Dear Cathy,

I read your column in the Chicago Tribune/Lake County News-Sun, and I enjoy it very much. You asked for stories about keeping a Christmas tree upright when animals are present. Here’s mine.

I am a retired art teacher, but many years ago I also had some private students. One of my students was extremely talented, so I got permission to take her on a field trip to a local art gallery owned by a friend of mine. When I arrived at her home, her step-mom invited me in. Theirs was a blended family with each parent having three children. I noticed that the Christmas tree had a chain wrapped around the trunk and firmly attached to a large eye-bolt that screwed into the wall. I asked, “What’s up with the chain and eye-bolt?” She replied, “Six kids, five dogs, three cats, what do you think?”

Thanks for writing such an informative column.

– Nancy, Gurnee, Illinois

Dear Nancy,

Your letter made me laugh as I imagined the mayhem in that household. Both kids and pets can knock over the Christmas tree, so I love the family’s industrial strategy for keeping their tree upright. An unbreakable chain hooked to the wall seems about right for their family of 15. Thanks for sharing.

Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to [email protected]. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal