Below are some pet care tips that we found very helpful. As we try to best server the community, if you have any helpful tips or experiences you would like to share please email us and we will gladly post tips on this page to spread the work and help ensure the safety of our animals.

5 Important Tips for your Pets and the Holiday Season

1. A number of Christmas season plants are poisonous to pets if eaten such as ivy and holly - moderate to very toxic; mistletoe - very toxic; Christmas greens such as balsam, juniper, cedar, pine and fir - all parts have a low level of toxicity; hibiscus may cause vomiting or bloody diarrhea if ingested; and poinsettias leaves and stems are low in toxicity.

2. When decorating your tree, do not use tinsel. Tinsel isn't toxic, but if eaten, the tinsel causes intestinal obstruction and can cause your pet to choke. The same is true with ribbons and bows. Use these items with caution around your pets.

3. As always, do no feed your pet holiday candy, especially chocolate.

4. Your holiday lights contain a fluid called methylene chloride. It is moderately toxicity to animals but can be lethal depending on the amount digested.

5. Avoid using fire salts (fireplace colored items) in your fireplace. They are moderately toxic to your pet. The symptoms are gastrointestinal irritation with vomiting and a variety of other manifestations, including convulsions.

Landscaping Materials & Your Pets
As you begin our landscaping projects this year, be aware of landscaping materials and plants that are hazarudous to your pet such a cocoa mulch. Here's a link of plants that are toxic to dogs, cats and horse.

Click here to view a list of plants that are toxic to dogs, cats and horses.

Hazardous Materials Around Your Home
Your pets rely on you to protect them from harm. In general, you should only feed your pets natural food and treats specially formulated for the type of pet that you have. Some human food and drink can make animals sick, so keep them out of your pets' reach.

Here are some examples:
• Alcoholic beverages
• Substances containing caffeine, such as coffee
• Chocolate
• Fatty foods, especially drippings and grease from cooking
• Chicken and turkey bones
• Grapes and raisins
• Onions
• Macadamia nuts
• Salt and sugar
• Yeast dough
• All medications (aspirin is especially harmful to cats)

Many other things in or around your home can cause serious illness or even death in your pets, so be aware of their surroundings and always consult your veterinarian in any suspicious cases.

Here are some examples:
• Antifreeze
• Bait for rodents
• Batteries (they can contain corrosive fluid)
• Car care products, such as cleaners or oils
• Fertilizer
• Household cleaners
• Ice-melting products
• Nicotine products
• Pesticides for insects
• Plants that are toxic to pets
• Pool or pond products
• Poisonous snakes

Other potential dangers in your home include burning candles that may be knocked over, electrical cords that can be chewed, and loose cords or wires that animals may become tangled in. Take a look around your house and make it pet-safe.

Traveling With Your Pets
Don't let your pet ride in the back of an open truck. He can be injured if you need to brake suddenly or take a sharp turn. Tying the animal to the truck doesn't solve the problem;
he can still be seriously hurt or killed. If you must use the back of a truck to transport
a pet, put the animal in a secure crate that is anchored so it doesn't move around in the bed of the truck.

Also, never leave your pet in a vehicle in hot weather, even for a few minutes. Even with the windows wide open, the car can quickly become hot enough to cause heatstroke, brain damage, and even death.

Finding Your Lost Pets
If you've lost your pet, don't waste any time - begin your search as soon as you notice that the animal is missing.

Here are some steps to take:
• Ask everyone: neighbors, children, mail carriers, passersby. Show them a photo of your pet. Even if they have not seen him, they may be willing to keep an eye out for him.

• Create a flyer with your pet's photo, a brief description and your phone number. Distribute the
flyers and post them on telephone poles in the area where you lost your pet. If you can afford it,
you might consider offering a reward.

• Put a "lost pet" ad in the local newspapers. The ad should be titled "Lost Cat" or "Lost Dog" and should include your phone number, the date that the animal was lost, where she was last seen, and a clear, brief description containing the animal's name, breed, color, sex, age, and whether she was wearing a collar. (Note: If you're offering a reward, you might want to leave out one detail, such as gender, in order to avoid scam artists.)

• Go to all the shelters in the area - don't just call them. Give them a color photo of your pet with your phone number on it. Ask to see all the animals in the shelter and visit every cage.

• Go back and check all the shelters every day. Shelter employees are often very busy, so you can't depend on someone remembering that an animal like yours was brought in.

• Call the local animal control officer in all the surrounding towns. Send each a photo and visit the town pounds daily.

• Call area veterinary clinics and send them a photo of your pet. Ask each of them if any animal fitting your pet's description has been brought in.

• If you suspect that your pet may have been stolen, report your pet missing to the police. They may know if an animal fitting your pet's description has been hit by a car (or they may be able to direct you to the department that handles this).

• Read the "pet found" section in each of the local newspapers daily. Many papers run "found" ads for free. Follow up on any ad that describes an animal similar to yours, since you can't count on the finder to describe your pet exactly as you would.

• Look around your neighborhood carefully (or wherever your pet was lost). Cats can wander into a neighbor's basement or garage, fall asleep and accidentally get shut in.

• Late at night or very early in the morning, when the area is quiet, go to the place
where your pet was lost. Bring his favorite food and a flashlight. Call his name and
wait to see if he shows up. Try this repeatedly.

• If your pet is an indoor cat who does not usually get out, place her litter box outside, where she may smell her own scent and recognize her home. (Do not clean it out first!)

• If your pet is registered with a lost-pet network organization, call them right away.

• Don't give up! Persistence is often the key to finding a lost pet. Some animals have
been found after months of being missing.