Easter can be an incredibly fun day, as there are so many traditions and spring is often just beginning. Here are some fun things to do with your family, including your pets!

1. Decorate eggs! Did you know that there are ways to dye eggs using all natural ingredients you might even have in your house? Purple cabbage can turn white eggs blue and brown eggs green while red onion skins turn eggs lavender or red. There are so many other natural dyes that you can dye using things that can be found in a pantry. Want to learn more about the best ways to make dye? Here are some places to start:
   1. How To Make Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs by Sara Kate Gillingham, The Kitchn
   2. How to Make Homemade Natural Easter Egg Dyes by Angie Kauffman, Real Life At Home
2. Have Easter themed treats! There are so many cute treat ideas for pets and people alike. Our pets aren’t going to be able to eat some treats, especially any that are very rich, sweet or chocolatey. But there are many other Easter themed treats we can give them! Here are some bakeries and recipes to check out:
   1. Woof’s Dog Bakery in Brookings, Oregon has some Easter themed treats for our canine friends! Check out their Instagram to see some of the cute treats!
   2. Peanut butter sandwiched dog treats – perfect for dogs that love peanut butter!
   3. Grain-Free Peanut Butter & Carob Dog Treat Recipe from Kol’s Notes
   4. Easter Rice Krispies Treat Recipe from The Spruce (not pet friendly)
   5. Easter Bunny Cookies from The Spruce (also not pet friendly)
3. Easter egg hunt! I always loved looking for eggs on Easter and it can be fun to get creative on where you find them and what prizes they hold. If you are the one hiding the eggs, make sure you remember where all of them are (especially if they are hard boiled eggs)! Did you know that you can also create an Easter egg hunt for your dog?! It’s true! Many people will hide exceptionally smelly treats for their dogs will find. If you’re looking for a fun Easter egg hunt to do with your dog, here are some events*:
   1. Easter B’egg Hunt, hosted by Homeward Pet in Duvall, Washington
      1. March 31^st, 2018
      2. Large dogs 11am to 12:30pm
      3. Small dogs 12:30pm to 2pm
      4. Cost is free but donations are encouraged
      5. Register here!
   2. Paw For An Egg Hunt, hosted by Paws For A Beer in Bellingham, Washington
      1. From 12pm to 2pm
      2. Work with your pup to find eggs! Each egg with have a prize, including the golden egg with a year membership to Paws For A Beer!
4. There are also many events this weekend to do with young kids that involve being around so many kinds of animals! If you have a young kid and are still looking for a fun event, here are some ideas (not many of the following events will allow dogs to come along)*:
   1. The Bunny Bounce at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington
      1. Saturday March 31st
   2. The Rabbit Romp at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, Oregon
      1. Saturday March 31st
   3. Oskars America (film screening) at the Pickford Film Center in Bellingham, Washington, with special guests Toby and Persephone the mini horses from Animals as Natural Therapy!
      1. 1318 Bay St. in Bellingham
      2. Saturday, March 31^st
      3. Meet and greet: 11:45am to 12:30pm
      4. Movie starts at 12:45pm.

*If you know of any other Easter events, especially any dog friendly events, please let me know! I would love to share more events to do this weekend.

There are so many things to do this Easter weekend to celebrate and many ways to spend time with your pets and/or kids! Like with many other holidays, it’s going to be important to keep an eye on your pets to make sure that they’re not eating things they shouldn’t be. Easter chocolate is tasty and great but for dogs and cats, it can be deadly! And remember, getting a bunny or chick this weekend is a big commitment. I really encourage you to do the research and think about the responsibilities that come with caring for these animals before you get them.

However you celebrate or spend this weekend, I hope you all have a fun time! Let me know of any fun experiences with animals in the comments – I’d love to hear from you!