Keeping your pet safe on New Year's Eve takes planning

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, which means many may be planning their festivities for Monday night.

However, celebrations like New Year’s Eve can be stressful for pets, so the BC SPCA has several tips for helping to keep your furry companion safe and happy.

First of all, keep in mind that your pet may be disoriented and even display some out-of-character behaviour including jumping, biting, scratching or hiding.

To help keep your pet safe, consider keeping them indoors throughout the evening. This will give them fewer opportunities to encounter loud noises. Another option is to even keep them in a separate room with a radio or television on. Be sure to leave them with lots of toys so they don’t see their isolation as punishment and make sure they get lots of exercise throughout the day first.

Of course, be sure to keep any festive treats out of a curious pet’s reach. Chocolate is particularly dangerous for both dogs and cats as it contains theobromine which is toxic for them. Don’t forget to make sure all alcohol, cannabis and other drugs are out of your pet’s reach too. Alcohol can not only cause intoxication, it could also lead to a coma or death for a pet.

Keep decorations out of paws’ reach. Party horns, streamers and confetti can lead to serious medical issues – and a hefty vet bill – if ingested by a pet.

Even with the best intentions, pets may still get nervous and try to flee to a quieter place. It’s important, therefore, to ensure your pet’s identification is up to date and make sure they’re registered by visiting the BC Pet Registry website.

By: North Shore News

GuidedBy is a community builder and part of the Glacier Media news network. This article originally appeared on a Glacier Media publication.