What are you going to do for your best friends in the New Year? Here are some resolutions on behalf of your pets:

ID YOUR PET

Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald of Animal Planet's "Emergency Vets" and "E-Vet Interns" says making sure your pet has an ID is one of the most important ways to keep it safe.

"Ask yourself, is my dog or cat microchipped? Does he have a tag with a current address and phone number?" says Fitzgerald, who practices at the Alameda East veterinary hospital in Denver.

TAKE A HOUSE TOUR

Think about how you can keep your pets from getting out in the first place.

"It's a great time to fix that fence," Fitzgerald says. "And what about that screen door that the cat can push through?"

Check for hazards inside the house, too. When your animals were young, you probably puppy- or kitten-proofed the house. But don't forget that adults can get in trouble, too.

"Let's go through the house room by room," says Fitzgerald. "Get the medications off the nightstand. Learn the name of our houseplants so if the cats eat it, we can tell the vet what it was."

PREPARE FOR PROBLEMS

Put together a first-aid kit for your pets.

Fitzgerald suggests that at minimum you want gauze, sponges, cotton balls, triple antibiotic ointment, a penlight and a thermometer. And in case all else fails, he says, "have the number of the emergency vet by the phone."