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Super Bowl Pet Safety

ShebleyCL (Cindy Shebley) [Flickr]

Even on Super Bowl Sunday, pet safety should still be a priority, but your four-legged friend may want to be part of the festivities.  The ASPCA suggests that you can put pet snacks in a special bowl so your guests have a good treat to give your furry buddy.  That way, everybody gets to be part of the fun!

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This is a big weekend for football fans because tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday, when the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs meet to determine who is the best. Even pets can get excited during a game, especially when their owners are excited. What a pet likes best about watching football is the enthusiasm of family members and friends, and of course, the snacks. After all, what’s a Super Bowl party without food? Here are a few suggestions for keeping your furry friend safe while you enjoy the big game.

If you plan to dip a few chips into some guacamole, make sure your furry buddy can’t get to it, because it contains avocado, onion and garlic, which can harm your dog or cat.

Be careful when you dispose of the empty bags that your chips and pretzels came in. If you’re not careful, your best friend could get “sacked”, because chip bags can cause a pet to suffocate. A pet sticks its head inside the bag trying to get to the crumbs, a bag that is engineered to keep air out. The animal can’t breathe and can’t get the bag off its head. An easy way to ensure your pet’s safety is to cut off the top and bottom of the bag, and put the chips in a bowl. It could literally save your best friend’s life.

Alcoholshould never be given to an animal, so be careful to keep drinks out of reach and dispose of containers properly. And don’t give your buddy bones to chew on, especially chicken wings or other bones which can splinter. Your team may be winning but you could be making an emergency trip to the veterinarian’s office.

For those of you who don’t watch football, there are at least two other choices for pet people. Animal Planet will be airing Puppy Bowl XVI, starring 96 puppies from 61 shelters – all available for adoption. The Hallmark channel offers an alternative for cat lovers as they air Kitten Bowl VII – no dogs allowed!

And whatever happens at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami tomorrow, remember what they say – it is only a game. Keeping your best friend happy and healthy will help to make every day “super”, when you’re speaking of pets.

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Mindy Norton has been “Speaking of Pets” on Alabama Public Radio since 1995.
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