It’s that time of year again when the boxes of lights and ornaments come out, and your pet just thinks it is the best idea to play with every bit of it. In order to keep your furry friend safe this holiday and all year round, consider putting some of these tips into practice. By making a safe place to enjoy the holiday for you and your pets, you can be assured that you won’t have to worry about your pets becoming burned, injured, or even killed by a lack of awareness on your part. Keep in mind that electricity, wires and outlets are serious housing components that should be attended to by a professional, should a problem arise. If you need to, contact an electrician who is more than willing to help you with your holiday decorating.
In the meantime, here is a short list of tips you can use to keep your pets safe this season!
- 1. Keep electrical cords away from pets so they aren’t tempted to chew on them, which can cause quite a shock. Even a small shock is enough to kill a little pet. Cover your cords with plastic sleeves or get a bitter tasting product from your pet store, and apply it to the cords.
- 2. Don’t allow your pets to sleep near computer equipment, electronics, televisions, power cords, outlets or other sources of energy. The heat coming from these items means they are generating enough powerful currents to produce residual heat. While it may seem comfortable for your pets to curl up and take a nap, it can be quite dangerous and has the potential to shock, burn, or even cause the death of your dear pet.
- 3. Never use Halogen lamps anywhere your pet will be. These high-powered lamps are capable of producing over 1000 degrees of heat. A puppy, even a human, burned by one of these lamps may become traumatized or downright violent. Imagine how it felt the last time you burned yourself and move all of these types of lights and lighting systems away from anywhere your pet may be playing, running, or exploring.
- 4. Animals behave much the same way as children do. If they can see it, they want to touch it, and if it’s within reach, they will want to pull on it. If you do your best to make sure that you ‘child-proof’ your house, you can be certain that your home is also safe for a puppy or pet. If you need any assistance moving electric wires or outlets that seem dangerous or easy to access by small pets you can contact an electrician here in Miami to take care of it for you.
- 5. Put a guard or a fence around your air conditioner or pump devices. If your electricity for your building is up to code, you shouldn’t really have an issue with it, but it is worth mentioning. You would be surprised what kinds of things your pets can find to chew on. Electrical devices which hum, are cool to the mouth, have extension cords, which can be pulled or pieces which can be removed and chewed on, are all culprits for causing bodily harm or even death to your loved furry friend.
- 6. BONUS Holiday Tip! – This holiday, make sure that you keep your tree in an area that cannot be reached by your pets to reduce the chances of them chewing or playing with electric lights or toys. Ornaments and hanging items on trees and around he home can also cause a danger so be aware of your holiday decorating techniques and be sure to use the same kind of rules you would if you were decorating with a small child present. There is no reason you cannot enjoy your holiday and your decorations too!