While kids love the Halloween festivities, most four-legged companions don’t like all the hype. Pets become accustomed to a particular way of life. And when that normalcy is interrupted, they can quickly get stressed or anxious. Halloween has a lot of unusual occurrences – at least from your pet’s point of view. Trick-or-treaters, spooky music, and costumes can all add to your pet’s uneasiness. 

As a pet parent, it’s your duty to help your pet stay safe and feel relaxed during this spine-tingling holiday. The following six tips will assist you in doing just that.

1. Keep Your Pet in a Safe Space

If your pet has a specific room or area it feels safe in, have it go to that location during trick or treat. Consider adding entertainment, such as your pet’s favorite toy or an enticing treat, and turning on the TV or playing soft music, as doing so will keep your pet distracted from the night’s festivities. It’s a good idea to pet-proof this area to ensure your four-legged friend can’t get into anything it shouldn’t. This keeps your pet safe while giving you peace of mind.

You should also place your pet in a secure area if you’re throwing a Halloween party, even if you only invite a few people. The costumes and masks may frighten your cat or dog, and scared pets are much more likely to scratch or bite. Ensuring your furry friend stays away from the party atmosphere will keep your guests safe and your pet at ease.

Unless you have an outdoor cat containment system or a dog/cat-proof fence, you should avoid letting your pet go outside during trick or treat. The night is sure to be full of sights and sounds that may agitate your pet. This chaotic environment can cause your pet to escape to a calmer area. As a result, it’s best to keep your furry friend indoors or in a fully enclosed outdoor space.

2. Stay Outside to Hand Out Candy

Children who consistently knock, ring doorbells, and yell, “Happy Halloween,” are sure to disturb your pet. Cats and dogs don’t like constant interruptions, as cats enjoy peace, whereas dogs naturally want to see who is at the door and protect their owners if they need to. Additionally, preventing dogs from jumping up on people will be challenging if they continuously come to the door. 

Since this holiday commotion may put your pet on edge, it’s best to stop the trick-or-treaters from coming to your door. Instead, consider sitting outside with a bowl of candy, ready to distribute the holiday treats as the children make their way to your home.

3. Keep an Eye on Halloween Decor

If you like Halloween, you probably decorate the interior of your home with the best holiday-themed accessories, ranging from jack-o-lanterns to ghosts. It’s unlikely your pet is frightened by this decor. Instead, it’s probably fascinated, which can be a problem if you have a rambunctious puppy or kitten. A cat may claw at light strands, whereas a dog might chew on a plastic bone from a decorative skeleton.

To ensure your pet stays safe, you should monitor your furry friend. If you notice your pet is interested in a specific decoration, you may want to move it elsewhere to deter this appeal. You should try placing decorations out of your pet’s reach, specifically if you have a younger cat or dog. Older animals often lose this curiosity, especially if they have seen holiday decor before.

4. Hide the Candy 

Make sure you put the extra trick-or-treat candy in a pet-safe container your furry friend can’t access. Some types of candy, such as chocolate or gum, contain xylitol, which can be detrimental to your pet’s health. Overindulgence may result in sickness or even death.

Additionally, your children may be encouraged to share their findings with the family pet. While it can be difficult to say “no” when a dog or cat is begging, you should teach your children that this answer is appropriate since certain foods can make pets sick. Urge your kids to give their four-legged friend a pet-safe treat instead.

5. Put Identification on Your Pet

Unfortunately, even if you take precautions, accidents can still happen. For instance, a frightened pet may run out the door before you get a chance to react. 

While this occurrence can be heartbreaking, you can improve the chances your pet will be returned home quickly by using identifying tags or microchipping your four-legged friend. If you use an identification tag, you should include the following:

• Your pet’s name

• Your name

• Phone number

• Address

• Medication needs

• Reward

6. Be Cautious with Pet Costumes

While your dream may be to dress up your adorable feline or pooch in a cute Halloween costume, you shouldn’t force it, especially on the night of the holiday. Try putting your pet in an outfit before Halloween to see if it likes it. If it doesn’t, you shouldn’t keep trying, as doing so can cause stress. 

If you’re one of the lucky pet owners whose outgoing pet loves to wear costumes, you should keep the following in mind:

• Use pet-approved costumes only.

• Make sure the outfit is comfortable and fits appropriately.

• Check for restricted movement.

• Remove costume choking hazards, such as strings or tags.

• Monitor your pet while it’s wearing the outfit.

• Take the costume off if your pet seems distressed.

Halloween doesn’t have to be a scary time for your pet. As long as you create a calming atmosphere and don’t force your pet into doing anything that would increase its anxiety, your four-legged friend will get through the holiday just fine.