Especially for kids, Halloween is a time of celebration and fun. But it can also lead to injury if you’re not careful. For your pets, it can be an especially dangerous and stressful time so we’ve outlined some safety guidelines for you to follow to make sure your Halloween is full of laughter, and happiness.

1.Make Sure Your Treats Are Safe From Your Pet

In the mad scramble of cute little kids coming to your door, it’s easy to turn your back on your pet and before you know it, they have stolen the Halloween candy. Chocolate can be very dangerous for both dogs and cats. Even sugarless candies can cause your animal distress. If you think your pet has swallowed any candy then take them to the animal hospital right away.

2. Keep Your Pets Away from the Front Door

Your pet can be easily frightened by kids dressed in costumes and can try to bolt outside if not kept away. Too many strangers, especially for dogs who are territorial and can growl and bark at unsuspecting trick-or-treater, can scare them. Likewise, children can be scared of dogs. It’s best if you just keep them separated.

3. Don’t Over Dress Your Pet

As cute as your pet may seem in a Halloween costume, it can cause unnecessary stress. If you do decide to dress your pet up, then make sure the costume doesn’t limit your animals motion or senses. Make sure your pet can still meow or bark. Check the costume for anything that might be dangerous such as dangling cords or strings that can easily get caught. If your pet tries to get out of his or her costume, don’t make them wear it.

4.  Keep Your Pets Calm and Sheltered

Animals scare easily with firecrackers and fireworks so try to keep them away from loud noises as much as possible. Keep your animals, especially your cats indoors a couple of nights before Halloween and during. Black cats are susceptible to pranks and many shelters don’t let people adopt black cats in October as a safety precaution.

If your taking your dog for a walk at night make sure he or she is easily identifiable with a reflective collar or jacket. Also make sure your pet has a microchip or tags so if he or she gets out and is lost, somebody can easily find them and bring them back home.

5. Pets and Home Decorations

Remember some basic safety rules when you’re decorating your home and don’t get tempted to over decorate. For example, don’t leave lit candles anywhere where your pet can accidentally knock them over. Be careful with any decorations such as wires and cords that your animal can get tangled up in.

Conclusion

Hopefully this blog has given you some ideas of how you can best celebrate Halloween while keeping your pet safe. If something should happen to your animal, make sure you know the phone number and location of your nearest animal emergency.

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