8 Ways to Keep Your Pet Safe on Halloween

Halloween is an especially fun and festive time of the year; it seems to kick off the Holiday season! You probably employ many safety tips and rules for your children on Halloween, but have you also thought about keeping your pet safe? Here are our top 8 ways to keep your pet safe around Halloween:

• Keep Halloween candy away from your pets. Chocolate (any kind) is especially dangerous and can even kill pets. Chocolate poisoning symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Also, the artificial sweetener, Xylitol, can also be lethal for dogs and is found mostly in sugar free candy and gum. If you think your pet has ingested something toxic, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right away.
• Keep your pet safely contained in another room away from the door. The constantly ringing doorbell during peak trick-or-treating can cause anxiety, and some pets may even become aggressive if they see people in costumes that they don’t recognize. Not to mention you don’t want to worry about your pet darting out the door every time it opens!
• If you cat normally goes outside, try to keep them in several days before Halloween and a several days after. Sadly, some pranksters have been known to tease, injure, steal, and even kill pets on Halloween night (especially black cats).
• Don’t use or be extremely careful with cobwebs, string, and dangling cords and or lights. These things are particularly attractive to cats and can be choking hazards or electrocution hazards.
• Use caution when using lit candles inside pumpkins; though very festive and fun, candle-lit pumpkins can be easily knocked over by a dog’s tail or a curious cat and either start a fire or burn your precious pet. Battery-operated lights are a great alternative!
• If your pet enjoys being out trick-or-treating with you and the kids, make sure they wear a leash and/or harness. Even dogs that enjoy the action can get spooked and run away quickly.
• Ensure your pet has an identification tag or microchip. Just in case they do accidentally escape the house and/or run away.
• Pet costumers can be especially fun; some pets love them and some don’t. If yours is okay with it, just make sure it fits properly, doesn’t impede breathing or movement and doesn’t have anything that can be chewed and become a choking hazard. If your pet doesn’t love the costume, please don’t force them to wear it.

That is our list; we hope you found some useful tips. Have a happy Halloween and enjoy!