HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS

From Deborah Wood

The holiday music is playing 24/7 on the radio. The lights are up on the houses in the neighborhood. It’s time to roll out the holly, put up the tree, and decorate the home for Christmas.

Those of us with pets need to take a few extra precautions to make sure this is a safe and happy holiday season for all of our “fur kids.” Here are do’s and don’ts:

**DON’T decorate with anything that can get tangled in your pet’s digestive tract. Strings of popcorn or tinsel on the tree are dangerous for pets. Cats and dogs are likely to play with them -- and swallow them. Long strings of ribbons are dangerous, too. If you don’t want risk a trip to the emergency room, just keep these items out of the house.  

**DON’T put lighted candles on tables, shelves or other places a cat can leap to – or a dog can clear with a tail. Artificial candles with LED lights look very much like the real thing, and are a safer alternative for households with pets.

**DO spray electrical cords with Bitter Apple (C.Q.) or similar products. These nontoxic sprays are available at pet supply stores, and will make cords less appealing to puppies and other chewers.

**DO put the breakable ornaments or heirloom pieces near the top of the tree. Be careful what’s in reach of your pets.

**DO consider fencing your tree. If you have cats that climb or dogs that are curious about something new, keep the tree out of harm’s way. One solution is to surround the tree with an exercise pen, a small portable fence that’s available at pet stores, to keep pets out.

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Locations:

Hawthorne
1402-A S.E. 39th Ave
Portland, OR 97214
503-236-8036

Alberta
2224 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211
503-249-6571

Multnomah Village
7642 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, OR 97219
971-222-2686

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Locations: 

Macadam
6767 SW Macadam
Portland OR, 97219
503.245.4363

Pearl
416 NW 10th Ave.
Portland OR, 97209
503.243.6200

Bridgeport
At Bridgeport Village
7441 SW Bridgeport
Tigard OR, 97224
503.431.2052

Eugene
At 5th Street Public Market
248 East 5th Ave. Ste. 15
Eugene OR, 97401
541.343.5394

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Locations:

8670 SW Scholls Ferry Road
Beaverton, OR 97008
503-646-5937