Halloween is a fun holiday for humans, and can be fun for your pets too, if you follow a few safety tips.
Trick or Treating is usually an innocent Halloween tradition. Unfortunately there are a few who don’t have such good intentions. Keep your pet inside Halloween night (and the night before) to protect them from cruel pranksters who focus their “tricks” on harming pets and property.
Also, keeping your pets inside and away from the door on Halloween night is a good idea for trick or treaters who may be afraid of dogs, even if your dog is friendly. An overly excited dog may jump up and knock down an adult or child, and indoor cats can slip out the door during all the activity, so keep them secured in a separate room away from the door where trick or treaters will be visiting.
Too much candy may give trick or treaters a tummy ache, but for your pet it can be deadly. Chocolate in enough amounts is toxic to dogs. Wrappers and lollipop sticks also pose a choking hazard, so be sure to keep the treats out of reach of your pets.
Candles also pose a risk this time of year. A candle inside a jack-o-lantern can be a burn risk to a curious dog or cat. Keep pets safely away from these hazards. An alternative is little battery powered “candles” that can be found in many stores today (and as a bonus, they won’t get blown out by the wind.)
Dressing up your pet for Halloween is increasingly popular, but be sure that the costume fits properly and doesn’t pose a choking hazard, or become tangled. Some dogs love the attention and the costume, but if your pet doesn’t look happy wearing the costume, do him or her a favor and take it off and let them enjoy the evening, too.
HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE HALLOWEEN!