KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Statistics reveal two-thirds of you reading this have some kind of pet.
There's also a good chance you're a new pet owner or you know someone who just became a pet owner.
The holiday season is a good time to keep in mind a few safety tips for your or your loved one's pets.
Driving to a loved one's home for Thanksgiving or Christmas can be one of the most stressful points and get your holiday off on the wrong paw.
"Whether it's across town or across the country, it's really stressful for the pet, so you want to make sure that you give time for the pet to acclimate," said Chuck Klingsick, Dog Training Elite's
"Take some comfort items like a toy or blanket or even a kennel if you're going somewhere," he said.
His advice extends into the home where you'll find a host of holiday dangers.
"Particularly around the holidays is they leave things out that they don't normally," Klingsick said. Decorations and some holiday treats for humans can be particularly toxic to pets. Those include things like nuts, onions, turkey bones, alcohol and a long list of plants" Klingsick said.
There's also Christmas trees, which some people have already put up and decorated.
"With a live tree you typically have a pan of water under it that can be toxic to a dog," he said.
Keeping these tips in mind can keep your pets happy and healthy, along with the people you're visiting.
