Halloween is a favorite holiday for many households, however, to prevent it from becoming a scary one for both people and pets, it’s important to consider tricks and treats that can be dangerous to cats and dogs.
To guarantee Halloween is fright-free, Best Friends Animal Society, a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of cats and dogs in America’s shelters by 2025, put together some basic precautions to keep pet safe on All Hallow’s Eve:
- Use caution when answering the door for trick or treaters to ensure cats and dogs don’t dart outside. If the extra door knocking or doorbell ringing is stressful to pets, put them in a quiet room away from the noise.
- Make sure pets have current ID tags and that microchip information is up-to-date. This is in case they do manage to escape.
- Candy is for kids, not dogs and cats. Chocolate is known to be toxic to pets, especially dogs. In addition, candy containing xylitol (a common artificial sweetener) is also dangerous. Keep any stashes of candy out of pets’ reach and opt for a pet friendly treat with pet approved ingredients, such as pumpkin or sweet potato.
- Jack-o-lanterns are fun. Fires are not. Any spooky pumpkins with lit candles should be kept on high surfaces and away from pets who might accidentally knock them over and potentially start a fire. Or consider a battery operated “candle” for a safe flame effect, instead.
- If you do decide to dress up your pet, make sure they do not constrict movement, breathing, or vision. Small dangling pieces can be choking hazards and ill-fitting costumes can get twisted and caught on external objects.
- While a dog or cat in a costume ranks pretty high on the cute-o-meter, it’s important to know that most dogs would prefer not to go trick or treating or participate in crowded Halloween parades. The chaos, costumes and excited kids can be frightening to even the friendliest of dogs and cats and cause them to act differently than normal.
The biggest treat is to adopt a pet in need this Halloween. According to Best Friends’ most recent data, shelters and rescue groups across the country are at or have exceeded capacity.
By adopting, people are helping to end the killing of cats and dogs in America’s shelters. Plus, you’ll have a wonderful companion for life. There’s nothing scary about that!
To learn more, visit bestfriends.org.