Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips
Hold the Turkey!
Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips
If the festivity only occurs once a year, chances are your pet won’t be very accommodating of the intrusion. After all, it’s their home as much as it is yours! Thanksgiving is one of those occasions and can either make for an incredibly stressed feline or salivating canine—we’re referring to the turkey. Keep your stuffing safe and your pet relaxed by taking note of these useful Thanksgiving pet safety tips.
Tip 1 - Keep Dangerous Foods Out of the Way
A steaming turkey is bound to get your pet’s senses tingling. However, packed with stuffing and seasoning, it won’t make for a safe leftover meal for your four-legged friend.
Ingredients such as onions, scallions, and garlic are toxic to pets and can cause anemia. While turkey meat itself isn’t inherently dangerous to dogs or cats, the condiments, spices, and sauces you slather all over it may contain preservatives and additives that don’t make for a happy pet stomach.
Avoid dropping bones, as they can become lodged in your pet’s throat or cause indigestion. The bone splinters are no good for pets, and an emergency trip to the vet is a stressful way to ruin what should be a warm and fuzzy holiday.
Don’t be fooled by ham, either. This delectable autumn treat is an excellent pick-me-up for humans but can cause pancreatitis in animals - ham is high in fat and high in salt! Keep mashed potatoes and salads away from reach, especially if they contain butter and raisins.
Hint: stick to their known and well-loved cat and dog food! If you're looking for Thanksgiving-specific dog foods, cat foods, supplements, or treats, come to EarthWise Pet in Marysville, Washington! You can also shop online - when you set up recurring food orders, you get 30% off your first order and 15% off every order after! A few clicks and you guarantee your savings, your peace of mind, and your convenience!
Tip 2 - Practice Kitchen Safety
The culinary delight that is baking your turkey is an hours-long process. Be mindful of where your pets are roaming while you chop onions and mince garlic. If they’re allowed to roam the kitchen, keep them away from hot oven doors and stovetops.
You know the phrase, "too many cooks in the kitchen?" It gets real when you have too many cooks AND too many paws in the kitchen.
Tip 3 - Select Decorations Carefully
Adorning your living room in holiday-themed streamers and standees make for an excellent photo-op—but not if your pet is trying to eat its small parts. Never leave your pet unattended around hazardous decorative items such as pumpkin spice candles or low-hanging tassels.
Although these decorations look festive and can give off nice homey vibes, in our experience, cats love to get into things like this and have the agility and curiously to make it happen. Take a moment to consider ideas on how you can pet-proof your Thanksgiving decorations to ensure that your cats and dogs are safe, especially if you're running out to the store to pick up extra ingredients.
Tip 4 - Dispose of Trash Properly
Most pet owners learn early on that the trash bin has to be in a pet-proof location. During Thanksgiving, it's easy for the trash can to be left out for a short period of time while cooking or cleaning. It's important that you keep this front-of-mind as one of our most important Thanksgiving safety tips for pets is to dispose of and manage your trash properly.
You don’t want to run the risk of Buster neck-deep in all your leftovers! Or worse, the parts that you consider inedible he probably considers to be the best snack of the year.
Tip 5 - Arrange the Appropriate Travel Accommodation
If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving away from home, make arrangements to take your pet with you, or book a neighbor for pet-sitting. Think about what they’ll need—an airline-approved carrier, a travel harness, and treats might be part of your to-do list.
If you decide to leave your pet with a family member or friend, ensure that your cat or dog is already familiar with them. If they have pets of their own, don’t leave anything to chance—introduce them beforehand.
If you’re boarding your pet at an animal hotel, ensure that they are up to date on their vaccinations.
Conclusion
Thanksgiving should be a seamless way to bridge the gap to Christmas. However, it can all too quickly turn into a nightmare if you aren’t pet-proofing your festivities. Always ensure that your pet is out of harm’s way, and you won’t even have to indulge them in a little turkey to know they’re having a blast.
If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving elsewhere, shop at Earthwise Pet Nutrition Center and Wellness Spa for all the pet supplies you’ll need for a comfortable trip. Don’t hesitate to treat yourself to a little something either—we sell human goodies too!