Holiday Hazards

With the holidays upon us and the festivities going into full swing and the fact that the other night I watched my neighbors house burn to the ground, I thought it prudent to make a post about the hazards to us and our pets during the holidays.

I, like most of us, decorate the house with yule tide cheer. I love putting up the tree, the garlands and all the other flotsam of the season. The day after we trimmed our tree we found one of the ornaments in the back room chewed like a great white swam threw the living room. Thank goodness it was just a cheep non-toxic reindeer that my dog decided looked quite tasty and that he did not actually eat it, or the rest of the tree...or the lights..or anything else in general.

The fact is that during the holidays we must be extra vigilant, for the safety of our pets and our family. Here are a few things you can do to make sure your holidays are full of cheer and not fear.

1. Check your fire alarms! There are more fires on the news in December then any other month. It can be caused by your holiday lights, or a space heater, or just about anything. So check your smoke detectors while your setting up your decorations, it only takes a second to do and if there is a fire they can save your life.

2. Have an escape plan! Have a plan, any plan. Think of the different exits in your home and plan ways out with the rest of your family in case of an emergency. Have a meeting place once your out so you know where everyone is and Never, EVER, go back into a burning house.

3. Keep emergency numbers on hand. Call your vet and find out what their schedules are during the holidays season. Get numbers for emergency vets they recommend. Pets can get into a number of things at this time of year, having the numbers and schedules of vets can save a lot of time when you need to find someone quickly.

4. Be vigilant. Dogs, cats and birds do not understand that the new items in the house are not for them to explore and taste. They are curious by nature and will want to check out all the new visual stimulus. Keep a watchful eye on them to be sure they don't get into trouble.

Be safe out there guys. Take care of yourselves and those you love. Have a happy yuletide season and a safe one.