Do your pets enjoy Easter as much as you do?

Spring is such a wonderfully optimistic time of the year, with the weather getting warmer and the flowers starting to bloom. The Easter holiday is also a time for bonnets and bouquets and - well, let's face it - chocolate, bunnies and baby chicks (more on the bunnies and chicks issue here).

Chocolate has become a staple of the Easter celebration and it's not just the kiddies that you need to keep an eye on - pets love to eat people food and kids love to feed pets whatever they're eating. But chocolate is actually poisonous to dogs, cats and ferrets and even small amounts can prove fatal. So do Fluffy, Fido and Ferro a favor - keep the chocolate and candy away from them this Easter and save yourself a possible trip to the vet!

Treat Tip: Dogs can eat Carob, which contains none of the dangerous ingredients found in the cocoa bean.

Speaking of bouquets, many spring plants are also toxic to pets. In fact, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has named Easter Lillies one of the top five deadliest plants for pets, and the Humane Society has identified over 700 plants that can be deadly if eaten by your pet. So pop those posies up on a shelf or somewhere your animals are unlikely to access them!

For more information on toxic substances and what to do if your pet is poisoned:

• Check out this list of plants and foods that are poisonous to pets and


• Bookmark the details for the ASPCA Poison Control Center which can help you with animal poison-related emergencies, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Other ways to keep your pet safe and happy over the holidays include being careful with candy wrappers, Easter decorations like plastic grass and plastic eggs - all problematic if eaten - also be careful with costumes for your pet as they (and some decorations) pose a potential choking or suffocation risk.

Also remember loads of people tramping around the place on a holiday - especially hoards of excited, sugar-rushing children - is a source of stress for pets, and the chaos of social gatherings can be an opportunity for them to get out and possibly go missing. Have a quiet place your animals can hang out while you're celebrating, and check on them from time to time.

Have a lovely weekend and keep Easter fun and happy - for everyone in the family!