Pets are part of the family and it’s fun to include them in holiday festivities. Here are some things you can do to make sure your pet stays safe this Halloween.
The Big Night
Bring your pets inside the house before it gets dark.
Keep pets in a closed, quiet room so they don’t dash out when you open the door for trick-or-treaters.
Talk to your veterinarian about using a calming aid to help keep your pet calm. Dogs instinctively protect their homes and family from strangers. It can be stressful for them to have a lot of strangers knocking on the door or ringing the doorbell throughout the evening.
Put an ID tag on her reflective collar (and make sure her microchip registration is current) just in case she does get out when you open the door.
Candy and Treats
Keep candy and chocolate out of reach. Candy and chocolate are extremely toxic to pets.
Keep anything containing xylitol out of reach. The sweetener xylitol is toxic and can quickly become deadly to pets.
Decorating
Use flameless candles in your pumpkins so whiskers and paws don’t get burned.
Keep Halloween decorations out of reach. Chewing on electrical cords and wires, knocking over candles, or eating fake spider webs can seriously hurt a pet.
If you dress your pet up, make sure his costume is safe. It should fit well and it shouldn’t have anything that is tied around his neck. Make sure his costume isn’t too constraining, too long causing him to trip, or blocks his vision. Also, make sure the costume doesn’t prevent him from eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom. Be sure to take the costume off as soon as he shows any signs of discomfort or struggles in it.
Trick or Treating
Don’t take your dog trick-or-treating with you. Even the most laid back pet can become stressed or overly excited by so much unfamiliar activity and bite someone or run away.
In a nutshell, keep your pet closed in a bedroom for the evening and don’t let him eat candy!