News Brief

Senior Center News

The Senior Center will be giving an apple pie to the first 100 Seniors to call in. The drive by pick up date will be Wednesday, December 23 from 9am-1pm. To request a pie please call us (617-846-8538) and leave a message with your name and phone number. If you are unable to leave your home, let us know when you call for a pie.

Doherty Appointed to Conservation Commission

Town Council President Philip Boncore has appointed Sean P. Doherty to the Conservation Commission.

Doherty joins Commission Chair Karen T. Winn and members Brian Corbett, Joseph Ferrara, Julia Howington, Stephen Machcin-ski, and Melissa Kaiser on the board whose mission is “to pres erve, protect, develop, and enhance our communities’ coastal re-sources.”

In other town board-related news, Boncore said he is seeking new members for posi-tions on the Winthrop Airport Hazards Committee.

Pet Safety Tips for the Holidays

The holidays, along with all of its festive decorations, provides additional chewing opportunities – and potential emergency visits to the veterinarian – for our furry friends.  So as we all start to deck the halls this holiday season, Trupanion, a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs, offers up these 4 holiday items (along with related mishaps from Holidays past) to keep pets away from this holiday season.

 1) Tinsel

Tinsel and ribbon can cause a tangled mess in the intestines if swallowed by a pet – ideally it should not be used in households with cats. A British Shorthair cat from Oregon ingested tinsel which resulted in a trip to the veterinary – the Trupanion policy paid out $807

2) Ornaments

Make sure to hang any small or fragile ornaments high enough on your tree to avoid the wagging tail of your dog or a paw swipe from your cat.  Although keep in mind, that for many cats there is no safe height. A lovable pooch in Washington state made an emergency visit to the vet when they ate a Christmas ornament – the Trupanion policy paid out $4,495

3) Holiday lights

Pets are drawn to holiday lights, just like we are. The only difference is they may be tempted to chew on them. Be sure to also keep the electrical cords taped down or out of reach. A Brittany spaniel from Indiana succumbed to the temptation to chew and ingested some Christmas lights. After a trip to the veterinarian the Trupanion policy paid out $1,566.

4) Holiday plants  & trees

Many holiday plants can cause gastrointestinal upset if ingested by your dog or cat.  These include holly, mistletoe and amaryllis.  A Shih Tzu from California ingested poinsettias, which are toxic to dogs. After a trip to the veterinarian the Shih Tzu was back in tip top shape – the Trupanion policy paid out $59.  Lilies are also extremely toxic for cats, even contact with the pollen or water in the vase may be enough to cause kidney failure.