Avoid Human Food, And Other Tips To Protect Your Pets During The Howlidays

The holidays are a time of sharing, and for some of us that means sharing with our pets.

But maybe think twice before giving any of those delicious table scraps to your furry friend, since many human foods can be toxic to animals.

"A little bit of turkey is fine, but any of the side dishes, desserts, anything like that, can be really harmful," said Kevin McManus, communications director of Pasadena Humane Society.

Avoiding the Thanksgiving leftovers is one of many things you can do to keep your pets paw-sitively safe during the holiday. So here are some tips:

Play it safe, ditch the human food

A lot of common ingredients that are used for cooking can actually be very harmful to dogs.

Onions and garlic, for example, can be very toxic. Ingredients like raisins and grapes, along with many holiday dessert staples, are also pretty harmful.

"Any desserts sweetened with xylitol can be really, really toxic," McManus said.

Xylitol is a common ingredient that can even be found in peanut butter, so double check the label before you give a scoop to your pups.

Other foods to avoid: chives, leeks, avocados, apple cores and seeds, and peach pits, just to name a few.

If your pets eat anything dangerous, make sure to call Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435.

Keep an eye on all exits

If you're hosting and your pets like to linger by the doors, now is a good time to make sure all exits are blocked.

As guests come in and out, keep an eye on Fido to make sure they don't secretly dart out.

And with New Years just around the corner, remember that fireworks can be very triggering for pets. It's important to create a safe space where they can be calm, feel safe and get away from all the commotion.

But if your pets are notorious for being escape artists, you should make sure they have a collar with your phone number listed. If your pet is microchipped, make sure the information is up to date.

No detail is too small for your pet sitter

Before you head out the door for your holiday trip, make sure your pet sitter knows exactly everything they need to know to take care of your pets. That includes the best emergency contact number, the phone number for your vet, the nearest emergency pet hospital, any medications.

It's also good to just walk through your pet's routine with a sitter. Our animal friends are hyper aware of everything — they can sense when you are leaving. So to make them feel more comfortable, have your pet sitter carry out the routine.

Paws off decorations

Keep any lights, tinsel, ribbon or other decorations out of reach. Pets can be very mischievous, so we have to make sure no one tries to chew on lights or even drink water out of the Christmas tree bowl, as those trees can be injected with certain chemicals to make them last longer.

And if you like to give your pet a present, try not to wrap it wrapping paper and just hand it to them. You don't want them swallowing any wrapping paper on accident.