Holiday Pet Peeves

Do your prep work before bringing animals along to family gatherings — or hosting them in your home

by: Dr. Marty Becker, from: AARP, Updated November 2, 2012

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Negotiate. Negotiations can start when the boundaries are established. Pets may be welcome if they'll stay in a crate when unattended, for example, or someone with mild pet allergies could be accommodated in a clean room that's off limits to pets. Again, make sure nothing is left to misinterpretation. If you're hosting a pet, make it clear there are certain conditions to its visit. And if you're bringing yours, spell out your plans for cleaning up after your animal.

Compromise. While there's likely no compromise where health and safety are involved, everything else is up for debate. Moving a gathering to a restaurant may be the answer sometimes, as can be setting up visitors in nearby hotels. Accommodating a visiting pet who's happy to relax in a crate or carrier can work as well, even in a home not set up for pets, and if a host is gracious enough to allow pets on the bed, it's wise for the visitor to provide her own bedcovers, if possible.

Remember, assume nothing, anticipate problems and try to get along. If everyone does, the pet peeves of the holiday season will remain the old staples of politics and religion, with the animals blessedly left out as a topic for holiday strife.

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A Few More Holiday Tips

1. Pet-unfriendly gifts: If you give the gift of food (ranging from tasty chocolate to the dreaded fruitcake) put a note on the outside in big block letters "NOT PET FRIENDLY." This tells the recipient to put the package high in a closet or other inaccessible space, only to be brought out on holiday morning.

2. Friendly feeding : While every pet looks for a new victim to coerce into giving tidbits with liquid eyes, don't give a begging pet anything off your plate without permission from the pet's owner.

3. Safety first: The No. 1 reason for calls to the Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA.org/APCC) is human medications, both prescription and over the counter. If you're staying at someone's house, put all medications up high or in a drawer that is inaccessible to pets. Likewise, if you have visitors, make sure they understand to take medications out of purses and suitcases and secure them in drawers or cupboards.