The Halloween season can be fun and even a bit stressful for many people. For the safety of your pets, make sure you are considering them (and their perspective) during this Halloween season.

1. Know How To Identify Stress

This is an important thing to know for more holidays than just Halloween. Make sure you know the signs of a stressed pet, as well as have a quiet place away from all of the action. If you know that your pet will try to dash out the door, IF your dog is comfortable with a crate, consider putting them in one for the night with treats and comforting things. Halloween brings many visitors, all dressed up in costumes, which can be scary and stressful for many animals.

2. Keep the Candy Out Of Reach

October is the month full of candy, make sure you are keeping ALL candy out of reach from all of your pets. Many treats found during Halloween are hazardous to pets. (Ex: Chocolate, gum, certain sweeteners, etc.) If you have children, make sure they know not to share any of their Halloween treats with their four-legged friends.

*If you suspect your pet has eaten something that’s bad for them, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center hotline : (888) 426-4435 immediately!

3. Make Sure Your Pet Has Proper Identification

Halloween brings lots of visitors, meaning you will be opening and closing the door several times. It’s important that your pet has up-to-date identification (an ID tag) in case they go missing. Lots of animals try to dart out the door so it’s best to be prepared and safe.

5. Be Cautious About The Decorations You Use

Decorating for Halloween can be fun for many people, but some decorations can be dangerous for houses with pets. Watch out for obvious hazards, like candles and wires, but also be aware of some of the not so obvious hazards. These can include things like glow sticks, fake blood, and fake cobwebs. Also be cautious about the smaller decorations that your pet could choke on. Pumpkin is relatively non-toxic to pets, however, they can cause digestive issues. Try to keep your pet away from jack-o-lanterns to avoid any problems.

*Know your pet! – If you know that your pet is easily frightened, take measures to ensure they feel safe. Changes to your home can cause anxiety. Something like a fake spider could be seen as a potential threat to them!

5. Try To Minimise Noise

Sudden loud noises can make your pet upset, especially if they are already exhibiting signs of anxiety &/or are reactive to people walking by/noises at the door. To minimise the noise of strangers knocking and ringing your doorbell, consider sitting outside to hand out candy or putting up a sign telling trick-or-treaters not to ring the doorbell.

6. Be Mindful With Costumes (for pets)

Some pet owners love to dress up their pets, however, for some animals this will just cause unnecessary stress. If you wish to dress up your pet, it’s important to know a few things beforehand. (The ASPCA recommends that you don’t put your dog or cat in a costume unless you know he or she loves it.)

Firstly, you need to consider your pet (their personality & what they are able to tolerate). Watch for any signs of stress. If they hate the costume, don’t force them to wear it. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume does not limit anything such as their movement, ability to breathe, their sight, ability to speak and hear, etc. Also, watch for any choking hazards as some costumes have small parts that can be chewed off and swallowed (such as buttons).

Make sure you don’t leave your pet alone with a costume on. Always keep an eye on them because they may start to show signs of stress &/or get themselves in danger.

7. Bring Your Pets Indoors

If you let your pets outside, make sure you bring them indoors before night falls and trick-or-treating begins. Cats and dogs can get frightened by the people in costumes, plus some people like to play tricks. Costumes can make your pets scared and can cause them to run away. If you have a black cat, it’s especially best to keep them indoors due to the superstitions about them (There are a significant number of black cats that disappear on Halloween) and because they are not easily seen by cars, this is for their own safety.

Have a fun and safe Halloween! Before you go, consider reading our article called How to Take Amazing Photos of your Pet with a Phone (Tips and Tricks). We’d love to see your pet pictures, consider posting a picture on Instagram and tagging us @crittermamas.