October 31: the time for ghosts, goblins, & lots of gooey treats. Halloween can be such a fun holiday—for kids and adults alike—but it’s important to keep the needs of your furry family members in mind.
Before you load up on sugar, take a look at these Halloween pet safety tips.
Keep dangerous foods out of reach.
Common foods found during this time of year can be very dangerous for pets. These include chocolate, grapes/raisins, macadamia nuts, and fatty foods. Watch out for xylitol too. It’s a sugar alcohol used in a lot of sugar-free treats.
Keep an eye on hazardous decorations.
Candles and jack-o-lanterns can certainly help create the perfect ambiance for Halloween, but open flame and pets don’t mix. You’ll want to monitor your pets around electrical decorations too—especially if your dog or cat is a chewer!
Use pet costumes wisely.
Halloween costumes for pets are very cute, but the comfort and safety of your pet should always override a fun photo op.
Make sure costumes fit your pet properly. They shouldn’t impact an animal’s senses, mobility, or normal functions in any way. Try to avoid costumes that have dangling components—aka perfect chew toys. Monitor your pets while they’re all dressed up.
Keep pets indoors.
Loud kids, creepy decorations, parties—all of these can make for a stressful Halloween night from your pet’s perspective. To reduce the risk of pets escaping your home or even biting someone, it’s best to keep them indoors and away from trick-or-treaters.
Make sure your pets are microchipped and/or have up-to-date ID tags just in case. (This is important not only on Halloween but all year.)
Make it a happy Halloween for your pets.
If you want to include your pet in the festivities, buy pet treats to have while the kids (and you) enjoy all the candy. Many companies make special seasonal or Halloween-themed treats during the autumn months.
And remember: even very sociable pets need breaks sometimes. It’s a good idea to maintain a quiet room or area in your home so that your dog or cat can have some downtime during the spooky festivities.
You might even find yourself needing that room to relax in after eating all those goodies!
If you need a pet sitter for any of the upcoming holidays, get in touch with Lazy Days soon. Our calendar fills up fast during this time of year.
Disclaimer: The contents of the Lazy Days Pet Sitting Service website and blog are for informational purposes only. None of the material is intended to serve as professional veterinary advice. The provided information cannot be used to diagnose or treat pet health issues.