Top 5 Christmas Holiday Pet Hazards
It’s the holiday season, so whoop de do! The world is gearing up to get into the spirit of Christmas and spread their holiday cheer. Preparing for the holidays can be a joy. For a lot of people, it means getting together with the family, creating new memories, and cooking lots of delicious food. For us, animal lovers, getting our furry friends involved in the festivities can be such a thrill! Especially if you are a first-time pet owner going through all of this.
Some of the things involved in getting ready for the holidays can be a lot of fun for us. Still, we need to take a minute to think about how these preparations can affect our pets. It’s likely that most people haven’t exactly thought about this, so not to worry! We got you covered. Keep reading to discover our top five holiday pet hazards.
Alcohol
While we hope that it is very unlikely that anyone would dare to give their pets a stiff one, it still deserves to make this list just as a friendly reminder! This should be a given, but some folks might enjoy their libations a little too much and might accidentally leave alcohol bottles where their pets can access them. To avoid any spills or accidents, try investing in a spill-proof wine glass! You can find them on Amazon or Etsy. They also make great Christmas gifts too!
Chocolate
Chocolate is undoubtedly a tasty treat for us, but it’s not suitable for your pets. Chocolate can come in many different forms. We have the usual Hershey’s chocolate bars, but let’s not forget about chocolate-covered raisins (double trouble there) or my personal favourite, chocolate truffles. Now, this is not to say that you can’t put on your bakers’ hat and try your hand at some new recipes, but be mindful of where you do keep your chocolate, so your pet doesn’t get sneaky and steal some when you’re not looking.
House Decorations
Decorating the house is probably one of the activities people look forward to the most during this time of year. It’s always loads of fun to deck the halls, and most importantly, putting up the Christmas tree! Now, that beautiful Christmas tree and well thought out decorations can be pretty shiny, which can also spark the interest of cats. Tinsel, in particular, is really attractive to them! Some dogs might mistake round ornaments for balls and may run the risk of biting down on a glass or metal ornament!
Electrical Cords
Christmas decorations may require some creative connectivity, which can result in a few electrical wires lying around. We all do our best to hide as many cables as we can, but sometimes there’s that one pesky wire that can’t seem to be tucked away correctly. If you have a pet that loves to play with anything or a puppy in its teething phase, electrical cords can pose a significant risk to them. Chewing on wires can cause burns, shocks, or in severe cases, fires! Try your best to tape down wires whenever possible or even better, place them in a protective plastic casing.
You not being prepared!
Now, I know this might sound a little out of the ordinary, so allow me to explain! If you don’t inform yourself about potential risks to your pets around the holidays, you, in turn, can then become the hazard! Taking extra steps to help prevent any incidents during the holidays will be so worth it to you! If you are worried about your pets, consider hiring a dog walker or pet sitter during the holiday season.
The more you know, the better you can equip yourself to spend a happy holiday with friends, family, and, most importantly, your pet!
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