Halloween Safety Tips for Pets
Halloween can be the spookiest night
of the year, but keeping your pets safe doesn’t have to be tricky. Simple
common sense precautions are recommended to keep your pet happy and healthy all
the way to November 1.Stash the Treats
The candy bowl is for trick-or-treaters, not Scruffy or Fluffy. Several popular Halloween treats are toxic to pets. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for cats and dogs, and sugar-free candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can cause serious problems in pets. If you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or ASPCA Poison Control Center.
Decorations and Keep
Wires Out of Reach
While a carved jack-o-lantern certainly is festive, pets can easily knock over
a lit pumpkin and start a fire. Curious kittens are especially at risk of
getting burned or singed by candle flame. Popular Halloween plants such as
pumpkins and decorative corn are considered relatively nontoxic, but can
produce stomach discomfort in pets that nibble on them.
Be Careful with Costumes
For some pets, wearing a costume may cause undue stress. Recommendations are not to put your dog or cat in a costume unless you know he or she loves it. If you do dress up your pet for Halloween, make sure the costume does not limit his or her movement, sight or ability to breathe, bark or meow. Check the costume carefully for small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that could present a choking hazard. Ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.
Be sure to have your pet try on the
costume before the big night. If he or she seems distressed or shows abnormal
behavior, consider letting your pet wear his or her “birthday suit” or don a
festive bandana instead.
Keep Pets Calm and Easily Identifiable
Halloween brings a flurry of activity with visitors arriving at the door, and
too many strangers can often be scary and stressful for pets. All but the most
social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door
during peak trick-or-treating hours. While opening the door for guests, be sure
that your dog or cat doesn’t dart outside. And always make sure your pet it
wearing proper identification—if for any reason he or she does escape, a collar
with ID tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver for a lost pet.
Credit: ASPA
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