Pets are part of the family especially during the holidays

By Staci-lee Sherwood

Growing up I had several pets.  I had a big French Poodle named DuBarry for thirteen years and a pair of parakeets for a couple of years.  During Christmas my dad would bring home boxes of chocolates and place them under the tree.  DuBarry, with her great sense of smell, couldn’t help herself from trying to get to them.  In her pursuit she often knocked down ornaments but thankfully never got to the chocolates which are toxic to animals.  Once I started rescuing cats the annual tradition of poinsettias had to go because they too are toxic to pets.  Having pets meant changing some habits and traditions in order to keep them safe.  The love in return made it worth it.  The joy in watching a pet have fun, free from the stress of not having a home or food is the best gift of all.

Valentine’s Day

We think of Valentine’s Day as a romantic celebration of love.  Giving chocolates as a sign of affection has become its symbolic gesture.  Chocolate is toxic to dogs, cats and birds and so is aluminum foil many come wrapped in.  While we relish the delicious nuggets we might accidently put our non human family members in harms way.  Another thought is how processed the chocolate is.  Reading the labels of commercial chocolate boxes they contain preservatives, soy and artificial colors and flavors.  If they’re toxic to our pets they’re probably not very safe for us to eat either.  A safe alternative to boxed chocolates would be something homemade like fresh strawberries dipped in melted organic chocolate.  For our pets maybe some home cooked chicken or turkey as a treat to show them how special they too are.

This chocolate can be fatal to a curious pet.

Easter

For some this holiday is a time of religious celebration while for others it’s more about the chocolate bunnies and painted eggs.  Those chocolate bunnies we see in the stores may not seem like something deadly but they can be if a dog or cat ate them, if they come wrapped in foil that too is deadly.  If you celebrate with a fun Easter basket filled with chocolates, eggs and trinkets, some of the toys can be a choking hazard if they have feathers or buttons.  This is a time for family and not a day you want to spend in the emergency animal hospital.

The bright colors and shiny aluminum foil get the attention of our pets who don’t know how toxic these are to them.

This beautiful basket may not look dangerous to us but it can be if kept where a pet can get into it.  They smell food draws them and they don’t know how sick it can make them.

Many people have rabbits as pets.  At Easter many parents give their children baby bunnies, ducklings and chicks.  Giving any animal as a gift is always problematic because little thought goes into the care of the animal after the holiday has passed.  Ask anyone that works in a shelter or rescue they know that abandonment of rabbits, ducks and chicks given at Easter goes way up, meaning most of these animals will never have a proper home or live very long.  While the gesture may seem like love it’s actually very cruel and teaches children all the wrong things.  Animals are not toys to play with for a short while then throw away.  All animals require many years of proper food and veterinary care.  A better idea is a stuffed animal, one that can be given away when the child gets bored.  

Click here for more info about the care of these animals if you must have one  https://ahconnects.org/easter-story/

4^th of July

Loud booming noises and fireworks serve as the way to celebrate this country’s birth.  However the noise is terrifying for our pets, and wildlife.  They don’t see it as a spectacular show of color and lights but instead something more like war.  For some pets they simply hide under the bed but others truly have a meltdown.  The loud noises can cause many animals to claw endlessly as a way of futile escape.  Other dogs might keep barking thinking the noise is a threat.  Some animal shelters have volunteers come and sit with the animals as a way to comfort them from the terror they experience from the noise and vibrations.

If you use fireworks in your own yard think how it adversely affects your pets and those of your neighbors.  If the purpose is to celebrate there are plenty of other ways to do that without causing harm.  After all if you were an animal terrified a war was raining down on you, you would want someone to come to your rescue and make it stop.  Many pets go missing on the 4^th due to all the commotion, noise and smoke.  They panic and bolt and for most pets are never found.  What a tragedy it would be to lose a pet during what should be a fun celebration.  Leave pets home if you’re going out it’s the safest place for them.

During the 4^th the loud noise of fireworks and vibrations from canons create an atmosphere of terror for many animals.  Think how you would feel if you had to experience it without knowing why it was happening…you would be terrified too.

Pets should be loved and treated like any other family member.  If you can’t do that don’t get a pet, get a pet rock instead.

Halloween

This holiday is thought to be more for children but adults celebrate it just as much.  Some hazards to keep out of reach for pets would be candles, always a potential fire hazard.  The fake cobwebs can cause blockage if consumed by a pet but is also a huge hazard to wildlife.  Nocturnal animals like bats and owls often get trapped and can die.  They cause so much harm that every year many wildlife groups put out warnings asking people to not use them.  All those fun rubber pumpkins, spiders and eyeballs can be a choking hazard and also contain heavy metals making them toxic to chew.  Glow sticks contain liquids that can make a pet sick.  Best to skip buying these, but if you must keep them out of reach or pets, and small children.

Pumpkins are the biggest symbol of Halloween.  Whether we carve them or eat them we love them.  Fresh pumpkin can also be good for your dog and cat.  I often give a tablespoon of fresh pumpkin to my cat to aid in digestion and add natural fiber to her diet.  Skip the canned pumpkin which is loaded with salt, sugar and preservatives and opt for a fresh one.  Another potential danger if you have a black cat or dog is there safety if outdoors unattended.  While Halloween can be a fun holiday we do live in a world filled with sick violent people.  Many black cats fall victim to these people looking to torture an innocent animal so keep your pets safely indoors. 

When I worked in an animal shelter they had a rule to not adopt out any black cats in October.  The rule had been in place for years but there are a lot a sick people out there so why tempt fate.  If you have a black cat keep them safe and indoors during Halloween, why tempt fate.

My cat Danielle getting into a Halloween mood.

Thanksgiving

This is the biggest family gathering of the year and one that brings special memories for us.  For some pets the noise and commotion can drive up their stress.  While most of the food we eat for a traditional Thanksgiving can be toxic to pets the turkey itself can be a healthy added treat.  Before adding all the oil and butter spices just take some of the turkey, remove the skin and lightly bake in the oven just plain and simple.  When it’s time for the family to gather and celebrate your pets can snack on the same food and join in the celebration.  I home cook boneless skinless chicken and turkey for my cats and always gave some to my dog.  They all loved it and it’s a healthier alternative to commercial pet food.  

The day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday and has come to symbolize millions of people standing in line before dawn and making a mad dash for sale items.  Instead of shopping for ourselves on Black Friday start a new tradition of adopting a black dog or cat.  These sweeties are the most overlooked in shelters and least likely to be adopted.

Christmas

Christmas is the biggest time of the year for family and what better way to celebrate that then with your pets.  Some people buy their pets treats or hang stockings.   Just like with Thanksgiving there can be a lot of noise and commotion that can stress out your pet.  Many people get food as gifts, either boxes of candy or something baked in a tin.  Dogs and cats have superior sense of smell, they have over 200 million receptors, compare to humans having about 5 million, which allow them to smell over 10,000 times better than us.  Any food put under the tree will draw them and possibly a disaster.  Food gifts can cause the tree to fall, ornaments to break and worse sickness or death of the pet.  It’s always best to put food gifts out of reach of any curious pet.

Americans are known for loving their pets and often buy them treats and gifts especially around Christmas.  Toys made for pets don’t come with warning labels about the heavy metals they contain like lead, arsenic and cadmium.  Many also contain BPA found in plastics and Chlorine in pvc toys.  All of these are found in children’s toys as well.  Many toys have feathers and buttons which become a choking hazard and felt can cause blockage.  Rawhide chew toys contain formaldehyde which is used in processing and very toxic.  If you wouldn’t want to be chewing on heavy metals or being choked don’t buy toys that would endanger your furry family member.  So here are some safe alternatives:

• Instead of rawhide get real bones from any butcher, when I had a dog that’s what I did.

  
  

• Instead of cheap chew toys, mostly made in China, try brands like KONG toys which are known for using non toxic rubber and being durable and considered one of the best dog toy makers in the industry.  I recently bought several of their toys for monkeys in a sanctuary because they’re safe and well made.

  
  

• Instead of cheap plastic balls for cats to swat buy ones made of steel.  They’re unbreakable.  I couldn’t find steel bell balls in local stores so I got creative.  I bought a dog collar made with 5 steel balls with bells in them, cut them off the collar and gave them to my cat.  She can swat all day and never break them nor can she chew on them.

  
  

• For cats try these catnip toys made with organic cotton and catnip, no toxic chemicals and no fillers in the catnip.  My cat swears by them click here

  https://yeowww.com/yeowww-stinkie-sardiness/

  click here for a guide to safer choices for pets

  https://www.petopiatoys.com/blog/top-13-rubber-dog-toy-manufacturers.html

  
  

• Another Christmas classic that’s a danger to pets are the beautiful poinsettia plants.  They’re poisonous to dogs and cats, as are pine needles, mistletoe and holly.  If you love the look consider buying artificial ones, they last for years and won’t kill your pets.  I hang stockings for each of pets, past and present, but never put any treats in them.  Unlike we humans any pet stocking stuffers should be kept in a closet until it’s time to give otherwise that sense of smell could shred the stocking and the gift.   One last treat is food.  Human food contains too much salt, spice and oil that can make our pets sick unless it’s just plainly boiled.  Many states have dog bakeries where they specialize in treats that are geared toward a dog’s dietary needs, some also cater to cats.  Click here for a bakery that also ships, you can get an idea of what a pet bakery sells  

   https://gooddogbakery.net/

  
  
  
  

My cat Danielle let me put a Santa hat on her just long enough for a photo.

My cat Jessica loved to scratch the wrapping paper she especially loved the crunchy sound it made.

Each of my cats has her own Christmas stocking, based on their personality.  They’re fun to buy or make and help include pets into the family celebration.

My cat Sabrina inspects her new toys, organic cotton sardines filled with catnip from Yeoww.

How to help pets stay safe during holidays - a quick reminder list

• Keep all aluminum foil away from them

• Keep toxic food like chocolate, onion and garlic out of reach

• Skip buying real poinsettias opt for artificial ones

• Switch to home cooked food if possible and if not try adding some to their diet around the holidays

• Be careful of commercial toys and skip anything with feathers (real or fake), felt buttons or glitter they’re a choking hazard.

• Skip the rawhide made with and get real bones from the butcher

• Go for organic catnip toys

• Look for no toxic durable toys for pets, if it’s cheap it won’t last and mostly toxic

• Find a pet bakery as a treat geared toward them

Love your pet as a family member because they are