Keeping Your Pets Safe During the Holidays

As we decorate for the holidays and us humans enjoy special treats, it’s important to keep the safety of your pets in mind as you introduce new scents, tastes, and décor into your home. Many pets will be very interested in any new items you bring into your home and may quickly get into presents, holiday spreads, and leftovers. In order to keep your pets safe and healthy, you need to know what is safe for your pets and what types of things should be kept at a distance.

Know Your Decorations

Decorations can add a sense of festivity and warmth to your home around the holiday season. Many of us choose to add touches of décor throughout our home to truly deck the halls. If you have pets, we recommend avoiding decorating with holiday plants that are poisonous to animals such as live holly or poinsettias. Here is an extensive list of plants that are poisonous to dogs. There are many alternative options to these toxic plants to help keep your pet safe, such as using fake holly or poinsettias or carefully placing them in a location that is out of the reach of your pets.

Other décor that may attract your pets could be tinsel, ribbons, or other shiny objects. These are attractive to pets and may be fun to play with but can cause intentional blockage or other issues if swallowed. Make sure these types of items are out of reach of your pets and as you are opening gifts, be sure to clean up ribbons and small pieces of wrapping as you go. Vacuuming regularly during the holiday season can prevent pets from consuming small pieces of tinsel or pine needles that may have fallen to the ground over time.

Limit Your Pet’s Access

With today’s newest technologies, there is no reason to miss out on your favorite parts of your holidays that may be risky to your pets. There are now invisible fence options that allow you to limit your pet’s access to certain areas of your home that may be unsafe for them. This can help train them where they are allowed to go and make sure you still get to enjoy your Christmas tree or winter village display. Some invisible fence systems even let you set different boundaries for different pets, giving you complete control over your home and peace of mind.

If you’re interested in discussing how invisible fencing may help keep your pet safe this holiday season, contact us today to learn more.

Keep an Eye on Snacks and Leftovers

Many foods that we humans eat can be unsafe or potentially deadly for pets, so it is extremely important for pet owners to know which ones are safe for them to consume. As you introduce new foods into your home for your holiday celebrations, be sure to do your research on each of them. Many foods commonly used during the holidays like chocolate, onions, and grapes can be extremely unsafe for dogs and other pets. It can also be very dangerous to feed your pets animal meat or fish if it has bones in it as they may choke or become lodged in their intestines. Avoid a trip to the vet (or worse) by not feeding your pet table scraps around the holidays.

If you are having guests over for the holidays, it can be helpful to set some ground rules to avoid any issues. Let them know that it is not safe to share food with your pets and to keep an eye out for pets getting into any food that has been left out on tables and counters. Be sure garbage cans are covered if they are left out for easy access.

Keep in mind the precautions and reminders above and you will be able to enjoy the holiday season with family and friends of all species.

Call Superior Dog Fence Today!

Superior Dog Fence of Richmond believes in building trust through communication and excellent customer service. We can provide you with many options for invisible pet fencing and continued support. Contact us today for a quote so you can provide your furry friends with a safe solution!