Whilst a night of spooky shenanigans is great fun for humans, Halloween can be a stressful time for pets. With more unfamiliar people knocking on the door, ghoulish decorations around the house and people dressing up in spooky costumes, pets could be left feeling unsettled.
With the most spooktacular time of the year upon us, we have pulled together a bunch of tricks to help keep your pets happy and healthy this Halloween:
Create a quiet area for scared or anxious pets
All the extra noises and bustle that comes with Halloween can be frightening for some pets – therefore it is important to plan ahead. If you know your pets are sensitive to noise or new people, keep them in a quiet room where you can keep an eye on them. To avoid stress or an escape when the door is open to trick or treaters, keep your pet in a quiet, calm area.
Keep Halloween treats out of paws’ reach
As we stock our cupboards with tasty Halloween-themed treats in preparation for trick or treats, make sure all sweets, chocolate, hard candies and wrappers are kept well out of paws’ reach. Be aware of chocolate and hard candies floating around on the night in particular; chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats, and hard candies could pose a choking hazard.
Move candle-lit pumpkins away from pets
If you’re taking part in the popular Halloween tradition and carving a pumpkin, make sure carving tools and lit candles are placed away from your pets, to prevent any curious pets from burning themselves this Halloween. After Halloween is over, don’t forget to dispose of pumpkins safely to prevent your pet from consuming mouldy pumpkins.
Avoid dressing up pets
Whilst dressing up your pets might seem like harmless fun, costumes come with the risk of making your pets feel stressed and uncomfortable, especially if their costume obstructs their sight or doesn’t allow them to move around freely. Our four-legged friends don’t need to be dressed up to be involved in the spooky season, so our advice would be to avoid Halloween costumes for pets.
Hang Halloween decorations out of pets’ reach
Many cats and dogs cannot resist playing with dangly decorations. However, some decorations can be a choking hazard and dangerous for your pet. Make sure to keep wires, garland and anything your pet may chew on out of paws’ reach.
Be home before dark
To avoid stress in dogs, take them for a walk before it gets dark and Halloween festivities start. This way, they are less likely to feel unsettled by trick-or-treaters in costume as they will already be home. For cats, don’t forget to make beds and litter trays available if you’re shutting the cat flap for the evening.