It’s the spookiest time of year again and even if you have trick-or-treaters, your pets might be slightly confused by the events of the night. With lots of strangers at the door, weird noises throughout the night, and the fact that everyone’s up past their bedtime can be stressful for furry companions. So here are a few Halloween pet safety tips for your feline or pooch.
”On Halloween, the parents sent their kids out looking like me.” - Rodney Dangerfield
No Chocolate!
As you may well know, chocolate can be lethal to dogs, especially smaller ones. However, this won’t prevent dogs from trying to eat your children’s Halloween candy. So keep the candy out of reach as even small amounts of dark chocolate, baking chocolate, and even xylitol (an artificial sweetener) can be harmful. Any good article on Halloween safety tips for pets will mention something similar. Especially be on the lookout for these foods lying around the house:
- Avocado
- Coffee
- Citrus
- Coconut anything
- Grapes and raisins
- Nuts
- Garlic
- Salty snack foods
Don’t Leave them Outside that Night
Much like the 4th of July, Halloween is a night that downright spooks your pets. With kids yelling, pranksters out in force, and much more activity at night, tt’s enough to scare even the calmest of animals. So don’t leave them outside on this particular night. For a happy Halloween, pets should be kept indoors for the evening.
No Glow Sticks!
This is an obvious Halloween safety tip for pets, but keep glow sticks away from your furry friends. If they think it's a chew toy or otherwise play with it and it breaks? That material is toxic to most animals. So be safe and keep glow sticks away from pets.
Keep Your Pets Away from the Door
While most furry quadrupeds rely on their sense of smell to distinguish people apart from one another, wearing masks and costumes certainly doesn’t help your poor animals. So as far as your pooch goes, there’s weird stuff on your face that they don’t understand, everyone smells different tonight, and strangers keep showing up at the door. So make sure your pets are in a safe room that they can calmly relax in, or at the very least, keep noise to a minimum. This simple act can go a long way in terms of Halloween pet safety.
Keep Your Pets Identifiable
Make sure your pets have their collars on, have their names and preferably addresses on, and moreover it would help to put your phone number somewhere on the tag as well.
Does your dog have a microchip? Even better! Whatever keeps your pet trackable should the worst happen and some fraidy cat (or dog) runs away from the scary kids in costumes. Happy Halloween pets are the ones who are reunited in case of a big scare.
If your pets have an accident or knock a plant over, why not have a professional assist you in cleaning? Did you know the cost for services changes based on where you live? For example, in Gulfport, MS it can cost an average of $1,217 for cleaning services, while in Las Vegas, NV, it can cost an average of $1,433. Want to get a more accurate estimate for free? Get in touch with a homeyou pro near you!
Pet Costume Safety
There actually are humane society Halloween costumes appropriate for your dog. These usually consist of the “doggie vest” variety, as they don’t hinder the dog’s movement in any way. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to have a costume that doesn’t irritate your dog. Make sure your pet can comfortably do the following:
- Breathe
- Move
- See
- Hear
- Open its mouth
- And be sure your pet won’t chew it off
Calm Your Pet
Perhaps most importantly, make sure you take some time to chill out with your pets. This can go a long way in easing the anxiety of your animals. Halloween activities for dogs should include familiar scents, favorite toys, and yummy treats. Ease your furry friends into a weird night.
A Neat, Tidy Home
Sometimes easy solutions are the best ones. Keep your home free of clutter and messy rooms so that your pets have a bit more space to roam. Halloween pet safety isn’t just about keeping your animals away from danger, but also establishing a nice place for them to stay when Halloween approaches. So don’t feel bad getting a cementprofessional to help clean up around the house, especially after the celebrations.
Did your pets make a mess on the floor when they got spooked this Halloween? Have that professionally cleaned. Get a free estimate today!
- Continue Reading:
- These 15 Cute Pets Are So Ready for Halloween!
- 10 Adorable Pets Ready To Celebrate The Holidays
- 12 Funny and Adorable Pet Halloween Costumes
- These 5 Tips Will Keep Your Pets Safe this Halloween