With the hustle and bustle, not to mention chaos and pandemonium, don’t forget these important Halloween pet safety tips.
Have a fun and worry free Halloween with some very helpful advice!!
Candy – a cavity for the kids, something worse for your pets
Keep bags of candy out of your pets’ reach. If a piece of candy or chocolate falls on the floor, pick it up right away – and tell your kids to do the same! It can be poisonous, and a definite choking hazard.
Beware of flames
Lit pumpkins or candles in the house, are an accident waiting to happen. Easy to knock over, your pet can burn himself or cause a fire you may not notice until it’s too late.
Confine your pets
Bell ringing, door opening and closing, scary costumes, screaming kids. All this chaos can be stressful on your pets, so keep them safe and calm by confining them in a quiet part of the house until trick or treat time is over.
ID
If you haven’t gotten around to this (which I hope isn’t true!!), now is the time to microchip your pets and have them fitted for a collar with ID tag. If they have ID, make sure all contact information is up to date.
Bring your pets inside
Don’t leave your dog alone in the yard, and keep your outdoor cat in, especially if he or she is black. Vicious pranksters have been known to tease, injure, steal, and even kill pets on Halloween night.
Aim high/keep out of reach
Halloween lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach. Cords can be chewed causing an electrical shock, burns or fire, and decorations knocked over, or swallowed. Pumpkins, corn, glow sticks and the like should also be kept away, as blockages or choking can occur if large pieces are swallowed.
Know your numbers
I recommend always having important phone numbers like poison hotline, 24 hour emergency hospital and of course your vet, in an easy to reach place that everyone knows about. If your dog does eat something she shouldn’t have, or you even suspect she has, knowing who to call can be the difference between a happy outcome or a sad ending.
Playing dress up
If you’re going to dress your pet in a costume…
Don’t leave him/her unattended
It should be loose enough so it’s comfortable, but not so loose she can get tangled up in it
No beading or other pieces that can be chewed off
Make sure it doesn’t restrict her breathing or ability to bark
Take it off if she’s miserable
A Halloween themed collar or bandana can be festive, and is safer
Halloween pet safety tips – conclusion
If you have any Halloween pet safety tips you’d like to share, I’d love to hear them, please share in the comments section below.
Have a fun and safe Halloween
Make Your Own Dog Halloween Costumes
I think the best advice is to confine your dog until the Halloween trick or treating is done. It’s usually chaotic at Halloween time for us as there are usually lots of people around and that’s when accidents usually happen. Why not gate your dog away from the chaos so she doesn’t get into any harm?
I think a good standard is to view dogs as a small child so the logic is if it can hurt the small child it can hurt the dog. This way you can protect your dog by seeing dangers beforehand.
What symptoms will a dog show if she has consumed some candy or Halloween pumpkin?
I agree with you Dinh. Better safe then sorry, to quote a cliche. Canned pumpkin is perfectly safe for dogs, it helps both diarrhea and constipation. There all differing opinions about the safety of raw pumpkin, so I would ask my vet about that. Not only is candy a choking hazard, it may contain an ingredient called Xylitol, extremely dangerous to pets. High sugary, high fat food can cause pancreatitis, a potentially deadly condition. For peace of mind, confine all pets.
This is so cute! So many people are focused on the fun and candy during the Halloween fun and forget about our pets. These tips are very helpful and get people thinking! It perfect for the Halloween holiday that is right around the corner! Pets are family too. I love your post!
Hi Merissa, thanks so glad you like it. Things are so hectic Halloween night, getting everyone dressed and out, making sure there’s enough candy… our pets can easily slip out the door in the chaos. I hope this article will encourage everyone who has a pet to keep them secure behind a baby gate, or in another room. Even the most calm and well behaved pets can get stressed with so much activity.
great tips! I love your website 🙂
Thanks Marisa, with the chaos of getting everyone dressed, going out trick or treating, then answering your door all night, we sometimes forget about how our pets are coping. I hope these tips help everyone keep their animals safe on Halloween.