The favourite family pet is has increasingly become an important part of family activities, including holiday celebrations.
A local organization wants to help families celebrate by offering dog and cat Christmas stockings for sale and donating the proceeds to charity.
And as the Christmas season gets into gear, specialists suggest pet owners be cautious. Many of the foods, plants and household items used to help mark the occasion can be very toxic for pets.
Every year, Trooper Pet Veterinary Nursing puts together and sells stockings for dogs and cats, costing $60 and $40, respectively. The proceeds are then donated to a local charitable organization.
This year, the money will go to the local nonprofit Barrie Families Unite to help those in need with groceries, clothing and crisis support.
Becky Bartley, founder of the mobile Trooper Pet Veterinary Nursing, gets help from sponsors to fill the stockings in hopes of raising about $3,000.
“Coming from a veterinarian clinic background, it’s all high-quality, veterinarian-approved products,” she says. “It’s all fun. Sometimes the sponsors put in some stuff for the humans, too.”
The stockings are delivered by Just Simcoe delivery service.
Bartley’s mobile service has been expanding to offer its pet nursing service since its launch in 2020, and now services Muskoka as well as Simcoe County.
When it comes to toys and food for pets, Bartley suggests being cautious. Some toys could make the pets ill if ingested, so she suggests shopping for durable toys that are made of non-toxic material. There are also foods that they should stay away from as well as holiday plants.
Trooper Pets' stockings are filled with veterinarian-approved products and raise money for a local charity. | Image supplied
“Know your dog. If your dog is going to rip it apart and eat it, don’t buy it,” she says.
Dr. Mike Bondar, who has a telemedicine practice and works with Bartley, warns that Christmas season brings with it many risks for pets.
“There’s so many things we do around the holidays that can be dangerous to a pet,” he says.
Plants like poinsettias are toxic. And human food such as chocolate, alcohol, macadamia nuts and xylitol sweetener could be harmful as well.
The No. 1 danger to pets around the house, Bondar adds, is over-the counter medicine like acetaminophen and ibuprofen that can be easily ingested if left out.
Bondar suggests having items that stimulate dogs and cats around the house to keep them healthy. Toys, games, puzzles and treats that encourage them to think and use their senses can be extremely beneficial.
“I find stimulating their brain is more exhausting than a good run,” he says. “It's not just all about chewing. Sometimes it’s about sniffing, sometimes its about hearing and sometimes it’s about visuals.”
Bondar points to food puzzles, requiring the dog or cat to open a door to get their treat.
There are also toys that stimulate the prey drive in cats. A feather hanging from the end of a string, for instance, helps to keep them active, as do laser pointers.
But, he adds, the humans in control of the toys and games should make sure that the cat wins every once in a while.
When it comes to mealtime, Bartley likes to include her pets in on the festivities with a special Christmas meal.
“One of the cool things that I do … I actually get them fancy dog or cat food and I serve it on the fine china,” she says.
More information about the Trooper holiday pet stockings is available online.