Some pets love this time of year, where others might get frightened by all the people in costumes, loud children, and doorbell ringing a lot. Whichever category your pet falls into, there are some things you should do to help keep your pet healthy and happy this season. With the big day quickly approaching, here are some Halloween safety tips for pets:
Keep the candy out of reach. Candy is not good for your pet and some types of candy are even poisonous to animals. For example, chocolate of all forms is very dangerous for cats and dogs. Surprisingly, the toxic dose for cats is even lower than the toxic dose for dogs. To keep your pets safe, always keep the candy out of reach, never leave a curious pet alone for even a few moments with the candy and remember that some pets will jump or climb to get at something they want. Consider air-lock containers for holding the goodies if you have a curious pet.
Keep decorations and dangerous wires out of reach. Halloween often involves decor that can be dangerous. Your cat or dog could knock over a jack-o-lantern with a candle burning inside and start a fire. They might pull on or chew on electrical wires, which can also be a hazard. Certain Halloween and fall decorations like decorative corn or pumpkins can also cause stomach problems if your pet nibbles on them. So keep your pet away, or avoid decorations that are a hazard. Any cords that just can’t be avoided should be taped down and completely covered.
Keep identification on your pet. With the door opening frequently for trick-or-treaters, there’s always a chance that your pet could get out. Consider keeping your pet secured in a room in your home and make sure that they’re wearing their tags and identification at all times (even if they’re chipped or tattooed). If your pet gets particularly upset about people ringing the doorbell or if keeping them in a separate room makes them too nervous, you might stay at the door to greet trick-or-treaters, or put a sign over your doorbell, to prevent this disturbance.
Careful with the costumes. Pet costumes are adorable and oh-so-tempting, but be careful when it comes to dressing your pet up. If your pet isn’t used to costumes, it could make them over anxious and they might try to chew their way out. Parts of costumes can hard to digest causing blockages. Even if your pet does like costumes, don’t leave them unattended in a costume as they could become caught on items or tangled up in the costume itself…plus, you never know when your pet might develop a chewing habit.
Comfort your pet. Just being there for your pet to offer them comfort can make a world of different. A few extra snuggles and an extra belly rub or two might be all they need to know that they’re safe. Be with your pet whenever you can to give them extra security.
With these tips, you can ensure your pet has a safe and happy Halloween right along with you. Remember that if this is your pet’s first Halloween, it’s normal for him to feel afraid or nervous by the change in routine. Give him comfort so that he knows everything is okay. Hopefully next year, they’ll understand what’s happening a bit better.
How do you keep your pet safe on Halloween?
I do like to dress my pets up for Halloween but it’s always under supervision. I keep the candy out of their reach. Our cat Pumpkin is a sneaky devil.
These are great safety tips. Our three cats tend to disappear somewhere in the house on Halloween. I am always on the watch for them though when trick or treaters come to the door.
This is so important! We are so cautious with everything around the holidays with our dog. From rich foods to fun decor, we have to watch out for our four-legged family members, always!
These are such great tips! My dog HATES costumes!
These are all great tips. The biggest for us is keeping candy out of reach. Our dogs will eat anything and everything they get their paws on, but I’d be horribly upset if they got into some chocolate and became sick.
My dog does have a strange taste for chocolate. I know how deadly it is to dogs too so I try my hardest to keep it away!
Great tips and one more that’s a bit scary. Out vet always told us to keep our black cat in the house for the month of October. There’s just too many crazy people that are looking for black cats to steal.
Great tips! Keeping an ID on your pet is so smart. You never know when your pet will get out and it makes it so much easier for people to contact you.
Great things to think about! I’m always super careful not to let my cat get too close to the door. That would be one quick way to ruin our favorite holiday!