Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is one of my favourite times of the year with all the spooky costumes and candy. It is something I always look forward to! As a pet owner, there are some extra precautions that I take to ensure it is a fun holiday for not just me, but my pets as well. Here are some of my Halloween safety tips:

1) Secure your pets at home. Since I do not have an enclosed porch, I bought a baby gate that I can put up, so my dogs don’t have easy access to the door. My cat can jump over this, so during Halloween night, I give him some of his favourite wet food and keep him behind a closed door.

2) Make certain that all your pets are wearing visible collars with their name and your phone number in case they do get outside. While it does help to have your pets microchipped, a collar is an excellent visual indicator that the pet is lost and can be read by anyone.

3) Keep chocolate, candy and other treats stashed away and out of your pets reach. The danger with chocolate is that it contains theobromine, with dark chocolate containing the highest amounts and white chocolate containing very little. If a lot of theobromine is ingested, it can be life-threatening to dogs and cats. Sugar-free candy containing xylitol can also be deadly to dogs. Candy wrappers could pose a significant issue if ingested by any pets.

4) Be mindful when choosing decorations and keep wires covered or out of reach. Decorations that have small parts can be chewed off and become a choking hazard or can end up causing other severe issues if swallowed. Wires pose the same threat along with electrocution if they are left plugged in.

5) Not all pets like getting dressed up. If putting on a costume causes your pet stress, it would be better to settle with a festive bandana or collar.

With these tips in mind, we hope you and your pet have a safe and happy Halloween!

Written by: Olivia Browne