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Tips For Safe Pets

The Prairieland Animal Welfare Center and the American Society

for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals would like to remind pet

owners that the nice weather can bring hazards to their pets.

Insecticides used to kill fleas, ticks, and other insects and

mouse and rat poisons lead the list of household items which can

potentially poison pets. Household cleaners such as bleaches,

detergents, and disinfectants are also common items which can

poison pets. Home improvement products such as paint, solvents,

and glues, and fertilizers and other gardening supplies rank

next. Man's favorite treat, chocolate, is another potential

toxic item pets may ingest and become ill from. Human and pet

medications can be lethal. Some plants, notably rhododendron,

azalea, sago palm, kalanchoe, and schefflera, can make pets very

ill if eaten. All of these household items, if ingested in large

enough quantities, can be lethal to pets.

*Be sure all pets have an ID tag listing your telephone number

or contact information. More pets become lost in the winter than

other seasons, so this is especially important.

*Antifreeze, even in small doses, is a lethal poison for pets.

Thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle to help prevent

accidental poisoning. Call the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control

Center at 1-888-4ANI-HELP of you suspect your animal has ingested

antifreeze or another poison.

Insecticides used to kill fleas, ticks, and other insects and

mouse and rat poisons lead the list of household items which can

potentially poison pets. Household cleaners such as bleaches,

detergents, and disinfectants are also common items which can

poison pets. Home improvement products such as paint, solvents,

and glues, and fertilizers and other gardening supplies rank

next. Man's favorite treat, chocolate, is another potential

toxic item pets may ingest and become ill from. Human and pet

medications can be lethal. Some plants, notably rhododendron,

azalea, sago palm, kalanchoe, and schefflera, can make pets very

ill if eaten. All of these household items, if ingested in large

enough quantities, can be lethal to pets.

Use common sense with the care of animals during extreme

periods of cold and severe weather. Pets are as susceptible to

frostbite, freezing, and dehydration as we humans are when we are

in severe weather conditions.

Call the Prairieland Animal Welfare Center at 342-1275 if you

are aware of animals in the City of Galesburg which need to be

checked on.