Every pet owner knows the dangers that come with decorating for the holidays. Items like ornaments, tinsel, trinkets, and more can entice even the best of pets to cause a little mischief. To help you feel more comfortable decorating for the holidays, we’ve asked some of our fans to share their top tips with us!

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Whether the toys are for your pet or your family, be wary of using tinsel, string, or ribbon. These can cause damage to your pet’s intestines. Most cases from ingestion will result in a long-term antibiotic and long-term recovery, and pets can die from the effects on the intestine. Here is what, Revival pet owner Megan has to say about holiday gifts. “Get a holiday stocking for your pet and put a chewable treat in it. On Christmas morning, give them the stocking so not only will they have fun trying to open their gift, but they will also be so distracted you won’t have to worry about them getting into the wrapping paper, chewing ribbons, or stealing Christmas candy!”

A Place of Their Own

If you are expecting company over for the holidays, make sure your pets are safe and away from the door. I would also recommend you get them microchipped and make sure that the microchip is registered. Having a microchip makes it easier to recover and reunite with your pet. When having visitors over Paw Squad member, Sheryl, recommends you try this. “Be sure to have a quiet, safe place for your pet to go to when family and friends visit. Some pets are not used to visitors, especially kids, and do not interact well and may act out if the strangers get in the pet’s space.”

“Get That Out of Your Mouth!”

With all your company and decorations, there is an endless supply of tasty things for your pet to try. However, many of those things are not pet-friendly. Things like candy, poinsettias, and table scraps should be avoided at all costs. If you have company coming over, set some ground rules about your pet. If they want to feed your pet a treat, have some pet-approved treats available for them to use. When it comes to feeding your pet, Josie reminds us of the dangers of candy canes. “Make sure your pets don’t pull candy canes off the tree. They can contain Xylitol, which can be deadly.” To learn more about some common holiday dangers, visit the Revival Learning Center.