Cold Weather Tips
Keep pets inside during the cold weather if possible
Provide them insulated shelter that keeps them safe from the harsh weather
Before getting into your vehicle and driving make sure to check the hood and under tires for any animal that may be seeking warmth (specifically stray cats!)
Knock on your hood a couple of times and/or honk your horn to scare off any animals that may be under your car
Winter clothing on pets
When making a decision to put warm winter clothing your pets, consider their size, breed, and the outside temperature
Small dogs and breeds with short hair coats have a harder time retaining heat when outside so they may need a sweater or coat
Breeds with lots of fur such as dogs that are Pomeranian, husky, chow chow, and Great Pyrenees do not need additional clothing during the winter as their coats give them enough insulation
Don’t have your pets wear their winter clothing when indoors, this can cause them to overheat easily
Remove clothing items from pets when they are no longer needed to prevent irritation of the skin
Always make sure the clothing is comfortable for your pet and does not restrict them from moving, if your pet is new to clothing be patient with them and introduce the clothing slowly, it can be quite stressful on them if you introduce it too quickly
Never leave your pet without any supervision when wearing any clothing item
Holiday decorations and seasonal plants tips
Christmas trees
Make sure trees are secured as they can tip over if pets climb on them or try to play with lights and ornaments
Christmas tree water additives
The water base of a tree can be hazardous to your pets as they contain fertilizers and other dangerous chemicals
Flowers and festive plants
Holly: Cause pets to suffer nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea when ingested
Mistletoe: Cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems
Lilies: Can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested
Christmas lights, tinsel, and ornaments
Keep tree lights and tinsel from draping at the bottom where pets can get to them (especially cats who love colorful and light-catching “toys” )
Broken ornaments can cause injuries and if ingested can cause intestinal blockage or even toxicity
Keep wires and batteries out of reach
Can cause a lethal electrical shock and batteries can cause burns to the mouth and esophagus
Candles: Do not leave candles unattended as pets can knock them over
Holiday gifts for pets
Make sure any toy gifts do have sharp pieces or edges
No long strings, cords, ribbons, or unraveled fabrics
Contain no small parts, stuffing, or other items that pets could swallow
Safe Christmas gifts
Tennis balls
Cardboard tubes and crinkled paper balls (for cats)
Chew toys/food dispensing toys (KONG toys) are great for dogs
Treats: make sure to look at the ingredients and avoid those that contain toxic foods
Holiday food dangers
Chocolate
Toxic to dogs and cats
Other sweets and baked goods
Xylitol, an artificial sweetener often found in baked goods, chewing gum, and candy can cause liver failure and death in dogs and cats
Yeast dough
Onions
Garlic
Grapes and raisins
Salt
Raw eggs
Coffee
Holiday Gathering
The excitement of a party/gathering can be overwhelming to some pets
Offer them a quiet room with plenty of toys to keep them busy and distracted
Inform your visitors that you have pets
If guests ask to bring their own pets either politely decline their request or plan to spend time acclimating pets to each other before the gathering
Make sure all your medications are locked behind secure doors
New year’s noise: many animals, especially dogs, are scared of fireworks;
make sure they are in a secured safe place that is escape-proof
always make sure that your pet has some sort of identification (collar with an ID tag or a microchip) in case they do end up escaping and getting lost
Holiday travel
Pets in vehicles should always be safely restrained and never be left alone in the car in any weather
Do not transport your pet in the bed of a truck unless they are properly secured in a carrier
Always make sure your pets have collars and tags with ID
In case of emergencies
Identify local emergency veterinary clinics
Write and store phone numbers of the veterinarian or pet hospital clinic
Write down holiday hours
Go to your local animal shelters if pets go missing
Make sure to take a good picture of your pet to make it easier to identify and to create flyers
Contact animal poison control if your pet has ingested any harmful foods
Works Cited
Baggaley, Kate. “Five Thanksgiving Foods That Are Not Safe for Cats and Dogs.” Popular Science, 20 Nov. 2018, https://www.popsci.com/which-thanksgiving-foods-arent-safe-for-your-pets/.
“Holiday Safety Tips | ASPCA.” ASPCA, ASPCA, https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/holiday-safety-tips. Accessed 10 Nov. 2021.
“Holiday Safety Tips | Life With Pets | Blog | Animal League.” Animal League, https://www.facebook.com/theanimalleague, 13 Dec. 2018, https://www.animalleague.org/blog/tips/pet-health-and-wellness/holiday-safety-tips/.
“Holiday Safety Tips for Pets | The Humane Society of the United States.” The Humane Society of the United States, https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/holiday-safety-tips-pets. Accessed 10 Nov. 2021.
McKenna, Rosyln. “Pet Holiday Gifts | PetSafe®.” PetSafe® | Dog Fences | Feeders | Collars | Cat Litter Boxes, https://www.petsafe.net/learn/pet-holiday-gifts#. Accessed 10 Nov. 2021.
“Top Holiday Pet Safety Tips: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve - Central California SPCA, Fresno, CA Holiday Pet Safety Tips: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.” Central California SPCA, Fresno, CA, http://www.facebook.com/Central.California.SPCA, 20 Nov. 2018,
“Winter Holiday Pet Safety | American Veterinary Medical Association.” American Veterinary Medical Association, https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/holiday-pet-safety. Accessed 10 Nov. 2021.