PET SAFE
Holiday Décor By Gail Mayhugh
The holidays are here, and you’re already starting to think about decorating. You can’t wait to pull your decorations out or buy new. If you have fur babies, it’s also important to think about pet-proofing your home. If you’ve added a new fur family member, remember they’ve not had a chance to be introduced to your holiday décor, so you might need to make some changes. Just because Matilda didn’t touch the tree, doesn’t mean Maya won’t. So, here are a few tips to have a pet-safe holiday season.
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I love glass ornaments, but they can be a real safety hazard. Make pet-friendly ornaments out of twigs or paper decorations dyed with food coloring. There are also many shatterproof plastic and metal ornaments to use. Don’t like the colors; simple non-toxic spray paint will change the color to match your tree’s color scheme. Tinsel makes a tree sparkle but is often fatal when ingested. Instead, make paper garland. I had a client that spray-painted different small plastic ornaments that she then strung together — a clever idea and very cute. Use battery-operated lights instead of electric. There are many great LED lights on the market now. If you hang stockings within reach of your pet, be very careful what you put in them and where they are. Food treats will be very tempting to them. Hanging stockings on a mantel is a tradition, but make sure you’re in the room when the fireplace is on. Especially if you don’t have a fireplace screen.
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What about decorating behind glass doors? Add some holiday cheer to your china cabinet, entertainment unit, or glass kitchen cabinets. I put out a few of my holiday Barbie’s in my entertainment unit each year. I’m a bit of a collector, so it takes a couple years before I see the same ones again. I know many of us like to play holiday music, turn on the fireplace, and have special treats to enjoy while decorating, but watch that your pets don’t join in by snatching ornaments to play with. If you’re adding real plants into your décor, I can’t stress enough how important it is to make sure they are non-toxic. These are just a few you need to avoid as they’re dangerous for your pets, mistletoe, holly berries, ivy, poinsettia, lilies, and daffodils.
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Las Vegas Pet Scene Magazine • November/December 2019
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Check the ASPCA’s list of plants to find out how these and others can be harmful to your pets. Consider moving some of your decorations up and out of the reach of tails and teeth. I know if you have cats, this can be a bit more challenging. Have you ever decorated above your kitchen cabinets? My girlfriend does it every year, and it looks wonderful. I’m sure either you or a friend had a tree topple over when Kitty wanted to use it as a scratching or climbing post. The best way to reduce the chances of this happening is to secure it to the wall or use a heavy base for your tree. Do you have any expensive or sentimental ornaments you don’t want damaged? To secure them, wrap floral wire around the hooks and twist onto the branches. Have a white tree? Use white twist ties.
When decorating your home with your pets in mind, think of the precautions you would take if you had a toddler. Your pets are as curious as toddlers so whether they’re new to your home or if they’ve been with years you still need to be careful. Just because Matilda never touched anything before doesn’t mean she won’t be interested this year, especially if you add something new. Having pet-friendly holiday décor requires some easy and simple changes that in my opinion are worth taking to keep my little ones safe.
Have a happy and pet safe holiday season. Gail Mayhugh, the owner of GMJ Interior Design, has been designing in Las Vegas for over 25 years. She also supports animal rescues and shelters through her non-profit, www.SeniorsToTheRescue.org.