Holiday Pet Care Checklist

Whether you're the one traveling or hosting a house full of guests, the holidays throw off routines fast. Here's a simple checklist:

• Early December pet care bookings fill up fast, so last-minute requests can't always be guaranteed a spot

• Confirm your pet sitter or walker's holiday schedule in writing so there's no confusion about who's coming and when

• Write down feeding times, portions, and any medications, or make sure they're included in your pet's profile for the sitter, even if it seems obvious, since it's easy to forget amid the holiday chaos

• Leave guests a visible list of foods your pet can't have (chocolate, grapes, onions, xylitol/sugar-free sweets, and anything else that's off-limits)

• If guests are staying over, make sure everyone knows the “no feeding table scraps” rule before dinner starts

• Keep decorations, tinsel, and string lights out of paw-and-nose reach

• Set up a quiet room your pet can retreat to if the house gets loud and crowded

A little prep now saves a stressful call to the emergency vet later.