Home Safety Tip of the Week: Pet Food Safety

One of your regular pet-related chores that you have each day is to provide your animal with fresh food and water. Just as people can become ill from eating unsafe food or from improper food handling techniques, the same holds true for pets.

Before you touch your pet’s food containers or offer your pet food or water, ensure that your hands are clean. Provide your pet with a clean food and water container regularly, and monitor expiration dates on foods. Scrutinize the food that you provide to your pet to ensure that it is safe and healthy for them to eat.

Also, take note that many types of human foods can be deadly for pets, and some of these include chocolate, avocado, grapes and coffee. These and other unsafe foods should be kept away from areas where a pet may reach them, such as on a low coffee table.

In addition, care should be taken to ensure that pets do not have access to harmful chemicals like cleansers, pesticides, medications and more. Furthermore, some plants are dangerous for pets to eat. Care should be taken to identify and to remove these poisonous plants from inside the home and from the yard to prevent accidental poisoning.