1. Will your Christmas be spent at home or away? Leaving your pets at home will require the help of a responsible (and sober!) friend or neighbour to visit, feed and care for them.

2. Don’t forget that seasonal plants such as holly, poinsettia, ivy and mistletoe are all extremely toxic so please think very carefully when you’re busy decking your halls.

3. If you are staying local and having a party then spare a thought for nervous pets when pulling crackers or popping party poppers; perhaps shut them securely in a quieter room and checking on them regularly.

4. Christmas can be such a traumatic time for pets, with lots of noise and unfamiliar guests arriving, so please make them a priority otherwise they may get scared, try to escape and perhaps never return.

5. Brightly-coloured baubles and tantalizing tinsel are new and exciting objects for pets, who’ll most likely try to eat them causing all sorts of internal kerfuffles.

6. Securely attach any fragile glass decorations, making sure they’re kept out of reach at the top of your tree to avoid pets pulling them off, breaking them, or stepping on any sharp fragments.

7. Foodwise, there are hazards galore at this time of year. Regular readers will be well-aware that chocolate is extremely poisonous to dogs and cats (rule: the darker the more deadly), and any suspect ingestion should be reported to your vet immediately.

8. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning include vomiting, diarrhoea and increased urination, progressing to seizures and sometimes death.

9. Turkey bones can cause choking, constipation, as well as seriously damaging internal organs.

10. Make sure fairy lights and electric wires are ‘chew-proof’ from inquisitive puppies, kittens and even rabbits.

11. Another common danger at this time of year is anti-freeze; extremely palatable to cats, it will cause irreversible kidney failure if your cat even just licks his paws after walking through a puddle of the stuff, so be warned and check all outside areas and garages today.

12. Never ever give pets as presents, but if you are seriously thinking about getting your own furry friend, then please visit your local rescue centre in January, where sadly there’ll be plenty of confused new in-mates to choose from.

Finally, ThePet.net would like to wish all you and your pets a very happy and healthy Christmas and New Year, see you in 2009!

Parliament has already stepped up in support of pets as MP Bob Spink tabled an Early Day Motion on animal welfare, championing organisations such as ThePet.net for promoting responsible pet ownership nationwide.

Bob has two rescue ex-racing Greyhounds himself – Fossie Bear and Jessica – and was extremely concerned to hear the news that re-homing at The Retired Greyhound Trust is down a whopping 47 per cent on this time last year.

The credit crunch has resulted in thousands of panicking owners giving up on their pets for fear of even greater economic trouble but ThePet.net co-founder and TV vet Marc Abraham is urging people to please reconsider.

“Pet ownership doesn’t have to be as expensive as you’d think,” says Marc. “There are some really easy ways to cut the cost of pet care, such as replacing expensive commercial dog food with a healthy diet of home-made pasta and vegetables. People who may be considering taking on a rescue pet could be put off by worries of extra financial commitment but the benefits far outweigh the negatives.”

If you are bogged down with money worries, the last thing you want to do is get rid of the ultimate stress-buster. Just stroking a pet reduces tension and lowers blood pressure and walking a dog for just two 30 minute walks a day will burn off as many calories as a gym workout – without the expensive membership.

Marc is a firm believer in the slogan ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ and is urging the public not to forget those poor dogs in rescue shelters over the festive season by thinking of ways to spread a little Christmas cheer.

Marc continues, “Think about bringing a pet into your life this Christmas. Maybe not by actually re-homing one if it’s not practical but by visiting a rescue centre and taking a dog out for a walk, or by dropping in a gift to brighten up a lonely Christmas in kennels.”