5 Tips to Ensure Your Pet Has a Merry and Safe 2021 Holiday Season

The holidays are a time of good cheer and gathering together with family and loved ones. For many households, the family pet is included in the gathering—whether a dog or cat.

What is essential to remember this time of year is that extra attention will need to be paid to our pets to prevent them from suffering an injury or a traumatic event during the celebrations.

We offer up five helpful tips that will aid you in making sure that the holidays are safe and as cheerful for your pets as they are for you and the rest of your family.

Provide A Safe Place

During the holidays, many homes will see a flurry of guests and family members coming and going. With all the noise and commotion usually associated with the holidays, your pet will feel more stressed than usual. To help curb their anxiousness and possibly becoming overexcited, make sure to have a designated "safe" space just for them. It can be something as simple and easy as a crate, decked out with their favorite blanket and toys.

Monitor The Decorations.

Try as you may to make sure that all the seasonal decorations are up and out of harm's way—and your pets reach—you will find that if your pet wants a decoration, they will obtain it. Keeping an eye on any out of place or missing decorations will go a long way to prevent mishaps such as eating those items that they shouldn't or even choking on them.

Keep The Tree Water Off Limits

If your family enjoys a live tree, then it is essential to remember to keep the water in the stand off-limits to your pets. Over the course of the holiday, the water can and will become toxic due to the simple fact that it sits stagnant for so long. Before you know it, the water is loaded with bacteria, which can make them seriously ill if ingested by your pet.

Throw Away The Wrapping Paper

Whether they are dogs or cats, many pets love the idea of rolling around in the bits of wrapping paper scattered all over the living room floor on Christmas morning. However, it is important to remember that as cute as the sight may appear, if your pet were to ingest any of the paper or the ribbons that may have also decorated the packages, there is the chance of them choking, if not having the items cause serious internal damage.

Prepare For Fireworks Ringing in the New Year

may be fun for us humans, but it is a horrifying event for our pets. Many pets go missing on New Year's Eve, having gotten frightened and runoff, trying to escape the fireworks. Before the commotion begins, make sure to secure your pet in a pre-designated small space in your home, such as a crate or a small bathroom. For my Chiggy, I also put a radio in the room with him, turned down low to distract him from the noise he may otherwise hear and be scared of coming from outside.

We all love our pets and want what is best for them. With a little pre-planning and preparation, they will be able to enjoy and have a safe and happy holiday with the rest of the family.