GAINESVILLE - You better watch out, not everything christmas related is pet friendly as well. Ornament hangers, hooks and ribbons… attractive and shiny to both people and animals. Michael Gaither of Gainesville has a couple of dogs himself and says pets are like toddlers. "So you have to be extra careful with them during the holidays because you do have more things laying around, like ribbons and stuff like this that they can eat," Gaither says.

     According to a survey of 1000 adults done for CSA international (a product testing & certification service), 20% of americans have experienced a family pet being injured by a holiday decoration. To keep things safe, Mark Frantz the manager of petsmart in Gainesville suggests creating a stress-free environment for our furry friends. "People will have friends and relatives over for theholidays, the dogs are not used to being crowded with so many people, they're used to quiet so provide the pet a quiet place to stay provide the pet a quiet place to stay."

Some people already take these precautions every year. Jayma Holliman, a pet owner says, "We don't hang any tinsel on the bottom of the tree that she can reach or any ornaments that she could get a hold of and chew."

Dr. Tecla Myrick a veterinarian at the Alachua County Animal Services says tinsel can cause serious damage to cats. "And tinsel that some people put on the tree is really dangerous to cats they love to play with it but it can cause a linear foreign body and it can cause a lot of problems so stay clear of that."

As your decorating your tree, don't forget about the water underneath as your pet may confuse it for their water bowl. Try not to use any poisonous fertilizers and change the water regularly, not only to keep your tree fresh but also to avoid any bacterial build up that your pet may consume.

Gaither and his wife bought a shopping cart full of treats and toys for their dogs. Gifts they tell me their pets won't get if they make it to santa's naughty list by messing the holiday decorations at home.

And for those at home who dont have any pets this Holiday season, Petsmart will be hosting "Home for the Holidays."  Where more than 200 pets are up for adoption on December 1st and 2nd from 11am-5pm.