For some it’s the most wonderful time of year, but for your pet, the holidays can be stressful and filled with safety hazards. So, how can you decorate safely for your pet? We’ll tell you how with our pet-safe decorating tips! 

How to make home decorating for the holidays safe for your pet

While you’re decking the halls, remember your pet is as curious as ever with all the new sights and scents. This can lead to danger. Think: broken ornaments and cords that can tangle or worse! Let’s review our top holiday decorating hazards for pets. 

Ornaments can be a pet hazard

Ornaments can cause cuts on paws, choking, and puncture wounds to the mouth and digestive tract. 

Pet-safe alternative to holiday ornaments

• Choose shatterproof ornaments 

• Hang ornaments higher than your pet can reach

• Be diligent about picking up fallen ornaments and hooks

Holiday ornaments, tinsel, and lights can be a safety hazard to your pet's health. Avoid a catastrophe and read our tips on how to decorate safely to keep your pet out of harm's way.

The danger of large, freestanding decorations 

These can be a tipping hazard, potentially crushing your pet. Falling decorations can cause:

• Bone fractures or breaks

• Crushed paws

• Damage to eyes

• Fatality

How to set up a large decoration so it's pet safe

For any decoration that could be a falling hazard, potentially harming your pet, secure it firmly. Here are some ideas, but always check it afterwards to ensure it can’t topple onto curious or rambunctious pets.

• Weigh down the ornament’s base, if possible

• Use museum gel or tape decor to the floor 

• Secure bottom to anti-tipping shims, if product design allows

• Anchor decoration to a wall with anti-tip furniture straps

Lights and cords are holiday pet hazards

String lights and extension cords put your pet at risk, including:

• Burns

• Electrocution

• Shock

How to keep your pet safe around lights and cords

• Run cords through chew-proof cord protectors

• Tape down or conceal any extra, dangling wires behind furniture

• Use LED lights which produce low heat

• Consider battery-operated lights to minimize electrocution risk

Battery-operated lights are a safer alternative to traditional candles. See more pet-safe holiday decorating tips

Pets can get tangled in tinsel

Oh, the trouble with tinsel! Pets are notorious for swallowing strands of tinsel. Not only can it get easily wrapped around their limbs, if swallowed, it can cause serious damage. Swallowed tinsel can:

• Cause choking or vomiting

• Create intestinal blockage

• Perforate intestines

If your pet eats tinsel, trying to remove it yourself can cause more damage. Read about the danger of tinsel to pets. Go to the ER asap.

Pet-safe alternatives to tinsel

• Fabric or felt garland

• Wooden or paper decorations

• Wool pompom garland

Stringing a Christmas tree or surroundings with popcorn is old-tyme festive, but you may have another problem on your hands when a snout sniffs it out and wants to take a bite. 

VEG ER for Pets is open 24 hours a day, on holidays too, in case your pet is in need of urgent or emergency vet care.

Holiday plants can be toxic to pets

Holiday plants pretty up a place, but some can be poisonous or cause mouth irritation, gastrointestinal upset. They include:

• Amaryllis = poisonous, especially to cats

• Holly and mistletoe = toxic 

• Poinsettias = toxic

Pet-safe alternative plants for the holidays:

• Christmas cactus

• Polka dot plant

• Roses—remove thorns; avoid the Christmas Rose, which is toxic. 

For more pet-safe plants, see our list. 

Supervise your pet around decorations

Nothing replaces jolly ol’ supervision when your pet is around decorations. It’s not always easy to keep an eye on your pet if you’re hosting guests. Here are some helpful tips to help keep your pet calmer and safe. 

• Busy cooking or hosting? Designate a family member or guest to keep a watchful eye on your pet when you can’t. This will help keep them safe around holiday decorations. 

• If you have a houseful, set your pet up in a quiet room. This will keep them calmer and less likely to get into danger around decor. Check out our blog for quiet room set-up tips

Looking for more holiday safety tips? We’ve got them right here. 

VEG Emergency Vet Hospital is Open 24/7 on Holidays too

If you need emergency veterinary care, VEG hospitals are open 24 hours a day, including all throughout the holidays. Find a VEG nearest you and save us to your contacts. Follow us on Instagram for more safety tips!