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Pet Sitters International offers pet-safety tips for a healthy and happy Hanukkah

PSI advises pet owners to keep pets away from the Hanukkah menorah and treats.

Hanukkah—the Jewish Festival of Lights—is a time of celebration, but that doesn’t mean the holiday is hazard-free for pets.

Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world’s leading educational organization for professional pet sitters, wants to make sure pet owners—and also their pets—have a safe and happy Hanukkah.

“With the excitement of the celebration, it can be easy to forget that not all traditions are a good fit for pets,” explains PSI President Patti J. Moran.

For pet lovers celebrating Hanukkah, PSI offers these simple tips to ensure pets remain healthy and happy during the eight-day celebration:

  • To avoid pets being burned or causing a fire hazard, ensure that pets are confined away from the room containing the lit Hanukkah menorah.
  • Keep holiday game pieces, such as the dreidel, out of paw’s reach from pets to avoid accidental ingestion.
  • Keep chocolate gold coins in a location that cannot be accessed by pets. Not only can the theobromine and caffeine in the chocolate be toxic to pets, but the shiny foil wrapper can also cause intestinal issues if digested.
  • Hanukkah treats, like latkes and sufganiyot, should also be kept away from pets. Ingestion could lead to a variety of gastrointestinal issues, including vomiting and diarrhea. Also, some ingredients can have even more dangerous consequences. The onions in latkes, for example, can cause Heinz body anemia in both cats and dogs.

This year, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Dec. 24. Should nightly celebrations keep pet owners away from home during their pets’ typical walk or potty-break times, PSI recommends using the services of a professional pet sitter.

Pet owners can download a free pet-sitter interview checklist from the PSI website and search for local PSI-member pet sitters at petsit.com/locate.

“Pet owners should not delay in booking pet care,” adds Moran. “Many pet sitters are booked weeks before winter holidays.”

To learn more about PSI or becoming a professional pet sitter, visit www.petsit.com.