Avoid these pet disasters at Christmas time:

Don't leave children alone with pets; if you fall asleep, keep the pet in another room away from children: Sleeping infant killed by house dog [Jackson Channel] (Nobody can blame a mother for falling asleep with her infant by her side. A mother's heartbreak cannot be mended after such a tragedy.)

Pets suffer from cold exposure during cold weather. Bring pets inside when it's cold. How cold is too cold for your dog or cat? Even 40 degrees may be too cold. Your domesticated pet, dog or cat, can become seriously ill from enduring cold weather, even if you only leave it outside during the day. Naturally, you may have provided  adequate shelter: an insulated dog house, protected from the wind, and two inches off the ground for your dog, but if your dog won't use it, or go inside it, it won't do him any good.

This morning, I met an old chow-mix, howling in a low soft voice, by his fenced yard. He probably has a dog house, but he's too loyal to use it. He's waiting for his owner at the front gate and will stay near it all day... He's cold and sad; his stubborn loyalty bids him to stay where he can watch for his owner, no matter how inclement the weather... Domesticated animals must be sheltered during winter [The Baltimore Channel]

Pets suffer poisoning from party foods: macadamia nuts, raisens, chocolate.  Other foods and substances cause serious illness in pets every year... coffee grounds, sugarless gum, alcohol are common sources of poisoning.  If it's not food for your pet, don't let your pet eat it.

 For a $50 fee, you may call a  pet poison control hotline 1-877-2ANGELL -- for people who believe that their pets have been poisoned. Pet owners can call the hot line 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and speak to a veterinarian who specializes in animal poisoning, but don't forget there's a fee included. Pets poisoned at Christmas [Boston.com]

Avoid buying sick pets from pet stores. How can you know whether a pet is sick or not when you buy it from a pet store? Short answer: You can't; a pet may be incubating a serious illness which manifests after you buy it. To avoid the heartbreak of buying a seriously ill pet, only purchase pets from reputable breeders and insist on receiving their pet vaccination records. See Store vets fail customers and pets [Boston Herald], Local Pet Store Cited for Animal Cruelty ID [Idaho News Channel 7]

Request your groomer to keep strangers away from your pets. Every year, people steal pets from groomers, especially at Christmas time: Somebody stole Mercedes, a cute pomeranian, right out from under a Petco groomer's nose... [ABC 13]

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