Halloween Safety Tips
Spooky season is here! If you have met me, then you know that I LOVE fall and Halloween! The weather, the costumes, the horror movies, the candy. I love it all. As much as I love this holiday, this can be a really stressful and scary time for our pets.
Here are some ways that you can keep your pet safe and still have fun this Halloween!
Keep pets confined during Trick or Treating hours.
I know this doesn’t sound like a ton of fun, but most of the things we enjoy about this holiday can be really frightening or dangerous to our pets. Children can be really scary for many pets, because they are loud and move unpredictably. Add in costumes that change the typical human silhouette, a sugar rush, and potential lack of parental supervision and this could result in disaster. Any dog or cat can (and do) bite, regardless of how well behaved they are. I recommend closing anxious pets in a pet safe room away from all the action. You can turn on a tv, radio, or fan to muffle some of the noises and reduce their stress. Dogs can even be crated with a loaded Kong toy. Even well socialized pets should be on leash and/or behind a baby gate to prevent mishaps. This will also prevent kids from feeding candy or something potentially harmful to your pet.
Make sure your pet’s ID tags and microchip information are up to date.
With all the hustle and bustle of handing out candy, it can be easy for a pet to sneak through the door in between visitors. Even if we isolate our pets in a different room or in a crate, accidents can happen and management can fail. It is best to make sure everything is accurate and up to date just in case!
Keep an eye on the candy.
Candy contains many ingredients that may be harmful to your pets. Keep your candy stash somewhere up high and out of the reach of greedy dogs and cats that may find it too tempting to leave alone. One of the last things you will want to deal with at the end of the night is an emergency vet visit.
A little thoughtful management goes a long way to keeping you, your pets, and your visitors safe. Celebrate safely!