By Robin Hawn Rhea, Senior Brand Manager
It can be hard to keep up with our pets and give them great care on our best day. With the busy holiday season right around the corner, keeping our pets' paws out of costly mischief is not only critical to preserving the health of our pets, it's also crucial to our budgets and our holidays. Even when we are not distracted by Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza and Festivus, 20% of pet owners report having accidents caused by their pets. Accidents often result in unexpected vet and medical bills that can hit you right where it hurts around the holidays – the wallet. In addition, about $500 is spent on average each year responding to damage to homes and property caused by our pets.
Though potentially less expensive on the front end, and extremely costly on the back end, are ingested holiday decorations, gifts, wrapping, plants and candy or foods that aren’t safe for pets. It’s easy for pet-parents to get distracted by the hustle and bustle, and to not notice that our pets have swallowed harmful, potentially fatal substances. Emergency vet visits spike during the holidays, especially relating to ingestion of foreign objects, which is very preventable. Even when a pet-related accident thankfully doesn’t result in bodily harm to you, your pets or your fancy ornament collection, our pets can still find the best ways to humble us. They may find the perfect time to present a hairball during our Thanksgiving dinner with 25 relatives standing by, or find just the right way to, literally and figuratively, pee all over a perfect holiday tradition. It may not be affecting your wallet, but can cost you years of painful “roasting” by your favorite Aunt Allura.
Keep you and your pets from ending up on the naughty list by planning before you place the first poinsettia. Consider things from your pet's perspective, and look for risks to your pet throughout each part of your holiday activities. Solutions to keeping your pets safe don’t have to break your holiday traditions or the bank. PetSafe pet-proofing products help you keep paws out of mischief everywhere you need it. Our simple Scat and Pawz Away Mats, Mini Barriers, and Ssscat spray deterrents are made to safely suit every scenario that you can cook-up this season. Here is a guide to help you make the perfect pet-proofing plan to protect your pet, pocketbook and holiday parties.
Reducing expensive pet accidents this season:
- Keep medications out of reach and open them over a counter or sink
- Keep gifts, tinsel, wrapping, toys and food out of reach from pet paws and noses
- Ensure trash receptacles are secure
- Print a list of pet toxins on your refrigerator or in a kitchen draw for easy reference
- Use pet-proofing products to maintain safe areas for your pet, and keep your pet out of your plants, gifts and decorations
- Give your pet their own special toys so they know what they are allowed to enjoy
- Give visiting guests (especially children) a “pet safety brief ” that includes these tips
