Halloween Pet Safety Tips

With Halloween right around the corner, it’s important to remember that the festivities we enjoy can cause a stressful, and possibly dangerous, night for your pet. From the constant parade of trick-or-treaters knocking on your door to unattended bowls of chocolate candy ripe for the taking, October 31 can be a serious problem for your cat or dog. Here are a few tips for making your pet’s Halloween as happy as possible.

Halloween Pet Safety Tips and Tricks

Pets thrive on routine and often the commotion of Halloween can be very upsetting for cats and dogs, as well as birds. Know your pets and what they can handle. When it comes to Halloween, plan accordingly.

Here are a few things to remember when planning your Halloween:

• Glow sticks are poisonous to dogs. Be certain to keep them out of reach, especially if your pup is prone to chewing.
• Outlandish costumes can be disorienting to pets, especially dogs. Let your dog familiarize itself with your costume and you in it. Also be cautious of any small decorations on costumes that can be ingested and cause blockages.
• It’s best to not take your pets trick-or-treating or to Halloween parties. Yes, your Schnauzer may be the perfect Toto to your Dorothy, but there are so many things that could go wrong.
• Likewise, black cats are not Halloween accessories and are at risk on Halloween night. Keep them inside all day.
• Animatronic decorations can be scary for pets, as can décor that emits strange noises, lights, and smoke. Be sensitive to your pet’s fears. Wait until Halloween night to unveil these displays, and try to keep your pets in a safe and secure place while they are in action.
• Keep candy, especially chocolate or anything sweetened with Xylitol, away from pets—preferably in a location that cannot be reached by dogs or cats. Chocolate can be quite toxic for pets, and lots of sugary, high-fat candy can trigger potentially fatal pancreatitis. If your pet consumes these, notify your vet.

Pets and Trick-or-Treating

For many pets, trick-or-treating may be the most stressful part of Halloween. It’s important to keep this in mind and to plan for your pets to stay as far from the excitement as possible on Halloween night.

Often, creating a den for your pets as far away from the chaos as possible is a great help when it relieving your pet’s trick-or-treater anxiety.  A quiet environment full of comforting blankets and toys can go a long way toward keeping your pet calm, as will the company of a family member or even the TV.

Depending on your pet’s anxiety level, you may want to consider consulting your vet on an anti-anxiety medication for the night. Please contact us for an appointment, if you think it’s necessary.

Pet Safety on Halloween

We cannot stress enough the importance of keeping your pet safe on Halloween. Sadly, there are still those who think that Halloween is an occasion for harming animals—cats and dogs alike. Bring your pets in for the evening long before the sun goes down, and keep them indoors until morning.

Finally, be certain that your pets are wearing their tags on Halloween and that microchip information is up to date. Accidents can happen, and pets can get out. Be prepared.

If you have any other questions or concerns, or if you need to make an appointment, please don’t hesitate to call us.