PETS AND THE HOLIDAYS Pets and the holidays!  Keeping your pets safe during this season, particularly newly adopted dogs and cats, can be a challenge. New members of your family are beginning to adjust to new surroundings and new people, and then everything changes! As a Lovimals affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases KEEP YOUR NEWLY ADOPTED (OR LONG-TIME) PET SAFE AND HAPPY Starting with Thanksgiving, and continuing through to about mid-January (when all the post-holiday sales are finally over), things are jumping in many households.  Visitors arrive and depart, trees are brought inside for a time (I wonder what our pets think about that), and delicious smells fill the air.  Magical for you and me.  But this time of year can be frightening for a dog or cat.  And it's particularly stressful for one who hasn’t yet fully acclimatized to its new surroundings. Here are a few of the possible safety issues, and suggestions on how to handle them: SMALL CHILDREN Visitors with small children can be a major issue when it comes to keeping both them and your pets…

Like any other holiday, Halloween can be a frightening time for a pet.  There are scary noises, loud, laughing children, and constant comings and goings.  But there are ways to enjoy safe Halloween fun with pets. THE HALLOWEEN SAFETY WARNINGS FOR YOUR PET HALLOWEEN SAFETY There are several possible dangers to pets on Halloween.  The doorbell is ringing constantly, and, when the door is opened, there are usually a bunch of children in unusual costumes.  Many pets will be startled by this, especially if this is their first Halloween.  A rescue dog or cat, who may not have had a consistent, calm home before coming to yours, may be doubly terrified. Major pitfalls are: RUNNING AWAY Each time the door is opened is another chance for a frightened animal to bolt out into the dark.  Particularly if you have a new rescue pet, who has not yet accepted that this is “home”, a terrified dog or cat will often run off rather than retreat inside the home. If your pet is new to the home, or anxious, your best bet is…