Healthy and Safe Foods & Drinks for Pets

Although some pet owners believe their pets know what's good for them to eat and what's not, this is a myth. Pets do not always know what's good for them. If you don't believe me, turn any dog loose and follow it around for awhile and watch as it eats anything in its path from poop to spoiled foods to 3 turkeys waiting to cool on Thanksgiving day (even though we may be talking one small- to medium-sized dog), etc.

In short, animals do need help with eating the right foods at the right times and in the right quantities. In the wild, things may be different, as not all the same junk is available. But in a domestic environment, people need to help care for the animals in their area. For help with this, here are some tips:

1) Do not leave chemicals and other unsafe materials around your home - inside or out. This includes harmful fluids from vehicles, left over paint, oil, etc. Left unattended, any type of animals in your area - domestic and wild - may venture over, partake or consumer these substances and harm themselves.

Note:

If you are truly trying to rid yourself of certain animals, insects of other critters, contact local authorities like the Human Society Chapter in your area for help and advice.

2) Keep a supply of fresh drinking water and fresh, safe food around daily for your pets. This means no time out for vacations and holidays. If you will be gone, you must plan ahead and make sure the pets' needs will be met.

In some instances, there are ready-made-foods like solid fish food pellets that last around a week. Check with local pet stores or your vet for more information.

3) To determine which foods are healthy for your pet, seek help from vets, local pet stores, the Human Society and other Rescue Groups in your area and online, library books written by authorities / experts on the subject, articles by experts in magazines and newspapers and online, and programs on television and radio hosted by experts. Learn to read labels and find out what the best combination of ingredients are for your pets.

Watch for special diets, special needs (like allergies or overweight pets), etc. And find foods accordingly, too, like organic dog food in special online stores.

4) Provide safe and clean eating and drinking bowls, fountains and other avenues for intake. You don't want to have dirty, moldy water bowls around contaminating everyday drinking water supplies. And you don't want to serve foods in unsafe containers that your pets may chew up, for instance, or that may melt in with the food under the hot sun, or that may heat up the food or water under the hot sun, like metal water bowls.

Survey the area where you'll feed your pet and adjust accordingly. For example, if you have a large dog or other animal, you may want to use elevated dog feeders especially if you will feed them outdoors and you want to keep other critters - or mud - out of the food.

5) Take a break and get help once in awhile. Kids grow up and move out. Pets hang around for decades. Don't be afraid to take a time out: hire a pet sitter, board your pet for a weekend away or ask a neighbor to help out sometimes in exchange for your watching their pet. Then when you reunite with your beloved pet, you'll both be refreshed and happier to see each other.