Including your furry friend in some spooky fun this Halloween is a great way to involve the whole family. That said, there are things we as pet owners can do to ensure the fun being had is safe for our pet.
Halloween is definitely fun for people, but for some pets the decorations, costumes and parade of people knocking at the door might be severely anxiety inducing. As well, decorations and some Halloween treats can harm our pets.
Thankfully, the American Veterinary Medical Association offers some tips to ensure Halloween is as safe as possible for your furball.
- Avoid Halloween treats. Your best bet is to avoid candy, since you can’t always tell by looking at it, what’s in it. For instance, raisins can cause kidney failure in cats and dogs, while candy containing chocolate or xylitol (a common sugar substitute found in sugar-free candies and gum) can be particularly harmful.
- Be door conscious. The constant stream of people knocking on the door on Oct. 31 can make it easy for a pet to slip away unnoticed or while you’re distracted. This is where pet identification (like a microchip or collar ID tag) comes in handy. If you’re pet gets away on Halloween night, proper ID can help you get them back.
- Visitors banging on the door all evening can set an anxious pet’s nerves on edge, which can lead to a pet with a tendency to bite taking a nip at a visitor, or a pet with anxiety issues acting out. In these cases, it’s best to put your pet in a room away from the door where you’ll be receiving trick-or-treaters. Providing a hiding space can help a pet manage their anxiety, while ensuring no one gets scratched or bitten, and no pet takes off through an open door.
- It’s always a good idea to keep lit candles, jack-o-lanterns and other Halloween decorations away from pets.
- Be aware of the pieces of your costume that could be bitten off or chewed on, and keep them away from pets to prevent choking. As well, items like batteries and decorations can be harmful or fatal if consumed. Also be careful with glow sticks. When chewed on by a pet, glow sticks release the liquid glowing medium. While not likely to be harmful, the liquid tastes bad and can make pets drool excessively or act strangely.
- If you plan to put a costume on your pet, make sure it follows these guidelines:
- Fits properly and is comfortable
- Doesn't have any pieces that easily can be chewed off or cause choking
- Doesn't block your pet's sight, hearing, breathing, mouth, or movement
- Take time before Halloween to get your pet accustomed to the costume, and never leave a costumed pet unsupervised.
- It’s usually a good idea to keep your pet indoors on Oct. 31.
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