It is the season of good cheer - parties, celebrations and visitors of all ages filling your home. That means it's also the season of confused over-excited pets, nervous owners and potential problems.

Above all, pet experts urge, it is not a good time to give a pet as a gift. If someone really wanted a pet, they would have gotten one. But they still may accept the gift pet out of guilt and “get rid of it” later. After the holidays, a lot of animals end up getting dumped at shelters. Or the new owner doesn't have any idea of what is involved in pet care: the time, training, medical care and lifelong expense. This can lead to a very unhappy life for the pet.

For those of us who already have pets, the holidays can be a stressful time for our pets. If your dog or cat is not used to children (who can be boisterous and scary to them), put the animal in a quiet room by itself. A good regimen to follow is to play with or exercise the pet vigorously before visitors arrive. Then set the pet up in a safe spot with a soft place to nap, a toy, a chewy and a radio or TV to muffle the unusual sounds.

If you feel you must include your pet in the festivities, put away all toys, bones, bowls that your dog could have a tendency to guard. And be ready to step in on your pet's behalf. If a friend gets a kick out of teasing your dog, stop him. If youngsters are crawling under the table after your cat, stop them. Never allow your animal to be chased or cornered.

Try to maintain a regular exercise and feeding schedule, and keep things as normal as possible to lessen your pet's anxiety. Food is a big part of holiday gatherings, and pets will want some too. But most human food (especially chocolate and poultry bones) can cause problems.

Pets are also attracted to new things - the Christmas tree, all the decorations in the house and even new plants. To prevent mishaps, place all decorations out of the pet's reach. Anchor the Christmas tree to the wall, and keep poisonous plants like mistle toe and poinsettias out of reach. It is also a good idea to close off the room with the Christmas tree when you leave the pets alone or can't watch them.

If you suspect your pet has gotten into a potentially poisonous substance, call your vet or the Animal Poison Control hotline at 1-888-4anihelp.

Judy Vorreuter is the founder and director of Animal Advocates of the Finger Lakes. Visit www.cayugaanimaladvocates.org or e-mail her at judy@cayugaanimnaladvocates.org