Take precautions, keep pets safe this holiday season

    December should be filled with fun, frivolity and family. But for pets, the food, decorations, parties and travel that accompany this time of year can add up to unhappy holidays if not properly addressed in advance by their owners.
    The Division of Professions and Occupations, which licenses veterinarians in Colorado under the auspices of the Department of Regulatory Agencies, wants pets to remain safe during this hectic season.
    Having a veterinary clinic’s contact number handy and, if different, 24/7 emergency facility information available is a good initial step.
    If  adopting or receiving a pet as a gift and needing to locate a licensed veterinarian in the area, one can verify a Colorado professional license by visiting http://colorado.gov/DORA/licensing.
    But once Fido or Tabby is part of the family, it’s important to get a handle on what can harm them.
    Here are a few safety tips, courtesy of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
    Food — Some of the people-food that can be harmful to pets include chocolate, baked goods or other sweets containing the artificial sweetener xylitol, turkey and turkey skin, table scraps — such as onions — raisins and grapes, and yeast dough.

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