Halloween is indeed a fun spooky event that families and their pets usually celebrate. All over the world, people dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treats, and even play games with their families. No matter how enjoyable this event is, pet owners must still take safety precautions to avoid potential accidents that may happen to their four-legged fur babies.
In a study by Dr. Justine Lee, a veterinary specialist and pet book writer, pet hazards increase by 12% during the Haloween season. Veterinary clinics all over the world become extra busy at this time. To become a responsible pet owner, we have compiled a set of tips and tricks to make sure that you can enjoy while keeping safe during Halloween.
Choose costumes that are not composed of small materials that can easily be chewed off to avoid the risk of choking hazards and foreign body ingestion. Opt for simple outfits such as bandanas or printed shirts. Please don't use costumes with belts, strings, or sashes, as it would limit your pet's mobility and possibly risk your pet or strangulation. Do not leave your pet unsupervised while it's wearing a costume.
Stay away from plastic skeletons, spiders, cobwebs and other decorations that have small components that your pet can swallow. Instead of decorating your home with real candles, opt for electric candles instead. Keep lit candles and jack-o-lanterns out of reach of pets. Your pet can eat these easy-to-reach decorations, and you run the risk of choking and possibly household fire.
Trick-or-treats are famous during Halloween, but make no mistake of feeding your Halloween candies to your pets. These may contain chocolate or xylitol, which is extremely dangerous to your four-legged friend. Also, lollipop sticks and candy wrappers can be ingested by your pet which may require surgical removal.
During this busy season, your pet can go through your door while you are busy with the trick-or-treat. If your pet ever gets lost, an ID tag or proper identification will significantly help people return your pet to you. If possible, keep your pet inside the house always.
Dogs and cats can become anxious and skittish when exposed to noisy sounds such as the constant ringing of the doorbell, people chattering, or even fireworks set on the street. It is essential to keep your pets safe and calm during Halloween by not exposing them to many strangers. If you can, keep them in a quiet room in the house to decrease their anxiety.
As a safety precaution, prepare a list of emergency numbers before Halloween, just if something happens to your pet. Take note of the numbers of your veterinarian, an emergency pet care center, or the nearest animal center to you.
