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5 Ways To Keep Your Pet Safe and Sound This Halloween

Gemma Clarke | Oct 28, 2022

While Halloween may be one of our favourite times of the year, our pet dogs and cats are not such big fans. On the scariest night of the year, many things can stress out your fur baby and even endanger them.

This doesn't mean you cannot celebrate Halloween if you have pets. But part of being a responsible cat or dog parent means being mindful of them during these types of celebrations.

Perhaps it's your first Halloween with your fur baby, and you're wondering how to keep them safe. Or maybe your pet has shown signs of distress in past years, and you want to make this night more enjoyable for them. If so, we're sharing five tips for keeping cats and dogs safe and stress-free among all the spooky commotion.

1. Keep your pets indoors

Cats and dogs typically enjoy sitting in the garden after nightfall as there is a more peaceful atmosphere than during the day. However, on Halloween night, many people walk around, and there is much more noise than usual.

This drastic change can be highly stressful for animals. Moreover, all the scary costumes can make them fearful and potentially cause them to run away. If this happens and your pet gets lost on Halloween night, their fear will only escalate, and they could end up very far from home and unable to get back.

Therefore, the most important thing you should do for your pet on Halloween night is to keep them inside. Typically, trick-or-treaters come around once it gets dark, but it may start earlier in your area.

Thus, thinking back to recent years, bring your fur baby in well before the spooky costumes start coming out. If your cat spends a lot of time outside or roams around, you may need to give them an earlier dinner to get them inside the house on time.

2. Be careful with Halloween decorations

Decorating your home is an excellent way to get into the spooky spirit of Halloween. However, it's important to note that some decorations can be a hazard for pups and kitties.

Anything with an open flame, like candles, is an obvious danger. Still, some popular decorations like glow sticks and fake blood can contain poisonous ingredients to animals if ingested. In addition, fake cobwebs and string lights can get wrapped around your furry friend and cause choking.

The change in their environment can also cause some stress. So taking all this into consideration, you may want to set your pet up in a quiet room before you decorate.

Black Labrador With Pumpkins

3. Keep the candy bowl out of paw’s reach

Many popular Halloween candies are toxic foods for cats and dogs, such as chocolate, gum, and candies with the sweetener xylitol. Therefore, avoid leaving your candy bowl on a table where your fur child can get it.

Instead, place all candy in a secure cupboard and ensure your children don't share them with the pets. Be careful to not leave plastic candy wrappers around as they can cause choking or digestive issues if eaten.

Call your veterinarian if you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic.

4. Reconsider pet Halloween costumes

Dressing your furball in a spooky or cute Halloween outfit can be a lot of fun. However, only do this if your pet doesn't mind. Many cats and dogs don't like to play dress up as the costumes make them feel restricted and uncomfortable. By all means, give it a try – there’s nothing cuter than matching costumes with your fur baby! – but watch their reactions and stop if you see it is causing them distress.

It’s important to be mindful of how long your pet is in their spooktacular attire, so be sure to avoid keeping them in costume all night. It's ok to dress them up for a couple of minutes to get some cute Instagram photos, but, depending on their outfit, they probably won't be happy to stay in costume for hours on end. In addition, opt for simple outfits with no chewable parts and ensure they are not too tight-fitting.

Dog Dressed As Ghost

5. Create a calm, quiet space for your pet during trick-or-treating time

Finally, some pets find Halloween more distressing than others. For example, if your cat is not good with visitors or your dog barks every time the doorbell rings, you might want to set them up in a calm, quiet room for the evening.

Close them in a room they are familiar with, such as your bedroom. Put their favourite bed and toys in with them and some food and water. Then, put on some calming music to drown out the outside noise and the doorbell sound. If you're having guests over, consider putting a sign on the door of your pet's room so visitors don't disturb your fur baby.

If your pet is a social butterfly, keep them away from the front door when guests or trick-or-treaters arrive. They may be curious and excited to see what is going on, but just one scary costume could scare them and cause them to run outdoors.

Final thoughts on keeping your pet safe this Halloween

Halloween can be a fun and stress-free occasion for humans and animals if you take precautions and consider their unique needs. Following the tips above, you can prevent distress and ensure nothing horrifying happens, like your beloved pet slipping out and getting lost.