YourPetsLife.com Encourages a Safe and Loving Valentine’s Day for Pets

This article provides advice to keep pets safe during Valentine's Day, as well as a few ideas on how to celebrate the occasion with your pets. "Don’t forget the four-legged love of your life on this special occasion!"

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) February 3, 2006 -- With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, love is definitely in the air! What a great time of year to show those closest to you how special they are. Be careful though, traditional Valentine’s gifts that you bestow upon your two-legged loved ones can cause serious problems for your four-legged loved ones. Please keep the following in mind:

•Chocolates – a box of chocolates is hard for anyone to resist, including your pets. Large quantities of chocolate are toxic to pets; actually even a small amount can cause nausea and vomiting, so make sure to keep this out of their reach.

•Jewelry – most women love jewelry; a shiny bauble to wear around your neck, a sparkly something to put on your finger, it’s a grand gesture that will definitely win your sweetie’s heart. But, these shiny, twinkling items entice your pets, as well. If left in plain sight, curiosity can get the best of them. Your pet may think he has found a new toy; that is until he swallows it. Please make sure to put all jewelry away so that your pets can’t get to it.

•Flowers – Another great way to show your love and affection. Did you know that many plants are toxic to animals? Flowers of the season such as: Butter cups, Tulips and Calla Lilies can be deadly if your pet gets a hold of them. Also, the packaged plant food that many florists include to keep those flowers fresh can cause severe stomach problems, if ingested. Be sure and display your flowers in a safe place that is out of your pet’s reach.

•Candles, scented oils – It’s so nice to set a romantic mood with candles and scented oils, but be careful! A quick swish of a tail could catch Fido or Fluffy on fire in an instant, as well as burn down the whole house if unsupervised. And, those wonderfully, fragrant oils that smell so divine are, you guessed it, toxic to your pets. Please keep an eye on your pets while you are “setting the mood,” and make sure you never leave a burning flame unattended if there are pets in the room.

The items above are great ways to celebrate the season with the person that means the most to you. That being said, let’s not forget the four-legged loves of our life. How could we forget the pets that love us unconditionally through thick and thin? They stole our hearts from the very first day, and our love for them continues to grow stronger and stronger and stronger…

According to a recent survey, more than nine million Americans will purchase a Valentine’s gift for their pet, reconfirming the very important role that pets play. But, why are our pets so important?

To sum it all up, pets are our surrogate spouse, our surrogate children and many times our surrogate friends. Many people, in this day and time, choose to stay single longer, focusing on a career or education first. As a single person, it is only natural to seek out companionship and the love, loyalty and affection of a pet can fill that need. Since many people are staying single longer, many people are also waiting to have children later in life. Having a pet also helps fulfill the need to nurture and care for a little “bundle of joy.” And, we can’t forget the “empty nesters.” Once the children grow up and move away many times a void is left in the house. A pet is a great, positive way to fill that void. Yes, pets fill a pretty big role in our lives and they do it beautifully.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense to share the season of love with our faithful companions! But, how exactly do we do that? YourPetsLife.com, an online pet wellness and resource center, offers these suggestions for making Valentine’s Day a momentous occasion for your pets:

1.A Doggy Play Date. Your dog won’t be able to contain his excitement when he discovers you are devoting this time to him -- a walk to the park, an afternoon drive, a trip to the dog park, a lake outing or a stroll along the beach will all thrill your dog beyond belief.

2.A Special Meal. Take a picnic lunch with you to the park or have dinner at an outdoor pet-friendly cafe. Aside from your love, food is the most important thing in a dog’s mind. Be sure to include his favorite food and some special treats.

3.A Lounging Around the House Day. For those less active dogs or homebound kitty cats, a day of love and affection will go a long way. Our animals don’t have great needs; they just want our love and attention. So, if you devote some time to do just that you will have made their day.

4.A Valentine’s Gift to Commemorate the Day (check out the gift section at YourPetsLife.com for something special). A plush toy, ball or special treat will surely excite your pets and top off their perfect day.

YourPetsLife.com offers natural health solutions and wellness information to help enhance the life of your pets. The site is owned and operated by Very Important Pets, LLC. Recently voted “Best in Dallas” by D Magazine, Very Important Pets is an emerging leader in the pet care community.

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