Having a pet at home is an added responsibility, not only with regard to ensuring the animal’s health but also the welfare of our family. We must therefore take appropriate measures so that both our pets and our family are protected from potential infection and microbial growth hot spots, especially in the kitchen, one of the house’s most susceptible areas.
Silestone Institute for Hygiene in the Kitchen and Bayer Forum collaborate to provide the correct habits to follow with a pet at home, ensuring their good health while guaranteeing optimum hygiene in the kitchen, thus safeguarding the welfare and quality of life for the whole family.
Tips for keeping your pet in perfect health while you ensure optimum hygiene and food safety in the kitchen
- Do not place the dog’s food and drink bowl in the kitchen to prevent it from becoming infested with pests. Keep in mind that pets also need their own bowl for food and one for water somewhere where nobody bothers them.
- Teach your puppy to relieve itself somewhere in the house other than the kitchen. You can choose to designate a space such as the courtyard, the balcony or the bathroom, to avoid any contamination.
- Put your pet's bed in a warm, quiet place with no air draft, preferably not the kitchen, somewhere where it can relax and not be a nuisance to others.
- Avoid touching your pet and any of its objects (toys, food dish, etc.) while cooking or handling food. If you do, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before continuing.
- Do not allow your pet to climb up to the countertop, sniff it or raise their feet on us while we cook. Do not let it bring toys such as rubber balls or bones into the kitchen either. It is important to teach it that the kitchen is not a playground.
- Leftover food should not to be within its reach while cooking or eating. Never feed pets in the kitchen, either by giving them food directly or allowing them to eat off the floor. Dog feed is the most complete and healthiest food for them. Abstain also from giving them food from your plate, or bones— especially chicken and rabbit bones—because they are very brittle and can result in serious consequences. Don’t leave garbage or rubbish bags within their reach.
- Clean and dry your pet when you return from a walk, especially if it is wet or muddy. Entering directly from the street to the kitchen is not advisable.
- Keep your pet properly wormed to prevent both external parasites such as fleas, mosquitoes and ticks, and internal parasites such as intestinal worms.
- Pet hygiene is essential to prevent it from becoming a source of contamination in our kitchen. Regular brushing is essential for young and long-haired animals, since it removes dead hair and dirt. It also stimulates blood circulation, adds shine to hair, prevents hair loss and helps your dog get used to interacting with people.
By simply touching the animal while cooking and then touching any food without first washing your hands, you contaminate the food you are preparing and whatever you touch next. This contamination chain can also occur if the animal moves around the kitchen and touches the countertop or us with its paws. For this reason, and as a precaution, if you have pets at home, it is essential to take special care to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in the kitchen. Only this way will we ensure our health and our pet’s.
The Silestone Institute for Hygiene in the Kitchen (ISHC) is a pioneer platform in Spain for the exchange of views, the study of hygiene in the kitchen and the dissemination of how it affects people’s health and welfare.
The Bayer Forum is a pluralistic and non-profit platform established for the dissemination of information, awareness, analysis and debate on parasite-transmitted canine diseases (CVBD), especially leishmaniasis and its prevention and its impact on the family unit.