I love Halloween! Over the weekend, I pulled decorations out of storage—pumpkins, witches and ghosts now spruce up my home with a festive hint of the season. As I strung candy corn colored lights on the terrace, one of my cats decided to be helpful and tried to chase (and chew!) the power cord. I made sure to safely secure the lights where playful paws can’t reach. Over the years, I’ve written and pitched many press releases to raise awareness of the many common household dangers for pets at Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. As a result, pet safety always comes first in my house.
With Halloween right around the corner, I wanted to share these important safety tips:
- Keep trick or treat bag and candy dishes well out of your pets reach. Chocolate can be deadly when ingested by pets and candy containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs.
- Throw out all cellophane candy wrappers and treat bags. They can pose a choking hazard or cause intestinal blockage.
- If you plan on greeting visitors at the door, keep your pets in a safe, quiet room with the door closed so they don’t escape. Always keep ID on your pet in case they escape outside.
- Jack o’ lanterns can singe whiskers and burn noses if tipped over by pets. Consider replacing the candles with a flashlight or battery-powered candles.
- If you dress up your pet make sure their vision and breathing is not obstructed and the costume does not restrain movement.
- If you really want your pet to enjoy being a part of Halloween activities, look for special events geared toward specifically towards them such as pet parades or dog run parties.
No matter what your plans this Halloween, stay safe and enjoy the festivities!
Pictured above is my cat “Eight Ball” and his Halloween mini-me. If you’re dressing up your four-legged friend, Tweet me a pic @pawspr.
- Patricia
P.S. – Some photos of Elizabeth’s animals feeling the “howl-o-ween” spirit.