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Protecting your pets during
Published:
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Carnival is a time of fun and festivities for us, but our pets often do not share the same sentiment. Having just gotten over the trauma of fireworks from Christmas and New Years, they now have to contend with deafeningly loud music and screams from raucous party-goers.
Here are some tips to keep your pet safe during this time:
• If you know you like to partake in Carnival and will be away from home for most of the season, either book your pet into a reputable boarding kennel (such as at your veterinary clinic) or arrange for someone to stay at home to pet-sit.
• If you are having a party yourself, don’t let your pet get forgotten: lots of people in your home and changes to the home environment can create stress. Loud music, boisterous people and noise-makers scare many pets, so consider exercising the animal and feeding him (a tired pet with a full belly is more likely to sleep well) before putting him into a quiet separate room or crate for the night, far away from the party.
• Caution your guests against feeding the pet. Too varied a diet will cause indigestion and a breakdown of the pet’s normal eating habit and you may find he is reluctant to go back to his ordinary diet. Do not be tempted to offer alcoholic beverages to any animal – this is not only extremely stupid to do, but will result in the intoxication, coma and death of your pet.
• If your pet gets scared by loud noises, warn your guests not to set off party-poppers or behave too unruly, and keep your pet securely inside a den-like area. Many animals try to escape from the home if they become fearful and can end up lost or can injure themselves.
• If you are playing mas, keep your Carnival costume away from your pet or supervise him when he is near it. The glitter, feathers, sequins, ribbons etc. may not be toxic, but pets can choke on parts of your costume and they may cause intestinal obstruction if swallowed.
• Be careful with your use of paint around pets if you are playing J’ouvert. Some paints may still contain lead which is toxic and has a variety of clinical signs, including loss of appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and vomiting. These gastro-intestinal signs may be accompanied by neurologic signs such as blindness, seizures, difficulty walking, tremors or unusual behaviour. Non-toxic acrylic paints are safer, but try to avoid your pet licking and ingesting it, or getting it into its eyes. Look for one that is certified as safe for animals.
• Keep your pets indoors as much as possible, particularly if you reside along a Carnival route. The vibrations from party-trucks can be painful and damaging to the much more sensitive ears of animals. The music can scare them and wild mas-makers may be inebriated enough to throw bottles, sticks, stones or other missiles at a barking dog or a fleeing cat.
• Microchip your pet or ensure that he wears a collar with a identification tag in case he runs away and gets lost in the melee (or in case he is stolen).
• Try not to use security dogs for your fetes and parties: the transport vehicles are instruments of torture – small and
cramped; and the dogs are usually left muzzled and leashed for hours upon end in often inclement weather without food or water.
• Do not use your pet as part of your Carnival costume. This may sound funny, but live animals such as doves, snakes, and toads have previously been used as props during Carnival performances in Trinidad and Tobago; much to the terror and distress of the animal and the irresponsibility of the National Carnival Commission of Trinidad and Tobago (NCCTT).
This article is copyright to Best Pets Animal Behaviour Service. For further information contact Kristel-Marie Ramnath at 689-8113 or bestpetsbehave@ hotmail.com
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