Tips for Halloween pet safety

Halloween may be a spooky good time for a lot of people. Fun Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, candy, and costumes. Unfortunately, our animals may disagree. It can be an anxiously trying night for them. In order for pet owners to enjoy trick-or-treating while also keeping their animals safe, North Shore Animal League America would like to provide some Halloween safety recommendations.

Your animals cannot get snacks. Keep decorations, candy wrappers, and candy out of a pet's reach. In addition to the fact that many sugar-free candies, gums, and baked goods include the poisonous to dogs sweetener Xylitol or Birch Sugar, chocolate can also be hazardous. Call a veterinarian right away if you think your pet may have consumed something that contains birch sugar or Xylitol. If swallowed, tinfoil, cellophane, and plastic candy wrappers can all be dangerous.

Avoid using glow sticks. In order to keep safe while they trick-or-treat through the growing darkness, kids frequently carry glow sticks. Pets, especially cats, find them to be a lot of fun when brought inside. Even though they are marked as non-toxic, the liquid within is incredibly bitter if they are pierced. A pet may become excited and start running around the house, drooling even.

Pets are not allowed to eat pumpkins. Although they are thought to be largely non-toxic, pumpkins can irritate the stomach. Keep your lit pumpkin out of your pet's reach if it is. Animals can tip pumpkins over, and curious puppies and kittens run the risk of getting burned.

 

Make sure your pets are always wearing identification. Trick-or-treaters can leave if the front door is constantly opening and closing for them, especially if they are frightened. It's more likely that your cat or dog will come back to you if they are properly identified if they escape when the door is open for whatever reason.

On Halloween, provide a calm, secure area for your pets. Your four-legged pals can become physically ill as a result of scary gatherings, persistent doorbell rings, or having too many strangers in your home.

Keep your pet away from any electrical cords or wires. The best way to celebrate Halloween is with decorations, but if your pets chew on or eat them, they could suffer serious pain or even die.

Costumes are entertaining for humans, but not always for your pets. If you don't know your pet would love it, don't dress them up. Check to see whether the outfit isn't bothersome or dangerous, and that it doesn't interfere with your ability to move, hear, see, breathe, or bark. A pet could chew off little or dangling embellishments from costumes and suffocate on them. Make sure that pets in costumes are always under adult supervision. If costumes are not your pet's style, a colourful bandana can typically work.

You should never take your pet trick-or-treating. Dogs are prone to excitement and irrationality, and if scared, they may bite. Cats should always be kept indoors for their safety.