6 Halloween Pet Safety Tips

Halloween can be fun for people as we celebrate the fall, spookify our homes, and dress up in our favorite costumes. However, cats and dogs on Halloween can become very stressed with the unusual sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday.

Not only can it be frightening for the family pets, but it can also be dangerous. Many candies can be toxic to animals, pet costumes can range from uncomfortable to unsafe, and decorations might tempt our pets and expose them to something harmful.

So a little extra precaution is needed to safely celebrate this special day with your pets. Here are some Halloween safety tips for pets.

6 Halloween Pet Safety Tips

1. Keep Candy and Sweet Treats Out of Reach

Those tempting bowls of candy are seemingly everywhere during the season—and they can be dangerous for your pets.

While all candies and sweet treats are off-limits to pets, two types of candies are especially dangerous:

Sugar-Free Candies

Perhaps the largest concern comes from sugar-free candies containing xylitol. Even a small amount of xylitol can be fatal to dogs and cats. Be sure to keep any products containing xylitol away from your animals.

If you think they might have ingested any candy containing xylitol, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Chocolate

Another more easily recognized danger is chocolate, especially dark or baking chocolate. Chocolates contain ingredients that can be toxic to dogs and cats.

As a rule, very small amounts of milk chocolate are likely to be safe, but any amount of baking chocolate may be a concern.

If your pet has eaten chocolate, call your veterinarian right away. It is helpful to know what type of chocolate it was (baking, dark, milk, etc.) and how much might have been eaten.

Fortunately, there are plenty of pet-safe Halloween recipes you can create for your pet to enjoy safely.

Or treat your pet to Halloween treats for dogs and for cats, like the following:

2. Pet Costumes Are Cute, But Can Be Dangerous

Yes, your dog looks adorable dressed as a red and black ladybug, and your cat has a positively disgusted look on its face when you put those pointed ears on its head. But as cute as these costumes are, not all pets are comfortable in costumes.

Costumes need to fit properly without restricting movement, causing trouble breathing, or rubbing anywhere that might cause bare spots or sores.

Pets can’t tell us what is bothering them about a costume and they may simply react by wanting it off. In the process, they may chew off and ingest a portion of the costume, which could cause intestinal obstructions or other emergency conditions.

If you want to put a costume on your pet, make sure it fits properly, and then supervise your pet the entire time they wear the costume. Leave it on for a short period of time (taking some cute photos to share with friends and family), then remove the costume before it makes your pet too uncomfortable or winds up with costume fragments in its stomach.

If you see the following signs of discomfort and anxiety in your pet, take the costume off.

Signs of anxiety in dogs:

• Lip licking

• Head turning

• Tail tucked

• Stillness

• Running away

• Growling

• Barking

Signs of anxiety in cats:

• Pacing or restlessness

• Hiding

• Decreased appetite

• Vocalization

• Hypervigilance

• Trembling

• Salivation

• Excessive grooming

3. Keep Dangerous Halloween Decorations at Bay

Decorations are one of the most appealing things about Halloween. But when they are explored by curious pets, they can sometimes lead to problems.

Dangerous Halloween decorations include:

• Open flames: One of the most overlooked worries is an open flame. If your pet jumps up near a pumpkin with a candle inside, it is certainly possible for it to start a fire, singe its feet, or burn its fur. Make sure any open flames are stored high and away from the interested paws of your pet(s).

• Wires: Many other decorations may contain wires, which is another problem, particularly if chewed. Mouth burns are not unusual in puppies and kittens who have bitten into cords associated with holiday decorations. Running the wires through conduit, PVC, or even fish tank tubing can provide good temporary protection.

• Fake cobwebs: Many items can get stuck in the intestinal tract after being consumed, especially longer stringy decorations or those that make up spider webs. Keep all the decorations up high and out of the reach of your pet.

• Rotting pumpkins: As a rule, pumpkins and pumpkin seeds are safe for dogs and cats in small quantities. If the pumpkin or seeds were moldy or rotting, however, this is a concern. A chunk of the pumpkin rind could cause an intestinal obstruction. If you have any doubts, call your veterinarian for advice.

• Glow sticks: While the liquid inside glow sticks is nontoxic, it tastes awful to pets. According to the ASPCA®, pets that bite into glow sticks may begin drooling and race around the house.

• Fog machines: The solution in fog machines may be toxic to pets, so either don’t use a fog machine or keep pets away from the machine and its fluid.

4. Keep Anxious Pets Calm During Activity

One of the most common worries for both dogs and cats is the stress caused by Halloween. The doorbell may ring constantly as trick-or-treaters arrive, and this type of activity can be confusing and frightening to your pets.

Signs of stress and anxiety in dogs and cats include:

• Panting

• Hiding

• Excessive vocalization

• Pacing

• Going to the bathroom in the house (or, for cats, outside of the litter box)

Here are some ways to help keep your anxious and stressed-out pet calm:

• Provide a quiet safe zone. The safest option is to provide them with a private safe zone. Turn on music or the TV to help mask the sounds of the doorbell ringing and some of the unusual noises associated with Halloween festivities.

• Use calming vests. Anxiety and calming vests like ThunderShirts® can help calm a frightened pet.

• Use calming diffusers. Diffusers like Adaptil® for dogs and Feliway® for cats release special pheromones to help calm pets.

• Board your pets. If you’re hosting a Halloween party or expecting many visitors, consider taking your pet to a boarding facility. Usually, a stressed animal will prefer being in a quiet place and left out of the festivities, even if that means a boarding kennel for the night.

In all cases, it is important to minimize the stress the evening could cause and the risk of escape. If you're having a Halloween party or are greeting trick-or-treaters, keep pets in a safe part of the house where they won't be tempted to run out.

5. Keep an Eye on Your Pet—and Keep the Door Closed

The constant opening and closing of the door can provide an opportunity for a frightened animal to run out into a dark night. This can result in all kinds of frightening consequences, and in some areas, black cats are particularly prone to abuse on Halloween.

Here are some ways to help prevent your pet from escaping the home:

• Keep an eye on your pet.

• Keep pets away from the door.

• Put up a dog gate.

• Keep your pets safely crated.

• Keep them in a secure and quiet room.

• Ask guests to keep the door closed.

6. Ensure Pet IDs and Collars Are Up to Date

Because there is a higher-than-average risk of your pet escaping when doors are opening or closing, make sure that they are wearing their collars with current, updated contact information so they can quickly be returned home. This is a good time to have that microchip data updated as well.

Halloween is a fun and whimsical start to the holiday season, but it can be confusing, frightening, and dangerous to your pet. Fortunately, it is possible to take just a few simple steps to make the holiday fun and safe for all.