It’s almost that time of year; fluffy Easter chicks, cute Easter bunnies and chocolate… lots of chocolate! It’s a lovely time of year to spend with family and friends, and of course your pets.
We don’t need any excuse to spend extra time with our pets, or to do fun things with them. So, when Easter comes around, we usually jump at the chance to do just that! There are a number of ways we can include our pets in the Easter holiday, and we thought we'd share our ideas in this week’s article. We haven't just thought about the canines in the family, but there are one or two things we've thought of to include our feline pets as well.
We also take the time to highlight a few potential dangers that Easter can pose to our pets, so make sure you read the full article and enjoy this special time of year in safety.
Easter Activities for Pets
Here’s some fun activities that your furry friends can enjoy this Easter
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Easter Egg Hunt - Whilst your pet can’t join in on your human Easter egg hunt, there’s no reason they should miss out on all the fun. Try hiding some cat or dog treats in your house or in your back garden, then let your pets sniff them out. This is a great way to stimulate your pet whilst keeping them busy
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Easter Photoshoot - Everyone loves a fun photoshoot. Dress up your pets in an Easter-themed outfit or accessories, like bunny eases, and take some adorable pictures.
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Easter-themed Walk - Try taking your dog for a walk and looking for signs of spring, keep an eye open for blooming flowers or baby lambs to help you get in the Easter spirit. This is a fun one to do if you have kids, encourage them to look out for any Easter decorations along the way
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Picnic in the Garden - If the weather is kind, you could take the fun outdoors and have a picnic in the garden. This could be a lovely treat for the entire family. If the sun comes out, you could even make it into a barbecue. Just remember some delicious snacks for your four-legged friends!
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Meet Up with Other Canine Pals for a Playdate - How about treating your dog to a playdate with his best dog pals? We’ve been in a nationwide lockdown here in the UK and it might be exciting for you and your dogs to meet up with friends in the park or at the beach for a stroll. This of course relies on lockdown restrictions - we’re on track for outdoor meets with up to 6 other people from March 29th but do keep an eye on the restrictions and guidance when Easter approaches as the rules may change at any time.
Easter Safety For Pets
Whatever activities and events you plan with your pets, make sure you think about their safety throughout the holiday. There are a number of foods and plants that are common at this time of year, that are toxic to cats and dogs. If you do have these in the house, just ensure that they’re kept safely away from your pets. Here we list some of the key things to keep out of reach of pets at Easter:
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Chocolate and Sweets - Getting easter eggs and bunnies may be a highlight of Easter for us but they are highly toxic for our pets. The xylitol found in many sweet treats is toxic for cats and dogs, it can be fatal. Keep any sweet treats out of your pets reach and maybe treat them to some pet-friendly
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Springtime flowers and bulbs - You may receive flowers as a gift at this time of year and your garden may start to bloom with new plants too. Certain springtime plants such as Daffodils, Hyacinths, Bluebells and Azaleas are toxic to pets. It’s best to keep an eye on what types of flowers you keep indoors, and if they are toxic to pets to keep them out of reach of inquisitive noses. You might like to read our past article where we highlight some the Most Poisonous Springtime Plants.
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Table Scraps - You may be hosting friends and family this Easter, with all the delicious food out it may tempting to share some with your pets, however, a lot of the food we enjoy can be harmful to pets so make sure to keep any food out of your pets way this Easter.
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Sultanas, currants and other dried fruits - Hot cross buns are a seasonal staple at Easter. Make sure these and any ingredients used to make them are kept out of reach of your pets as they can make them really poorly. It isn’t fully understood, what in these foods is so bad - all we know is that they can cause serious illness in some pets.
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Easter Decorations - A lot of the small cute Easter decorations, like the fluffy chicks, plastic eggs and Easter grass can look inviting to your pet but they can be dangerous if ingested by your pets. When swallowed, it can create internal blockages which can be fatal. Make sure to keep any decorations out of reach to keep your pets safe
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Easter Egg Hunts - If you’re thinking of hosting an Easter egg hunt this year, make sure to keep your pets away. The brightly coloured toys and treats will look inviting to your pets so keeping them out the way until the fun is over is for the best.
If you keep these hazards in mind, you’ll be able to make sure your pets have a happy and safe Easter. If you’re worried your pet may have eaten something they shouldn’t or they’re showing any signs of illness we recommend you contact your vet for advice.