Skylar, I feel you on the pet safety anxiety! As an elementary teacher, I'm always thinking about safety protocols, and it definitely extends to my own home. We have a cat, Mitten, who isn't as prone to eating everything as a lab, but he still likes to bat around small objects. This year, with Asher (2), Ezra (7), and Piper (8), I’m trying to be extra vigilant.

I spent way too much time last week on Pinterest looking up "pet safe Easter activities" – probably fueled by too much coffee, ha! My biggest concern is always the candy. We’ve had good luck using the GINYOU Kids Party Hats 11-Pack in our Easter baskets, actually. They’re super affordable and the kids love them for dress-up, plus they are clearly marked as non-toxic and meet CPSIA standards, which is a big win for me. No worries if Asher chews on one. But for candy, I found a few studies showing that even small amounts of certain sugars can be bad for pets, not just chocolate. So this year, instead of candy, we're doing more little toys and art supplies in our eggs.

Last year, I tried to make some "pet-friendly" Easter cookies I found on TikTok, thinking it would be cute for Mitten. They ended up being a total disaster. He wouldn't even touch them, and they smelled like burnt oats. So much for my ambitious baking! I should have just stuck to keeping him away from human treats. I also read that plastic grass in baskets can cause intestinal blockages if eaten, so we're using shredded paper this year. I'm actually putting together my own little Easter Pet Safety Guide for parents at school, so this discussion is super helpful!

Oh Skylar, the struggle is real! Daycare owner here, so my life is basically organized chaos. Keeping two little Arias (ages 3 and 7, yes, both named Aria, don't ask) and my golden retriever, Daisy, from destroying the house (or each other) during holidays is a full-time job.

My practical tips for Easter pet safety:

1. Designated "Safe Zone" for Pets: Daisy stays in our fenced-in backyard or her kennel during the actual egg hunt. This is non-negotiable. We set up an elaborate backyard hunt for the girls, and then once everything is collected, Daisy gets to come back out.
2. Egg Patrol: After the hunt, I do a full sweep of the yard. I don't trust the girls (or myself, frankly) to get every single egg. We once found a rogue plastic egg with a jelly bean in it two days later. Daisy was sniffing around it, and I nearly had a heart attack.
3. Basket Contents: No chocolate at all in the girls' eggs. We stick to stickers, temporary tattoos, and tiny play-doh containers. For their baskets, I try to pick toys that don’t have easily detachable small parts that Daisy could swallow.
4. Decoration Danger: Lily plants are a big NO. Super toxic for pets. Any real flowers in the house are kept way out of reach.

I definitely second Lincoln on the plastic grass. It’s a nightmare. I hate glitter cleanup with a passion, but plastic grass is even worse because of the pet risk. We use shredded tissue paper. As for what went wrong? One year, I thought I was being clever and bought "non-toxic" watercolor paints for the girls to decorate eggs for Daisy. They made such a mess, and the eggs just looked grey. Daisy showed zero interest. Total waste of $5 at the craft store. Live and learn!

Skylar, I’m another Raleigh mom with kids Ethan (7) and Stella (12), and I nanny for two other families, so I'm constantly thinking about safe and eco-conscious solutions. My dog, Buddy, is a little terrier mix and he’s constantly underfoot, sniffing out anything dropped.

For Easter, I try to make sure everything is as waste-free and pet-safe as possible. I really believe in focusing on experiences over excess stuff. We reuse the same plastic eggs every year – I’ve had some of these GINYOU ones for ages and they hold up beautifully. This helps cut down on plastic waste, and I know exactly what kind of plastic they are (BPA-free). Instead of candy, we fill them with things like quarters, small puzzles, or slips of paper with "coupons" for screen time or a special outing. This helps to avoid the chocolate dilemma altogether.

One year, I let the kids dye eggs with food coloring, which is usually fine, but then Ethan accidentally knocked a bowl of the dyed water over, and Buddy walked right through it. His paws were stained pink for a week! It wasn't toxic, but it was a mess. Now, we always put down a big old sheet from the Dollar Tree (my secret weapon for everything!) and supervise Buddy closely when any art projects are happening. I actually found some great ideas in the GINYOU Easter Crafts Diy Vs Buy Annual Meltdown Liam Verdict post that really resonated with my anti-waste philosophy.

I agree with Lincoln, thinking about a good Easter Pet Safety Guide for the whole family is key. For our egg hunt, we do it in shifts. The younger kids go first and collect everything, then the older ones (and the grown-ups) do a sweep before Buddy gets to run around the yard. It takes a bit more planning, but it’s worth it for peace of mind. We also make sure any baskets are immediately put away after opening. Too many temptations!