I can smell a whiff of mischief in the air. It’s Halloween season! Halloween is such a fun-filled season for kids and adults, but it can be a very scary time for your pets. It’s so important to consider your pets on Halloween. Many thanks to Rachael Ray Nutrish for sponsoring today’s discussion about Halloween safety tips for pets.
My dog, Winston, has had some fun on Halloween in the past. A few years back he enjoyed trick-or-treating in his Spider Man costume. Now that Winston has a timid little sister, Lilly, we try to keep Halloween a bit more low key for the family pets.
Here are few Halloween safety tips for pets to help keep your pet safe and stress-free:
1. Keep your pets indoors on Halloween. Sadly, animals (especially black cats) are at risk for cruel treatment by some Halloween pranksters. It’s best to keep your pets indoors, preferably in a quiet room away from the door where you will be handing out candy to trick-or-treaters.
2. Just in case your pet slips out, be sure your cats and dogs are easily identified by a microchip, collar and ID tag.
3. Keep treats out of reach. Candy and Chocolate are a big no-no for pets. Chocolate and xylitol, a sweetener found in some candy, can be very toxic for pets. Lollipop sticks can be a choking hazard. Be sure all Halloween candy is outside of your pet’s reach. It’s a good idea to have a discussion with your children about the danger in letting your dog or cat have candy.
4. Be cautious with pet costumes. Most dogs and cats are happiest wearing nothing but their birthday suits. M dog, Winston, doesn’t seem to mind wearing a costume. Lilly, on the other hand, gets very upset if you try to put clothes on her or Winston.
If your pet will tolerate a costume, be sure to avoid masks and anything that covers the ears or eyes, or might get tangled in your pets legs. Check the costume for possible choking hazards, and make sure your pet can move freely and is comfortable.
5. Halloween decorations, especially jack-o-lanterns and candles, can be harmful to your pets. Please be mindful of potential dangers when putting up your Halloween decorations.
Why we LOVE Rachael Ray Nutrish!
Winston and Lilly absolutely love the taste of Nutrish dog food and treats. I love that it is made with healthy, natural ingredients. Rachel Ray created Nutrish Super Premium Food and Treats for dogs and cats working with a team of pet nutrition experts. The recipes which are inspired by tasty recipes from Rachael’s kitchen, contain no by-products, fillers, or junk ingredients. Plus Rachael’s proceeds help animals in need. Pretty awesome, right?
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I love all of your tips! Our dog is a spaz, so we can’t take him out with us 🙁
Our cat is an indoor cat. It’s so easy for her to slip out too, so we have to be extra cautious when opening our front door all night. These are great tips for pet owners!
It makes me ill to think that people would harm animals just because it’s a night of tricks. That’s really sad. These are great tips to make sure they’re properly cared for.
Our dog, Rio, doesn’t mind wearing costumes. We always make sure we’re watching him closely while he’s dressed up though!
Ohh, these are great tips! I wouldn’t have thought of even half of these and we have 2 dogs! Thank you for sharing.
Great tips! We always left my dog at home, he would not tolerate a costume haha, and he would DEFINITELY get into the chocolate if we left it anywhere in his reach!
Great tips! So smart to keep pets inside. For their safety and for the kids.
My dog goes crazy at Halloween. We try to get him into Doggie Daycare to ensure he enjoys himself.
Great tips, my kids want to bring our dog trick or treating so bad but he is insane so we usually leave him home.
These are all great tips. Just so everybody knows, dark chocolate is the worst for dogs and white chocolate is hardly toxic at all. The cocoa is what’s so dangerous.