Pet Safety Tips for Halloween
The time for hot apple cider, warm scarves and pumpkin bread is finally here. It’s fall, and Halloween is just around the corner! You know what that means; it’s time to start thinking about what you and your family are going to dress up as this year. This includes the 4-legged members of your family. Not everyone likes to dress their pets up, but for those of us that do here are some tips to keep in mind.
- Avoid masks, which can obstruct your pet’s vision or ability to breathe.
- When the costume is on, make sure your pet can still move freely and supervise your pet at all times.
- Always ensure your pet has identification (collar, tags, and microchip) and don’t forget the leash if you’ll be outdoors or in a new place.
- Allow your pet time to adjust to the costume, including a couple “test runs” before the big day.
- Most importantly, don’t dress up your pet if it makes them unhappy. Some animals like it but some don’t, and we should respect that.
Costumes aren’t the only pet safety concern on Halloween. Many pets can become stressed out, lost, or sick during this time of year. These are a few ways to minimize pet stress this month.
- Avoid giving your pets treats not specifically designed for their species, or they might get sick. This means no candy from the trick-or- treating bowl (more for you)!
- Keep Halloween decorations such as electric lighting, carved pumpkins with lit candles, and small plastic creepy crawlies out of the reach of your pets.
- Unless your pets are very social with strangers, keep them in a separate room away from the front door during busy trick-or- treating hours. Too many new people in one night can be very stressful for some animals.
- Be on the alert for your cat or dog trying to sneak past you when you open the door for trick-or- treaters.
If you follow these simple rules, both you and your fur-friend should have a happy, fun and safe Halloween! And if you love dressing your pets up for Halloween, be sure to check out our Facebook Halloween Costume Contest! You can show off your cute costume ideas, look at the adorable outfits put together by other animal lovers, and win a pet care gift basket! Head over to Butte Humane Society on Facebook and like the page for more details.