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In the News: Tails of Marin

By Carrie Harrington

All that holiday celebrating can cause trouble for pets

‘Tis the season to get together with family and friends, enjoy festive food and put up holiday decorations. As we celebrate this time of year, it’s important to be aware of potential hazards to our animal friends. The Marin Humane Society offers pet guardians the following tips to keep their pets happy and healthy during the hectic holiday season.

Watch those calories!

While cats are generally quite particular about their food choices, dogs are usually less than finicky about what they eat or how much. And there certainly is no shortage of tempting, tasty treats around the holidays to get our canine friends into trouble. Make sure well-intentioned guests are not enticed into giving handouts to a begging dog. Fatty foods like nuts, candy and table scraps can cause digestive upset. And meat bones can be damaging to intestinal tracts. Chocolate is the most common toxicity treated by vets during the holidays. Baking and dark chocolate can be especially harmful and potentially fatal to dogs if ingested.

Hang ’em high

Keep ornaments, tinsel and garland well out of reach of curious pets. These irresistible playthings may come crashing down (not to mention the tree) with a single wag, pounce or swat, or if ingested, cause intestinal upset or worse. Keep lights and cords secure or covered to deter chewing. And prevent fire hazards by keeping candles out of paws reach. Even Christmas tree water can cause stomach upset. Added chemicals can be toxic and stagnant water may contain harmful bacteria.

Harmful holiday houseplants

Popular holiday plants like mistletoe and holly may be poisonous when ingested. Mistletoe can cause vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing, shock and even fatal heart problems. Holly can initiate vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and lethargy. Poinsettia plants, though low in toxicity, can still trigger a bellyache. Make sure to keep these plants out of reach.

Holiday Flair

While some animals do enjoy playing dress-up, others are downright miserable in costume. If your pets do like to dress up in Santa hats and jingle bell collars, make sure that the costumes don’t constrict their movement or ability to see, hear and breathe. Costumed pets should never be left unattended. And if they hate it — take it off! Don’t cause your pet any undue discomfort or stress.

There’s no place like home

Sometimes the best way to help your furry friends deal with the stress of the holidays is to provide them with a safe haven away from all the chaos. Try setting up a quiet room in the house with their favorite toys and blankets.

And if you’re going out of town and have to leave your pet behind, carefully consider your options for a professional caregiver. Boarding kennels can be a good option if your pet is able to cope in an unfamiliar environment. For some animals there’s just no place like home, surrounded by familiar sights, sounds and smells. Luckily, there are many wonderful pet sitters in the Bay Area who will care for your pet while you are away — and many of them make house calls!

Follow these few simple guidelines so that everyone in your household can enjoy a healthy and happy holiday. Seasons greetings from all of us at the Marin Humane Society!


Carrie Harrington is the public information associate at the Marin Humane Society.

Tails of Marin appears every Saturday in the Home & Garden section of the Marin Independent Journal