Making Halloween a safe celebration for cats and dogs

     There is nothing abnormal in wanting to include your pet in the Halloween celebrations! This being said, for everyone’s safety, there are some key rules to follow. Here are 6 little tips for the whole family to follow, including your pets, to enjoy Halloween this year!

1- No sweets for kitty and puppy Your intentions are surely good! But for your pet’s safety, keep candy and chocolate for yourself. Keep a few for the kids as well, of course ;) Be sure to store all the candy out of reach of your four legged friends. Also be aware of candy wrappers end lollypop sticks. Cats might want to play with them and dog will surely fin it a good idea to swallow them because of their sweet and interesting sent.  2- Keep the furry kids indoors If your cat has the habit of going outside, it would be wise to keep him indoors for the night! With people walking around everywhere outside, you never know what might happen. Same thing goes for your dog. 

3- Runaway alert! On Halloween, you will be opening the door many times during the evening to hand out candy to the neighborhood kids. Think about keeping your pet in a closed room with its toys, a comfortable bed and something to keep it busy for a few hours. Doing so, you will reduce the chances of them escaping by the open door and avoid them seeing all the visitors, all the while keeping them busy: that means a lot less stress! If you wish to avoid locking you pet in a room, have you thought about handing out the candy outside?



4- Decoration and candle hazard Your cat has the habit of climbing everywhere? Your dog has too much energy to spend? Lighted candles might not be the best idea. An accident happens so fast! Choose a flameless candle as an alternative. Be aware of decorations as well, that your pets might want to chew (especially those with electrical wires).

5- Identify your pets Be sure that your pet has an identification tag, and even better, a microchip. It could make all the difference in case of a runaway situation. 

6 – Pet costumes are optional A pug dressed as Yoda, a bumble bee kitty, a Chihuahua as a mouse… Animal costumes always make us smile! But it is not every pet that enjoys wearing a disguise. Respect your pet and avoid making it wear a costume if it makes it feel uncomfortable. A simple scarf or a themed collar with Halloween colors will make it much happier. 


We all like a good scare at Halloween! Let’s not let it be the fright of having to go to the veterinarian in emergency. Have fun, enjoy yourself, all the while being safe.  Happy Halloween to all!