CRITTER CHATTER: December's pets are waiting for their forever families

CRITTER CHATTER: December's pets are waiting for their forever families. Lyric is one of Critter Chatter's pets of the month. Photo/COURTESY

This month's pets are waiting to meet you at the Brampton Animal Services Shelter located at 475 Chrysler Dr. in Brampton.

Geddy is a neutered male husky mix who is approximately a year old.

Active and fun are works that describe this big boy's personality, along with run, run, run. He gets along well with other dogs but would not be suitable as a companion to a cat.

Common to the northern breeds, Geddy can be vocal at times, therefore is best suited to a house rather than an apartment or condo.

Staff say he's a loving dog and thoroughly enjoys being scratched, brushed and rubbed. An adopter who is willing to sign up for basic obedience classes would be beneficial as he needs work on his leash walking manners.

Lyric is a one-year-old spayed domestic short-haired brown tabby with white cat.

Lyric originally came to the shelter in August with her litter of nursing kittens. All her kittens have long been adopted, but dear Lyric is still waiting for her knight or dame in shining armour to come and sweep her into a loving forever home.

Staff say she loves to cuddle and is often seen grooming her fellow feline companions. Lyric is the quintessential cat and would be happy in a home with a large family or as a best friend to a single owner.

To learn more about Geddy or Lyric visit www.brampton.ca or call 905-458-5800.

Christmas Holiday tips from the Ontario SPCA site:

- Prevent your pet from sneaking sweets

Holiday sweets with chocolate are not for pets. Chocolate contains theobromine, which can be poisonous to many animals such as dogs, cats and ferrets, depending on the amount ingested. Vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity and increased thirst, urination and heart rate can be seen with the ingestion of as little as 1â?4 ounce of baking chocolate by a 10-pound dog.

- Don't pass the platter to your pet

Maintain your pet's regular diet because just one "special" meal during the holidays may give your dog or cat severe indigestion and diarrhea. For example, poultry bones can splinter and cause blockages; greasy, spicy and fatty foods can cause stomach upset; spoiled or mouldy foods could cause food poisoning, tremors or seizures. And don't forget to store the garbage safely out of reach from your pet.

- Prevent accidental alcohol consumption

Don't place alcoholic drinks in reach of pets. If your pet ingests alcohol he can become very sick and weak and may go into a coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory failure.

- Keep toxic florals out of your pet's reach

Caution must be used when choosing to decorate your home with holiday florals such as mistletoe and holly berries, which can be potentially toxic to pets. Check to ensure the holiday plants you have chosen are non-toxic or you may want to consider silk or plastic floral arrangements as a safe alternative.

- Use Christmas trees with caution

From top to bottom, Christmas trees pose many dangers to pets. Christmas tree water may contain fertilizers and if ingested, can cause stomach upset. Stagnant tree water may be full of bacteria, which could cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea in your pet. Decorations such as ribbons are very attractive to pets, especially cats, and if ingested can cause intestinal obstruction. Sparkly lights are equally attractive, but can become life-threatening if your pet decides to chew the cords. Consider decorating your tree, or at least the bottom third, with ornaments that are less likely to attract your pet's attention. Ensure any tinsel, ribbons, ornaments and ornament hooks that fall to the floor are picked up immediately. Also, secure your tree so that it can't be toppled or knocked over.

- Be watchful of toys that present choking hazards

If you have children's toys under your tree, be as cautious with your pet playing with them as you would a child. Toys with removable parts or small pieces pose a serious choking hazard for pets as well as children.

- Take precautions to avoid pet escapes

With guests coming and going during the holidays, take extra care that your pet does not escape outside and become lost. Cats in particular are prone to hiding and/or bolting when guests, especially a large number of them, visit your home. Dogs should also be carefully supervised as they may become over-excited with all of the holiday celebrations. One solution is to place your pet in a quiet, safe and comfortable part of the house away from all of the guests, but with access to food, water, litter box, etc. Alternatively, you may wish to use a crate, baby gate or x-pen (a metal exercise pen for dogs that comes in a variety of sizes) for short periods to keep animals from getting underfoot during the festive frenzy while allowing them to be part of the celebration.

- Think carefully before giving a pet as a present

In addition to these precautions, also remember that the holiday season may not be the ideal time to bring a new animal into your home. Alternatively, you could honour your family's pet adoption by placing a photo of him under the tree or pet products and accessories for when he does arrive. It is not recommended to give pets as "surprise" gifts to friends or family members.