Grilling Tips for Pet Safety Owners Should Heed

 

Memorial Day is when a lot of us will be firing up the grills and enjoying some leisurely time with friends and family at a barbecue. However, we may can often forget that there are some real dangers our pets face that can spoil a fun day for all while grilling. Therefore, here are some suggestions to keep in mind that can help prevent your outdoor celebration to turn into a tragedy for your four-legged friend with these grilling tips for pet safety.

Cooking foods on the grill can tempt even the most well-behaved pet to try their luck at snatching a piece of chicken, hot dog, steak or a burger. Regardless of their size, they can snatch and grab or just jump to send things crashing and hurt themselves and others in their frenzy. This is why you need to keep the pets inside while grilling for pet safety or someone needs to watch them if you are too occupied cooking.

 

Unlike larger dogs, cats may lack height but make up for that with their greater agility and leaping ability. I love cats equally as much as dogs, but they also can be sneaky to achieve their goals so be vigilant with your grill if your cats are in the vicinity. They are patient and can watch until the moment is right for them to jump up to steal from your table or grill.

Make it a point to watch that the pets don’t try to make a dash for any fat that drips off the meat and falls to the ground. If so, they can burn themselves badly, possibly topple the grill and cause a disaster to spoil what’s cooking and the barbecue. Any of that hot grease can also burn their throats or cause stomach problems.

After you finish grilling, you still need to protect your pets further by wrapping the cooled charcoal and ashes into aluminum foil before deposing of them into your trash can to prevent them from trying to lick any meat drippings. The reason this is important is because there are dangerous toxins such as potassium, sulfur oxides, petroleum, lighter fluids, borax and sodium nitrate in the residue and ashes that can severely sicken your pets.

Equally important is not letting your grilling equipment, lighting fluid, matches, etc. out in the open. As soon as you wrap up your barbecue, store those things safely away from your pets. Grilling utensils may have meat juices that a dog as well as cat could be tempted to seek out. Any juices they lick in the process could also contain metal fragments from cleaning them as you grilled.

Some animals are more nervous around people and loud sounds. If this sounds like one of your pets, then keep your animal inside because excited, raised voices to blaring music could be upsetting to the pet’s well-being. A calm pet can bite as an uncontrolled response too suddenly being agitated.

These few simple grilling tips for pet safety when enjoying outdoor fun and barbecues that can help make sure your Memorial Day and summer is a happy, not tragic one.