Happy Saturday, Missians!
Thanks for checking out the latest edition of Missy's Blog. I guess you can tell from the title that this is our 500th blog post! How awesome! What a milestone. Thank you so much for being with us every step along the way since we began in 2014.
In next week's post, I'll be revealing our upcoming Monsters of March blog post schedule. In the mean time, I want to discuss a topic that most of you probably may not have much experience with:
Your pets and Mardi Gras.
First of all, for those of you who don't know what Mardi Gras is, it's a season of different parades put on by various groups who come together to make up different Mardi Gras societies. This festival season lasts a little over two weeks, with the climax falling on Fat Tuesday. All merriment is ended at the beginning of Lent, on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras originated in, and is still celebrated in Mobile, AL, (but is more well known in New Orleans). During this festival each society has a designated day or night where they ride floats, in the streets of downtown. Things such as candy, moon pies, beads, frisbees, balls, (and even panties and alcohol), are thrown from floats to all the street-lined spectators.
Needless to say, there's a lot of commotion going on that doesn't make it a pet-friendly event.
The same reasons having your pet out and about during 4th of July festivities isn't ideal, applies even more with Mardi Gras. Here are the top reasons NOT to take your pet to Mardi Gras:
1. Loud noises are everywhere.
Between the noise of revelers shouting for trinkets, and the overwhelming volume coming from high school and college marching bands, the environment can easily become a stressful and frightening one for your pet. Just as with fire works, all the noise could potentially cause your fur baby undue anxiety, which could lead to them running for the hills.
2. Speaking of running away...
There is also constant movement of people wandering to and fro, which makes it very easy to lose your pet friend among the crowd, if you don't have them securely on a leash. And trust me, at a night time parade, it would be very hard to find your pet amidst all the chaos, (and it wouldn't be much better in the day either).
3. Food, candy, and wrappers are strewn about.
During all the festivities, people are prone to just drop these items on the ground, (usually because they know a street crew will come along after the parade to clear away debris, and sometimes because they're simply lazy). Some of these items, though choking hazards, look like tempting, potential treats to your pet. Even real food items, many times are not the kinds that are good for your furry loved one to eat. And even for the responsible people who do throw away their trash in proper receptacles, there's still the risk of your pet ingesting items being thrown off the floats. Remember, no matter how closely you're watching your pet, there's still the possibility they can eat something before you can stop them.
4. Fast moving objects being thrown from the floats could potentially hit your pet.
Keep in mind, that many times the people riding in parades may be intoxicated or simply trying to throw to people further away, and may hurl items hard and fast. If you've ever been hit in the face with a box of moon pies or a bundle of beads, at a high rate of speed, you know what I mean. So, if people can be hurt by these items there's always the risk of your pet also being mistakenly hit.
So, if any of you out there do plan on taking Fido to a Mardi Gras parade, (because in most cases, people aren't going to attempt to bring a cat--I hope), please take precautions and consider all the above. I understand those of you traveling from out of town to see a parade, may not have the option to leave your pet at home. But for those of you who live where parades are held, I suggest, letting your fur baby sit things out in the comfort of home.
Side bar: And for those of your with babies and toddlers, the same rules also apply.
Okay, I'm off my soapbox now. Go have fun!
Until next week,
This is your host J,
signing off...
Thanks for checking out the latest edition of Missy's Blog. I guess you can tell from the title that this is our 500th blog post! How awesome! What a milestone. Thank you so much for being with us every step along the way since we began in 2014.
In next week's post, I'll be revealing our upcoming Monsters of March blog post schedule. In the mean time, I want to discuss a topic that most of you probably may not have much experience with:
Your pets and Mardi Gras.
First of all, for those of you who don't know what Mardi Gras is, it's a season of different parades put on by various groups who come together to make up different Mardi Gras societies. This festival season lasts a little over two weeks, with the climax falling on Fat Tuesday. All merriment is ended at the beginning of Lent, on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras originated in, and is still celebrated in Mobile, AL, (but is more well known in New Orleans). During this festival each society has a designated day or night where they ride floats, in the streets of downtown. Things such as candy, moon pies, beads, frisbees, balls, (and even panties and alcohol), are thrown from floats to all the street-lined spectators.
Needless to say, there's a lot of commotion going on that doesn't make it a pet-friendly event.
The same reasons having your pet out and about during 4th of July festivities isn't ideal, applies even more with Mardi Gras. Here are the top reasons NOT to take your pet to Mardi Gras:
1. Loud noises are everywhere.
Between the noise of revelers shouting for trinkets, and the overwhelming volume coming from high school and college marching bands, the environment can easily become a stressful and frightening one for your pet. Just as with fire works, all the noise could potentially cause your fur baby undue anxiety, which could lead to them running for the hills.
2. Speaking of running away...
There is also constant movement of people wandering to and fro, which makes it very easy to lose your pet friend among the crowd, if you don't have them securely on a leash. And trust me, at a night time parade, it would be very hard to find your pet amidst all the chaos, (and it wouldn't be much better in the day either).
3. Food, candy, and wrappers are strewn about.
During all the festivities, people are prone to just drop these items on the ground, (usually because they know a street crew will come along after the parade to clear away debris, and sometimes because they're simply lazy). Some of these items, though choking hazards, look like tempting, potential treats to your pet. Even real food items, many times are not the kinds that are good for your furry loved one to eat. And even for the responsible people who do throw away their trash in proper receptacles, there's still the risk of your pet ingesting items being thrown off the floats. Remember, no matter how closely you're watching your pet, there's still the possibility they can eat something before you can stop them.
4. Fast moving objects being thrown from the floats could potentially hit your pet.
Keep in mind, that many times the people riding in parades may be intoxicated or simply trying to throw to people further away, and may hurl items hard and fast. If you've ever been hit in the face with a box of moon pies or a bundle of beads, at a high rate of speed, you know what I mean. So, if people can be hurt by these items there's always the risk of your pet also being mistakenly hit.
So, if any of you out there do plan on taking Fido to a Mardi Gras parade, (because in most cases, people aren't going to attempt to bring a cat--I hope), please take precautions and consider all the above. I understand those of you traveling from out of town to see a parade, may not have the option to leave your pet at home. But for those of you who live where parades are held, I suggest, letting your fur baby sit things out in the comfort of home.
Side bar: And for those of your with babies and toddlers, the same rules also apply.
Okay, I'm off my soapbox now. Go have fun!
Until next week,
This is your host J,
signing off...
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