Halloween Pet Safety

[IceyBlueSibes]

The ASPCA offers these common-sense cautions to keep your pets safe and sound during this time of the year:


All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room during peak trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers in unusual garb can be scary and stressful for pets.

When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that Max or Mittens doesn't dart outside. Make sure all your pets are wearing current identification, just in case.

No sweets for the sweet: Keep all Halloween candy out of your pet's reach. Chocolate can be poisonous to animals, and tinfoil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed.

It's not a bright idea to keep lit pumpkins around companion animals. Pets can knock them over, and curious kittens in particular run the risk of being burned.

Don't leave your pet in the yard on Halloween. There have been reports of vicious pranksters who have teased, injured, stolen and even killed pets on this night.

Although the ASPCA recommends that cats remain indoors at all times, it is especially important to keep your feline inside for several days before and after Halloween. Black cats in particular may be at risk from children's pranks or other cruelty-related incidents. As a safety precaution, many shelters will not adopt out black cats around Halloween.

Don't dress up your dog or cat unless you know she loves it. If you decide to do so, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe, and doesn't restrict her movement, vision, hearing or ability to breathe or bark. Avoid costumes with small or dangling accessories that she could chew off and possibly choke on. And please supervise pets in costume at ALL times.

[ChiChi]

that is good that you put that there! i have to get my next door neighbors to put their cat inky (all black) in the house...

[IceyBlueSibes]

That would be a good idea! Be sure to let them know kids will play pranks on their kitty if they see him/her!

[sheltiepups]

Thanks for posting this! it's great.. thank you!

[IceyBlueSibes]

Your welcome!

[fireworksinjuly]

I had a question...regarding pumpkins and dogs...are they poisonus or anything...the seeds?

I was making home made punkin pie and Kino got into the Garbage while I was cleaning them out and ate some, I stopped him but just wanted to make sure its not gonna hurt him.

[IceyBlueSibes]

I wouldn't think so, unless your dog has an allergic reaction them them, but I doubt it. I could be wrong though ?

[fireworksinjuly]

not many normal fruits are bad for dogs, so I wouldnt think so either, but I wanted to check...

[Rip's Girl]

Hmm.. I should have thought about that .. Darnit..

For Halloween, I borrowed a little 'dog suit' from my friend (who has every dog outfit imaginable) and I've taught him to pull on a rope, which will open the door, while he's wearing his suit.. That would have been the greatest thing for trick-or-treaters, but I wouldn't want him to bite anyone if a kid reached for him and scared him.

Thanks for sharing that.

[flyndog]

[quote=fireworksinjuly]I had a question...regarding pumpkins and dogs...are they poisonus or anything...the seeds?

No, pumpkin is sometimes recommended as a supplement for dogs who have a copraphagia problem.