Party Pet Safety Tips

We've all heard of party hosts waking to discover a beloved family pet missing the morning after a party. Fun can turn to tragedy when a pet slips outside with the comings and goings of party guests. Party mishaps can also send you and your furry family members to the emergency vet if pets consume toxic human foods or unfamiliar sounds and circumstances cause your pet to panic and injure himself by bashing into walls or windows trying to escape them.

These tragedies can all be avoided by a little pre-party planning. A few simple precautions can keep your pets safe and leave you free to enjoy your party without worrying about your furry, feathered, or fishy friends.

The safest move is to isolate your pets from your party. This prevents pet escapes by containing pets in safe areas. It also prevents well meaning guests from feeding tasty but toxic party foods to sensitive pets. Popular party foods such as chocolate, alcohol, cheese, grapes, raisins, and nuts can all be harmful, even deadly to pets. To ensure party guests don't let your pets out of the safe area, lock the door or put up a do not disturb sign to discourage curious guests.

However, it is not always possible or practical to put pets in a locked room of their own during your party, especially in smaller living spaces. You can still create a "safe zone" where pets can escape guests in a corner, open closet or even under a table. Provide your pets with food, water, toys, and bedding in their safe zone. If the litter box requires kitty to cross an area expected to be busy, give her a temporary litter pan in her safe zone.

Greet party guests at the door and walk them out when they leave to maintain control of opening and closing the door. Be sure you know where your pets are when you open and close the entry door. Enlist your guests to help keep your pets inside by applying door signs both inside and out such as "Mind the Cat" or "Pets Stay Inside for Safety."

Bird cages can benefit from a bit of wire used to secure cage doors to limit access to your feathered friends. If your bird is bothered by strangers, cover his cage loosely with a blanket or cage cover to limit intrusive stimulus. A bit of tape lightly sealing your fish tank covers shut can limit the chance of finding foreign objects in your aquarium in the morning.

Use judgment in your choice of party decorations and favors. Streamers, candles, and electric lights can all pose hazards so keep them out of pet's reach or use them when pets are in their safe room. Balloon pieces, confetti, and candy wrappers also pose choking and intestinal blockage hazards so be mindful of their use and disposal.

If pets are allowed to mingle with guests be sure to gently remind guests not to share their treats with your pets. Be quick to clean up spilled alcohol or party snacks to avoid digestive upsets and pet poisonings. If you've kept pets isolated during your party be sure to give your home a quick inspection for wrappers, dropped snack foods, party favors, and cigarette butts before giving pets the run of the house. Ashtrays can be particularly dangerous as even small amounts of nicotine can harm most pets.

With a bit of care and planning your party can be fun for you and safe for pets with a minimum of distress for everyone involved.