SAN DIEGO (PRNewswire) — With the holidays in full-swing, Petco is sharing tips and advice to help keep furry and four-legged family members safe and healthy while creating lasting memories during one of the busiest times of the year.

• Festive décor: Decorate your tree with pet safety in mind – decorations like glass ornaments, ribbons and tinsel can be harmful to pets if broken or ingested. Be sure to cover electrical cords to prevent possible shock or electrocution.
• Artificial and live plants: Pine needles are sharp and difficult to digest if consumed by a pet. Other harmful plants that should be placed out of a pet’s reach include mistletoe, holly, lilies and poinsettias.
• Holiday food: Avoid feeding pets table scraps and human treats like chocolate, turkey skin, grapes and raisins, caffeine, bones, onions, sweets and spices. If you suspect your pets have accidently ingested any of these foods, contact your veterinarian, PetCoach or pet poison helpline immediately. PetCoach is a trusted website that offers pet care information, as well as 24/7 online health and wellness consultation from trusted veterinarians in real time.
• Holiday festivities: Pets may not be familiar with all of your guests and the noise can be stressful to them. You may find it best to keep pets in a quiet place, away from the holiday party, people and food.
• Holiday travel: For pet parents, the first step in holiday travel planning is to decide if family pets will stay home or come along. If your pet is comfortable traveling and enjoys being along for the ride, plan ahead for the road trip or flight to ensure it’s a safe and stress-free experience. Don’t forget to pack the pet’s necessities, including food, water, treats, favorite toys, leash, collar and I.D. tag, litter and disposable litter box, and clean-up products.
• Find a responsible pet sitter: For pets comfortable staying at home, pet parents should find a responsible pet sitter and make arrangements early to avoid last-minute stress. Whether they are pet-sitting in your home or theirs, provide your sitter with a detailed checklist, including feeding and treating schedules, habitat cleaning instructions, emergency contacts, and general care and maintenance information for each animal to help them take the best care of your pets.

• Interactive play: Use your pet’s favorite toy to encourage play time, which not only stimulates them mentally, but also provides some much-needed exercise. Or, pick out a new, fun toy from the Holiday Tails collection to get in the spirit. 

For more holiday tips and ideas, visit petco.com and petcofoundation.org. You can also connect with Petco year-round at petco.com and on all social media channels by searching Petco.