal indoor
relief station. A parrot’s beak can destroy decorations. Tinsel can cause intestinal obstructions, and hooks can hurt paws. If you put additives in the tree water to keep it green longer, you should know your pet can become quite ill if they drink that water. Moral: don’t leave animals unsupervised in the same room with a tree.
3. While we love the special foods associated with holidays, these same foods can hurt our pets. Don’t place candies containing chocolate or raisins where your dog can reach them when your back is turned. Foil wrappers can cut an animal’s intestines. Candies on sticks, like lollipops, can punch holes in their digestive tract. The rich dripping from turkeys, roasts and hams will upset your pet’s digestive system. And bones and alcoholic beverages for pets are always a no-no. And refrain from giving your dog Immodium if it becomes ill -- this product has recently been reformulated, and now contains a chemical that while totally OK for humans, dogs cannot handle.
4. And while we’re thinking of foods, remember that some items are meant to be non-edible, but your pet doesn’t know that. Gingerbread houses, ornaments made with flour paste, grits or treated sugars, popcorn garlands and ceremonial foods for altars should all be kept out of reach.
5. Check decorations for any parts that could cause choking or attract jumping. Avoid elastic or dangling parts which could become entangled around an animal’s neck.
6. The flickering of a burning candle is highly attractive to a curious pet. Close animals in another room prior to lighting candles and remember to extinguish all flames before leaving the room.
 7. If decorating your home with plants, live or dried, make sure they are are animal-friendly.
Mistletoe, yew, holly, juniper, balsam, poinsettia, hibiscus, lilies, Star of Bethlehem, rhubarb, English ivy, and many bulbs can poison a pet (or child!). The Animal Science department at Cornell University provides a detailed list of plants to avoid, using both common and scientific names, according to your pet’s species, on their Poisonous Plants website.
8. Resist the temptation to put a holiday costume on your pet. Most pets don’t like being dressed up, the costume may make them feel like a predator is holding or following them. If you must dress up your pet, don’t use anything around the neck, don’t use elastics that can burrow into their skin and do not leave them unsupervised. NEVER tie a ribbon around a pet’s neck.
9. New Year’s celebrations often involve firecrackers, which can cause pets to panic and run away. Take the same precautions as you would on the Fourth of July: before evening begins, close your pet in an inner room, preferably without windows, and leave on a radio or TV. Put a sign on the door to let others know not to let the animal out.
10. The many comings and goings of family and friends during this season mean increased opportunities for pets to accidentally wander off. Take time now to make sure your pet has up-to-date ID tags and is wearing them. Consider getting your pet microchipped.
Pets can add richness and joy to our lives, but not everyone has the ability, space or time to care for one. Before giving a pet as a present, discuss the intended gift with recipient. If the answer is yes, then give a prepaid adoption certificate to a local animal shelter, and go with the new owner to select the pet after the holiday when the home is calmer. The pet won’t be a surprise, but the discussion, planning and selection process will be a special time between you and the new pet owner, and foster a successful transition for the pet.
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