Christmas & Hanukkah – This time of year can be wonderful and joyous for people, but to a small puppy or kitten in the household, all the excitement and cheer can be strange and frightening. Not only will all the commotion be confusing, but caught in the middle of all the activities, a dog or cat could become injured, and if left alone in a room he or she could suffer from neglect and loneliness. Families must be understanding and plan accordingly if looking to adopt a puppy or kitten around this time of year. Things to be wary of during this holiday season:

• Poinsettia Plants – poisonous to pets if consumed
• Menorah – lit candles can be knocked over and become a serious fire hazard
• Lights – Whether on a tree or around the inside of the house, lights can get too hot if left on and become a serious fire hazard

Thanksgiving – During this happy time of family, food and giving, people tend to become overly generous, which means that dogs and cats will get a lot of table food scraps from family members or guests. Sometimes this act of generosity can lead to injury.

• Too many fatty, rich, or new types of foods can give your pet pancreatitis or gastroenteritis; two medical conditions that can be very painful and even life threatening.
• Bones from turkey or chicken can tear up or obstruct your pets’ insides.
• Onions, widely found in stuffing, will destroy a dog’s red blood cells, which can lead to anemia.
• Too much chocolate, especially baking chocolate, can actually be fatal to a dog, so all those sweets must be kept well out of reach.

Provided by North Shore Animal League America

Emergency Services

• Alliance Emergency Vet Clinic, Randolph  (973) 328-2844
• Animerge, Raritan  (908) 707-9077
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control 24/7  (888) 426-4435
• Central Jersey Vet Emergency,  Iselin  (732) 283-3535
• Garden State Vet Specialists, Tinton Falls  (732) 922-0011
• Newton Veterinary Hospital, Newton  NewtonVet.com
• Oradell Animal Hospital, Paramus  (201) 262-0010
• Vet Surgical & Diagnostic Specialists, Millstone  (609) 259-8300

Animal Shelters

• Ewing Animal Shelter  (609) 393-9608
• Hamilton Township Animal Shelter  (609) 890-3550
• Pet Rescue of Mercer, PetRescueOfMercer.org
• Trenton Animal Shelter, (609) 989-3254
• APAW, (609) 799-1263
• Dogs Deserve Better, DogsDeserveBetter.org

Spay/Neuter Clinics

• Monmouth County SPCA Spay/Neuter Clinic, (732) 542-3125, Eatontown
• New Jersey Dept of Health Pet Overpopulation Control Fund, (609) 292-7837, Trenton
• Operation Spay Gray, tristateweimrescue.org

Veterinary Specialists

• Twin Rivers Animal Hospital, East Windsor, (609) 301-4066
• Center For Animal Referral & Emergency Services, Hamilton,  (215) 750-2774
• Edinburg Animal Hospital, Hightstown,  (609) 443-1212
• Foxmoor Animal Hospital, Robbinsville, (609) 426-0155
• Cream Ridge Veterinary Clinic,  Cream Ridge,  (609) 758-3030

Animal Rescue Groups

• Animal Rescue Coalition of New Jersey,  www.AnimalRescueCoalition.net
• Animal Welfare Federation, (856) 740-1344,  www.AWFNJ.org