halloween pet safety tips(1)

Posted By SLCo Animal Services
October 30, 2017

Halloween can be a lot of fun for humans but pets may not appreciate the costumes and candy. Protect your pets from Halloween dangers with these tips! If you run into any lost pets while trick or treating, contact your local animal control and help them get reunited with their owners!   

1. Keep candy out of reach: All forms of chocolate and the artificial sweetener can be poisonous to dogs & cats.  Call your emergency vet if your pet has eaten either.
2. Keep pets confined and away from the door: Dogs may be likely to dart out the door, or become anxious with trick-or-treaters in costumes and yelling for candy. Put them in a crate or a backroom and keep everyone safe.
3. Close the blinds or drapes, disconnect doorbells: If your dog reacts every time someone walks by or rings the doorbell close the drapes and disconnect the doorbell.
4. Keep outdoor pets inside before and after Halloween: Keep dogs and cats indoors to prevent them from being injured, stolen, or poisoned as part of a Halloween prank.
5. Don’t approach dogs while in costume: Even if you know the dog, a strange costume or mask can frighten them. They may not recognize you in costume.  If a dog escapes a house or yard and runs up to you, tell your child to stand like a tree, and wait for the owner to grab the dog.
6. Test out pet costumes before: Make sure the costume isn’t causing them distress, or giving them an allergic reaction. It shouldn’t restrict their movement, ability to breath, bark or meow.
7. Leave them at home: It may be best with all the distractions to leave your pet at home while trick-or-treating. Take them for a walk earlier in the day before the ghosts and goblins come out for the night to spook them.