Halloween Pet Safety

Offering Some General Advice On How To Keep Your Pets Safe During Halloween

Halloween is one of the most exciting and spectacular holidays of the year. It’s a time where everyone gets to decorate, dress-up, and eat candy. Most pet owners, including us, treat their pets like family and don’t want to exclude them in the holiday festivities. While you can include your pets in the Halloween celebration, it’s important to keep them safe too. This article will discuss some general safety tips and advice for your pets during the Halloween season. 

Keep Halloween Candy Out-Of-Reach

You can’t have Halloween without candy. While this may be a tasty treat for people, it can be toxic to pets. Most candies contain ingredients, such as chocolate or xylitol, that are toxic to both dogs and cats. Additionally, the candy wrappers can also cause health complications if ingested. To prevent your pets from accidentally eating candy, be sure to keep it out of their reach. Keep your candy on a high shelf or locked up in a cabinet. 

Decorate Safely

Putting up spooky & scary decorations is one of the best parts of celebrating Halloween. However, be mindful about the safety of your decorations in regards to your pets. Don’t put out any decorations that your pet could potentially chew on, ingest, or choke on. Keep your decorations high up or out-of-reach from your pets if possible. A good alternative is to keep most of your Halloween decorations outside instead.

Additionally, some Halloween decorations also require electricity. If any of yours do, be sure to keep any of the electrical wires hidden and unexposed. Both dogs and cats have a talent for chewing on things they’re not supposed to. Keeping electrical wires hidden and/or out-of-reach will prevent your pets from accidentally electrocuting themselves. 

Dress Carefully

There is nothing wrong with dressing up your pets for Halloween. As long as your pets don’t mind it, it can actually be quite fun! However, be mindful about the costume itself and assess that it is safe for your pet to wear. Make sure your pet’s costume doesn’t restrict their movement, or inhibit their ability to breathe. Lastly, make sure there are no loose or dangling pieces to the costume that your pet might try and eat and/or choke on. For some fun pet Halloween ideas, click here. 

Keep Your Pets At Home

While you’re out trick-or-treating or at a Halloween party, it’s usually best to keep your pets at home. While you may want to show off your pet’s Halloween costume, they might not have as much fun. Halloween is usually a chaotic and loud occasion. The streets are usually filled with children and their parents going house to house for candy. All of this activity and strangers tends to make most dogs anxious and uneasy. If your dog doesn’t like loud noises or large groups of strangers, then it’s probably best to leave them at home instead. 

Provide A Safe Space

When leaving your pets at home during Halloween, it’s important to make sure they are comfortable. We suggest creating a safe, relaxing, and comfortable atmosphere for them. Try putting them in a guest room or finished basement that isn’t facing the street. The idea is to limit the amount of excess noise they would otherwise be subjected to. 

Additionally, be sure to provide plenty of cozy amenities for your pets too. Put down a soft dog or cat bed in their safe room. You can also provide some toys, treat dispensers, background noise, and pheromone diffusers. Putting an article of clothing that smells like you in their room should also help keep you pets calm and more relaxed during the Halloween season. 

Looking For A Pet Sitter?

If you’re going out for Halloween, but don’t want to leave your pets alone, then you should hire a professional pet sitter! If you or someone you know is looking for a pet sitter, then look no further than Top Dog Pet Sitting! We offer a wide variety of pet sitting services including in-home pet sitting, routine dog walking, and overnight stays. We service the Fort Worth, Benbrook, Aledo, and White Settlement, Texas areas. Click here to become a client today or give us a call at 817-249-9663.