Halloween Safety for Your Pet
October 10, 2012
Oh Halloween, the little goblins, the witches, the princesses and pirates. Halloween is fun! That’s very true, for humans. It is not so true for our pets. Halloween can be a dangerous time of year for pets, so we, as responsible owners must take precautions to ensure their safety.
No Sweets
Care should be taken to keep candy out of the reach of pets. It can make them sick, and in some circumstances can even kill them. Chocolate contains Theobromine which can kill dogs, especially smaller dogs. Sugar-free candy has an artificial sweetner called Xylital, which can be deadly for dogs as well. It lowers the bloodsugar to dangerous levels and worse, it can cause liver failure in high enough concentrations.
Beware The Jack-o-Lantern
Seeing a jack-o-lantern with its flickering candle light is one of the fun things about Halloween, but cat owners take note. Cats and kittens are curious by nature, and the flickering could have them pawing at the jack-o-lantern. This could cause the pumpkin to tip over – a very real fire hazard. Keep your cats inside and your jack-o-lanterns outside for safety’s sake.
Keeping Black Cats Safe
Speaking of keeping cats inside, it’s the safest practice at all times for your cat, but especially for black cats on Halloween. Some people are known to steal or “sacrifice” black cats during this time of superstition. Don’t let your cat end up in the hands of someone with evil intent – keep them inside.
Fear of Costumes
Costumes are fun, but dogs don’t understand that these strange looking creatures are just humans dressed up. You don’t want your dog to bite someone out of fear, so keep them locked safely in another room away from the trick or treat activity. Fear can cause your dog (or cat) to dart out that open door and run away. Keep I.D. tags on all your pets, and again, keep them locked safely in a different room. Far too many get lost on holidays. Don’t let your pet become one of the statistics.
Yes Halloween can fun and safe – just take a few precautions to keep your pet happy and stress-free too.
