It’s that time of year when ghosts and goblins,
fairy princesses and pirates are out roaming the
streets asking for candy. While this is a
fun and exciting time for children (and many adults
too!), you will need to take a few extra precautions
to ensure that your pet enjoys the evening too.
Keep your pet away from trick-or-treaters
and Halloween festivities.
Many petsare easily frightened by people in costumes. If
you are having a party at home, keep your cat away
from the festivities and occupied with a toy. Lots
of people, strange smells, and loud noises can
spook even the calmest of animals.
Keep your companion animals in a closed
room with food and water.
Cats are natural escape artists and can easily
slip, unnoticed, out of a door opened for trick-or-treaters. Be
sure all pets are wearing collars and ID
tags in case of an accidental getaway.
Keep decorations out of your pet’s
reach.
Lit Jack-O-Laterns pose a real fire risk as they
can be easily tipped over by a curious cat. Pets
also run the risk of getting tangled in decorations
or receiving a deadly shock from chewing on electrical
cords.
Keep the candy for the kids.
Chocolate contains a lethal ingredient called theobromine,
and the darker the chocolate, the more theobromine
it contains. Candy wrappers can also be
harmful if swallowed. If you want to give your
pet a sweet treat, offer her a few of her favorite
treats.
Dress the children, not the pets.
Most pets do not like, or are even frightened by
the constraints of a costume. Some costumes
can also impair your pet’s sight, hearing,
or ability to breathe. Stick with Halloween
themed collars if you want your pet to look the
part
