Halloween Safety

Spooks and treats! Halloween means fun for many people, but not always for our pets. Let’s make sure we keep them healthy and happy.

Trick-or-Treat

During trick-or-treat hours keep all your pets at home, indoors, and confined in a room or crate away from the activity. The constant doorbell ringing and people coming will stress many pets. Others will want to greet everyone that comes. It’s much too easy for them to slip out the door when you’re not watching. Play it safe and keep everyone confined. Just in case, though, make sure all your pets have a microchip.

Costumes

If your pet is going to wear a costume, be sure:

there's nothing hanging from it that could be chewed off and swallowed
it doesn't interfere with your pet's sight, hearing or breathing
it fits comfortably

Some pets are stressed wearing a costume so it’s better for them to stay “au naturel”. On the other hand, some love to strut around and show off. Just be sure to let your pet get accustomed to the costume before Halloween, and NEVER leave your pet alone while wearing one!

Candy

Keep all candy out of your pet’s reach. Many candies include ingredients that can easily be toxic like chocolate, raisins, some nuts and even sugar substitutes like xylitol, but too much candy of any kind is almost guaranteed to give your pet diarrhea. Believe us when we tell you, it won’t be pretty. After all, who wants a trip to the ER on Halloween when you’re supposed to be having fun?

Decorations

Decorations can be a danger if they are within reach of curious dogs and cats. Cats love dangling things and any kind of string can be deadly to them. Lit candles, jack-o-lanterns and even glow sticks can be hazardous to both dogs and cats as well. Be very, very careful. Some pets want to chew on electrical cords. Many things can be swallowed and sometimes the only way to get them out is with surgery. This is not how you want to spend Halloween.

Practical Jokes

Halloween is the holiday of mischief, and our pets are not immune to the dangers. The unfortunate reality is that people like to pull pranks during this time of year. To keep your pets safe from harm, it is best to leave them at home.

Some people think black cats are at risk around Halloween and many animal shelters won’t adopt out black cats during this time. However, a Google search showed that it appears to be more urban legend than fact. Hey, let’s play it safe, though, and keep all the kitties indoors.

Aggression

Even the most gentle and friendly pets can easily become overwhelmed during all the activity during this Holiday and it is easy to understand why. Your pets see monsters, characters, and even other animals just as you do! Only for them, the concept of a costume is lost. So, they smell and hear a person, but see something that may terrify them. This can be very confusing and can even cause them to lash out – growling, lunging, even biting – things they would never normally do.

Have fun but play it safe this Halloween so it’s fun for everyone!

Category:

Wellness›Safety & Prevention

Tags:

behavior