Halloween Safety Tips for Pet Owners

Halloween can be stressful and even dangerous for pets. Here are our top tips for keeping your pet safe during this popular holiday.

If your pet is wary of strangers or appears anxious on Halloween, keep them home if you’re going out trick-or-treating. If you’re handing out candy, keep your pet kenneled or safely tucked away in a separate room so they feel safe and less stressed with all the strangers knocking on your door.

Make sure your pet can be identified (with a microchip or an ID tag on their collar) in case they escape when you are handing out goodies to trick-or-treaters.

If you plan to put a costume on your pet, make sure it fits well and does not have small parts that your pet can chew off and swallow. Never leave your pet unsupervised while wearing a costume.

If you are decorating with candles, use flameless candles or make sure the candles are well out of reach of pets—so you can prevent accidental burns or a sudden fire. Dried corn cobs—popular decorations for fall—are dangerous if ingested and are notorious for sending pets into surgery.

Keep all candy out of reach of your pets. Chocolate and xylitol (a common sugar substitute found in sugar-free candies and gum) can be very toxic to your pet. Ingested candy wrappers can also cause blockages in your pet that may require surgery. If your pet accidentally ingests chocolate or xylitol, contact us or Animal Poison Control right away.

Keep glow sticks and glow jewelry, along with Halloween makeup and face paint, away from pets. If you pet does ingest a glow stick, animal poison control can let you know if that brand is toxic.

Animal Poison Control: 888-426-4435