Make Halloween Fun for Everyone (5 Halloween Pet Safety Tips)
With Halloween on the way, October is filled with fun and frightful festivities. To make sure the spooky season is fun and safe for everyone in your family, consider the following Halloween pet safety tips.
5 Pet Safety Tips for Halloween
1. Provide Easy Identification
Dogs and cats often go missing (or can even be stolen) on Halloween. So, it’s important your pet has a collar with readable ID tags in addition to permanent identification with a pet microchip.
2. Store Treats Safely
One of the best parts of Halloween is the party treats and candy. Remember, though, that many of these goodies contain ingredients (like chocolate, nuts, raisins, and alcohol) that are poisonous to dogs and cats. Store all treats safely and keep your pets in a secure, safe room during Halloween parties so that they can’t accidentally get into anything that’s been left lying around your house.
3. Keep Pets Secure Indoors
With so many trick-or-treaters dressed in scary costumes coming and going from your yard, pets can become frightened and confused. Be sure they are not left in your yard (even if it’s fenced). Keep them safely inside for the duration of the night.
4. Create a Pet-Safe Holiday Display
Halloween decorations often involve things that can be dangerous for pets such as electrical wires or toxins. Be sure to choose decorations that are safe for your pets (i.e. no glow sticks or fake blood) and keep any wires well out of their reach.
5. Supervise Pets in Costumes
If you choose to dress your pet up in a costume for Halloween, be sure you never leave them unattended while they’re wearing the costume (or any clothes for that matter). Clothes can become caught on furniture or branches and put pets in dangerous situations. They can also be choking hazards if pets end up chewing on them.
Microchip Your Pet Before the Big Night of Frights
If your pet does not yet have a microchip, we strongly encourage you to schedule a microchip appointment at one of Animal Wellness Center’s Wisconsin locations. Getting a microchip is a quick and simple procedure, similar to getting vaccinations, that can greatly increase the odds of reuniting with your pets should they ever become lost. To learn more or schedule an appointment for your pet, we welcome you to contact our office.
