Spring into safety with your pets

By: centraljersey.com
This is the first in a series of columns offered by the Animal Welfare Committee of Hightstown (AWC), an all-volunteer nonprofit organization established in 2005. Our mission is to protect and find homes for animals. We have responded to calls for help with injured animals and provided fostering and adoption for homeless animals. Our work is made possible solely through private donations and fundraisers.
For more information about us, check out our website viawww.hightstownborough.com or visit us on Facebook under Hightstown Animal Welfare Committee.
Spring has sprung, and with the change of season, our thoughts turn to spring cleaning and yard and garden projects. But the milder weather can prove not-so-sunny for curious pets – or their unwitting caregivers.
Before you embark on seasonal chores or yard projects, take inventory of potential springtime hazards for your animal friends. To help you out, the ASPCA and the AWC offer a few seasonal tips to help prevent mishaps.
Screen Yourself. The warmer weather means it’s time to open the windows and enjoy fresh air. Make sure that your screens are wedged into window frames and in good shape to keep your animal friends indoors.
Buckle Up! While every pet parent knows dogs love to feel the wind on their faces, allowing them to ride in the bed of pickup trucks or stick their heads out of moving-car windows is dangerous. Flying debris and insects can cause inner ear or eye injuries and lung infections, and abrupt stops or turns can cause major injury, or worse! Pets in cars should always be secured in a crate or wearing a seat-belt harness designed especially for them.
Spring Cleaning. Spring cleaning is a time-honored tradition in many households, but be sure to keep all cleaners and chemicals out of your pets’ way! Almost all commercially sold cleaning products contain chemicals that are harmful to pets. The key to using them safely is to read and follow label directions for proper use and storage.
Let Your Garden Grow – With Care. Animal-lovers, take notice – fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides keep our plants and lawns healthy and green, but their ingredients aren’t meant for four-legged consumption and can be fatal if your pet ingests them. Always store these poisonous products in out-of-the-way places and follow label instructions carefully. Blood and bone meal are popular organic fertilizers, and dogs love the taste of these meat-based products. But ingesting blood meal can cause vomiting, diarrhea and severe pancreatic inflammation, while bone meal can create a cement-like ball in the dog’s stomach, potentially forming an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract and requiring surgery to remove. Tulip, hyacinth and daffodil bulbs can damage a dog’s mouth and esophagus, causing drooling, vomiting, severe diarrhea or even abnormal heart rhythms, depending on the amount consumed.
Pesky Little Critters. April showers bring May flowers – and an onslaught of bugs! Make sure your pet is on year-round heartworm preventive medication, as well as a flea and tick control program. Depending on where you live and what your risks are you may consider some of the natural options for flea and tick control. The National Resources Defense Council gives suggestions on chemical-free ways to keep pets pest free. Discuss your concerns with your vet so that you can come to the best solution together.
Easter Treats and Decorations. Keep Easter lilies and candy bunnies away from pets – chocolate goodies are toxic to cats, dogs and ferrets, and lilies can be fatal if ingested.
Spring is a great time to enjoy the outdoors with your pets and if you take the right steps to keep them safe, everyone will be happy. Watch for our next column on how to help your cat or dog maintain a healthy weight through exercise.
Save this date: The fifth annual PAWS Walk, a great opportunity to enjoy exercise with your dog while socializing with other animal-lovers, will be held on Saturday, May 14, at Hightstown’s Association Park. This year’s event includes a scavenger hunt that is sure to interest kids and pets of all ages!