Trick or Treat
Halloween is an annual event that most children, and lots of adults, look forward to enthusiastically, anticipating a day and evening filled with masks, candy, and pranks! But this holiday can be particularly spooky for the furry children in your family. To make Halloween fun for all of your family members, take note of these Halloween safety tips for your pet.
Safety First
Walk your dog while it is still light out, if possible. Your dog may find candy, wrappers, and broken eggs on lawns and streets. Make sure that these tempting treats stay out of reach. Don’t leave your dog unattended outside on Halloween, even if he is behind a fence. Not only can pranksters target family pets, but all the activity and commotion can increase your dog’s stress levels unnecessarily. Also, well-meaning neighbors may give unwanted treats to your dog.
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 sugar substitute xylitol can cause serious problems in pets. If you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately.
Watch the 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 who nibble on them.
Glow sticks are a fun Halloween trend and can help keep humans a little safer in the nighttime, but for dogs and cats, these items look like toys. Glow-in-the-dark items are filled with a liquid that if punctured, will leak the glowing content which if ingested, causes mouth pain, irritation, and excessive salivation.
Keep all battery-operated toys and décor out of reach from curious pets, as they can be chewed or ingested resulting in a visit to the emergency veterinarian clinic.
Costumes and Masks
The trend of dressing dogs in costumes has increased over the years. It is quite simple to find costumes created specifically for pets, however, that does not necessarily ensure their safety. For some pets, wearing a costume may cause undue stress. Legend Acres recommends that you don’t 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 is 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. If your pup is likely to try to run out the front door and is comfortable in a crate with Adaptil https://amzn.to/3S45PdC, consider putting them in the crate with a treat-filled toy and some soft music playing in the background. A spritz of Feliway (https://amzn.to/3g5DZAC) can help keep cats calm. If your dog is reactive with the doorbell, consider sitting outside with your bowl of treats to reduce the stress on your pets.
Behavior
Even the best-behaved dogs can become skittish or overwhelmed. Know your dog and watch their body language to decide if he’s best tucked away in a crate or a quiet room as opposed to joining the family for Trick-or-Treating, greeting the costumed neighbors or participating in a Halloween party. To prevent your dog from running out, make sure he is under control as you open the door for trick or treaters. “No tricks, no treats” is the best Halloween plan for your dog. That may not sound like fun for your dog, but if your neighborhood is particularly busy on Halloween and the sidewalks are overflowing with exuberant parents and screaming children, it is best to leave your pet at home. Why expose him to the chaos and risk upsetting him?
You may be thinking, “Fido loves kids and knows this neighborhood like the back of his paw!” Even kid-loving dogs, intimately familiar with their normal exercise route, can be thrown off by extra people on the street and may become agitated. Scary-looking costumed humans that approach for a friendly pat on the head may frighten your dog. This fear reaction can be unsettling for dogs and downright dangerous for trick or treaters. Scared dogs, even the nicest ones, may growl and bite when they feel threatened.
We wish you and your pets a happy and safe Halloween!
Kristi May MS, CVPM, LVMT, BSA, AHT, ABCDT, CHA Cert Riding Lesson Instructor, CHA
EFM, Cert Equine Nutrition, Cert Animal Cognitive Behavior, AKC Evaluator, AKC Fit Instructor, Pet Partners Therapy Evaluator, PPG Canine Training Professional
Middle/West, TN
Surprise, AZ
(931) 516-3064
Resources:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/vets-corner/halloween-safety-tips-for-dog-owners/
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/halloween-safety-for-pets
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/halloween-safety-tips-pets
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/halloween-pet-safety
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/halloween-safety-tips
