Keeping Dogs, Cats & Children Safe on Easter

Easter Celebrations are supposed to be enjoyable. We prepare delicious food, arrange fun activities and gather together with our family and friends.

"But with all the joys of the Easter Holiday comes potential safety hazards which can hurt or kill a child, dog or cat," warns Debra Holtzman J.D, M.A, an internationally acclaimed safety and health expert and best-selling author of “The Safe Baby: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety” (Sentient Publications).

Although the list below sounds like common sense, some of these things are really easy to forget. Great reminders for a fun spring holiday . . .

Debra Holtzman suggests following these ten simple tips to keep your family and pets safe this Easter.

1. Baby Chicks: If you are thinking of adding an adorable Easter chick or duckling to go along with your child's Easter basket, think again! Baby chicks may harbor Salmonella bacteria.

2. Chocolate Bunnies: Pet owners beware! Chocolate is toxic, and sometimes even fatal, for animals! Watch out for eggs hidden around the house, or chocolate kept in a child's room.

3. Other food items that can be toxic to pets include onions, caffeine products (coffee, tea), garlic, grapes, raisins, avocado, macadamia nuts, and sugarless chewing gum and products containing xylitol.

4. Easter Lily: All parts of the lily plant are considered toxic to cats and consuming even small amounts can cause severe poisoning. Cat owners should be aware of the dangers of lily ingestion and remove them from their cat's access.

5. EGGS: To dye hard-cooked eggs, use a food-safe coloring and place them in the refrigerator within 2 hours. Hard-cooked eggs for an egg hunt must be prepared with care to prevent cracking the shells. If the shells crack, bacteria could contaminate the inside. Eggs should be hidden in places that are protected from dirt, pets, and other sources of bacteria. The total time for hiding and hunting eggs should not be longer than 2 hours. The "found" eggs must be re-refrigerated until eaten. If the Easter egg hunt will take longer than 2 hours, hide plastic eggs.

6. Raw cookie dough: When cracking eggs for your cookie dough or cake batter, be sure to use eggs pasteurized in their shells so licking the spoon remains safe. Raw eggs could be contaminated with Salmonella—a leading cause of foodborne illness.

7. Alcohol: Alcohol affects children and pets more drastically than adults, so even small amounts of alcohol can be dangerous. Spiked drinks should be kept out of the reach of children and pets. Remove all empty and partially empty cups as soon as possible.

8. Do not use green or sprouted potatoes for your favorite potato salad recipe. They contain a toxin called solanine, which can cause gastrointestinal problems. Also, Foil-wrapped baked potatoes should be kept hot or refrigerated to prevent botulism.

9. Hot foods on buffet tables should be held at 140 °F or warmer. You can keep hot foods hot with chafing dishes, slow cookers and warming trays. Cold foods should be held at 40 °F or colder. Keep foods cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice. Don’t leave platters at room temperature for over two hours, where bacteria can grow to harmful levels.

10. Do not serve hard, round food to small children (such as popcorn and nuts) because they pose a choking risk.

Lastly, wash hands thoroughly before and after handling food, beverages or utensils. If you have an infected wound (cut, burn or sore) or have been sick with vomiting or diarrhea, do not prepare or handle food. The germs that are making you sick can easily be passed to your family and friends. Keep-to-date on all product recalls and safety alerts. Visit www.recalls.gov.

Debra Holtzman has a master's degree in Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) and is an attorney. She been appeared on major TV news and radio shows around the world and was chosen a Reader's Digest Everyday Hero. "The Safe Baby: A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Home Safety" (Sentient Publications) offers parents economical, easy-to-implement solutions to provide a safe, healthy, and green living lifestyle for children, dogs and cats.

Interviews may be arranged via: E-mail: safebook@aol.com. Or visit  Debra's website at www.thesafetyexpert.com

Have a beautiful day,

Colleen