valentines card

Valentine’s Day is for Pet Lovers

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February 14th is more than just a day for exchanging colorful paper love notes and chocolates. Valentine’s Day is also a very important day for your pets – it’s Pet Theft Awareness Day (PTAD).

PTAD was created in 1988 by Last Chance for Animals, a U.S. non-profit animal rights organization, to bring awareness to the high number of stolen pets each year. According to LCA, each year about 2 million pets are stolen in the U.S.

So how do we safeguard our furry friends against theft? Here are some tips keep your pet safe:

1. Chips Anyone? Microchipping is efficient and can be injected into your pet in about as much time as it takes to draw blood.

2. Stay Current: Make sure your pet has current ID tags. If they go missing, having updated tags can be crucial.

3. Say ‘Cheese’: Keep current photos of your pet on hand. If the worst does happen and your pet goes missing; updated photos will be useful for making posters and creating awareness.

4. Take Precautions: Always keep your pets on a leash, make sure your yard is secure and never tie your pet up outside a store.

This Valentine’s Day, honor Pet Theft Awareness Day and take steps to keep your pet safe. It’s a great way to ensure you’ll be spending many holidays together.

Have questions or need other ideas on how to keep your pets safe? Don’t hesitate to let us know – VIP Pets is here to help!

Valentine's Day Safety Tips for Your Pet

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Valentine’s Day is a time to show love and spark some romance! Chocolate, candy hearts, or champagne are a common indulgence.  Flowers are beautiful and fragrant, a symbol of affection.  Gifts are frequently exchanged, wrapped in pretty paper and topped with a bow.  Turn off the lights and dine by the glow of beautiful candles. All of this warms the heart.  Just don’t forget your beloved pet, who is sometimes too eager to share the love.  We have a few Valentine’s Day safety tips for your pet to keep in mind:

1. Be careful with those tasty Valentine’s!  Chocolate and sugar-free candy are potentially deadly.  Chocolate can contain Methylxanthines, a stimulant like caffeine, which can impact the gastrointestinal, neurological, and cardiovascular systems.  Symptoms can include vomiting and diarrhea, pets can become hyper, and have seizures.  Those cute candy hearts can contain Xylitol, which can result in an unhealthy drop in blood sugar, leading to depression and seizures.

2. Alcohol, if ingested by animals, can mimic intoxication, but the results could be much more serious than a hangover.  The symptoms can range from vomiting to respiratory failure, even coma or death. So keep a lid on the cocktails in front of your furry family members!

3. Pets don’t just stop and smell the roses, they occasionally eat them.  The thorns, if ingested can cause puncture wounds in the mouth, throat, and stomach, leading to infection.  If possible, remove the thorns from the roses.  There are other flowers that are toxic, such as lilies, especially to cats.

4. Beware of chewing kitties or puppies! Pets have been known to chew plastic and ribbons, even balloons.  These items if chewed, can pose serious dangers such as becoming lodged in the throat or digestive tract resulting in choking or suffocation.

5. Candlelit dinners are very romantic, but don’t leave a lit candle unattended.  A curious pet’s fur could ignite or the candle could easily be knocked down and cause a fire.

Being aware of these hazards can make for a safer Valentine’s Day for both you and your pet. For additional tips or to schedule a VIP Sitter for the big evening, contact us.

dog and cat for valentine's day

Fun Valentine’s Day Treats for Your Pets

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Valentine’s Day is no longer just for us humans, our furry friends deserve some extra special love too! While chocolate is a definite no-no, there are plenty of fun Valentine’s Day treats for your pets. Great gifts too!

Valentine’s Treats For Your Pet

  • Make your own treats at home! There is no need to pay a lot of money for fancy treats, you can easily make some tasty snacks for your beloved pet at home. You can make Carob-Dipped Valentine’s Day Dog Treats or the adorably named, Red Velvet Pupcakes! Try some of these other great recipes!
  • If you live someplace that gets extremely cold then a great gift would be a pair of booties or a coat for your beloved pet, make sure to keep them nice and warm this time of year (but don’t forget the treats too!).
  • A new bed. Nothing makes a furry family member happier than a nice, warm bed to sleep on. Why not indulge them this Valentine’s Day with a new pet bed!
  • Dog or cat gift baskets make a great treat. Make sure to include a few special treats, some new toys and (for you) some treats good for their breath and teeth. You can either make them up at home or purchase one ready made.
  • Nothing says, “I love you” better than taking time out on Valentine’s Day to play with your pet. Take your dog for a walk and give him extra time at the dog park. Give your pets some extra love and they’ll be in dog or kitty heaven!

Pets are pretty easy to please, and they are always there when we need them the most so it’s extra important to make them feel special every once in a while. Valentine’s Day is a perfect day to give them a few extra treats, some extra love, some extra playtime and lots of snuggles.

For more information, click here.