Holiday Food Can Be Dangerous for Pets

Yes, your dog is cute, especially when he puts on that puppy face and begs for table scraps. As precious as he is, resist the urge to give your pooch those turkey bones. That's the warning being sent out by the Rancho Coastal Humane Society Humane Society (RCHS). A little common sense goes a long way when it comes to keeping pets safe — and, your carpets clean.

"We indulge ourselves during Thanksgiving," says RCHS spokesman John Van Zante. "But we understand there will be consequences for that second or third or fourth helping. Our dogs and cats just see all that food and eat until they're sick."   

Van Zante says it's up to us to control what our pets eat on Thanksgiving. "German chocolate cake is not for German Shepherds. If you offer, of course your pet will take it. We need to be responsible for our pets during the feast, even if we make poor decisions for ourselves."

A few simple rules to help keep pets safe on Thanksgiving:

* Make sure they have pet food available
* Keep the pets out of the kitchen
* Remind your family and guests not to sneak food to your pets
* No bones (cooked bones can splinter and puncture the digestive system)
* Do not give your pets the fat.
* No sweets, candy or deserts.
* No booze, cider, sparkling water, etc.

"It's not worth the risk. Curiosity really can kill the cat," says Van Zante. "We are so blessed to have animals in our lives every day. Show how thankful you are this one weekend. Make sure your decorations are safe for pets. Take out the trash. Provide your pet with a place to hide away if it gets overwhelmed. That's one day of caution for a lifetime of joy."

Rancho Coastal Humane Society at 389 Requeza Street in Encinitas will be closed Thanksgiving Day but open 11 - 5 the rest of the holiday weekend. For more information visit www.sdpets.org.