From the Sun: Deck the halls (but not with holly)

From the November 21st edition of the Woodford Sun: 

Deck the halls (but not with holly), and other tips for pet-safe holiday decor
By Beth Oleson, Education Coordinator

 

Romy (adoptable) knows what's up

Ahh, the holidays – a time of year for tons of food, decorations, gifts, and good company…and, if you have pets, a time for obsessively protecting your food, decorations, and gifts (and sometimes your company, if you have pets like mine) from furry interference.  Defending your winter wonderland from your pets is just as important for them as it is for the holiday ambiance, though; here are some common holiday hazards and how to avoid them.  

If you’re a “deck the halls” kind of a person, go right ahead and get your deck on – just leave the holly outside.  Poinsettias tend to get a bad rap as a holiday favorite that’s dangerous to pets, but they’re actually not a danger to pets or people; a pet that eats poinsettia leaves in bulk will get an upset stomach, but won’t be at risk for more serious complications.  The same can’t be said for those boughs of holly or sprigs of mistletoe, which can cause serious cardiovascular and nervous system impairment if nibbled by a pet.  If you just can’t have holidays without mistletoe and holly, hit up a craft store and buy the artificial kind instead of the real thing.

In a season of much gift-wrapping and tree-decorating, ribbon and tinsel are in abundance.  These things are downright irresistible for many pets, and unfortunately they’re also downright dangerous.  When swallowed, long strings can become entangled in the twists and turns of a pet’s intestines and cause a range of problems, from a perforated bowel to an intestinal blockage.  If you have pets, avoid tinsel altogether, and don’t add ribbons to your gifts until the very last minute.  In the event that even your best laid plans go astray, and you see your pet with ribbon sticking out of its mouth or out of its…well, out of the other end, do NOT under any circumstances pull on the ribbon.  You do not know how much ribbon is already inside your pet and tugging from one end or the other can effectively scissor your pet’s intestines.  Get to the vet and let the professionals work it out.  

Nothing sets a magical holiday mood like natural candle light, and nothing ruins the magical holiday mood like accidentally setting your pet or your house on fire.  If candles are a big part of your holiday tradition, keep them well out of reach and don’t ever leave them unattended; this is good advice for handling candles in general, but especially important when you have inquisitive, flammable animals who might rub against them, jump over them, swat them, sniff them a little too closely, or knock them down.  Two safer alternatives are candle warmers (if you love scented candles) and LED candles (if you love the way candles look).  

Got holiday questions?  We’ve got holiday answers, so jingle our bell!  You can reach us at 859.873.5491 or manager@woodfordhumane.org.  If you want to give a pet-friendly holiday a try and all you're missing is a pet, well, 'tis the season to adopt a new best friend!  We have hundreds of dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, bunnies, and guinea pigs looking for a home to call their own this holiday season.