Commentary by Michael Graves
Lights and decorations, costumes and masks, a constant parade of strangers at the door — Halloween can be a downright spooky experience for our pets. All the hype can be stressful, so you can minimize noise and distractions by sitting outside to keep the trick-or-treaters from coming to the door. If you do plan to get your pet involved in the festivities, here are some tips to prevent Halloween hazards.
Halloween candy
Don’t feed Halloween candy to your pets. Ingesting candy containing chocolate or xylitol (a common sugar substitute found in sugar-free candies and gum) can be toxic for our furry family members.
Decoration dangers
Keep lit candles, jack-o-lanterns and other decorations out of your pet’s reach, including glow sticks and glow jewelry. Although the liquid in these products isn’t likely toxic, it can make pets salivate excessively and act strangely. Watch out for candy wrappers and plastic packaging, too!
Pet costumes
If you plan to put a costume on your pet, make sure it fits properly, doesn’t have any pieces that can easily be chewed off, and doesn’t interfere with your pet’s sight, hearing, breathing or moving. Also, take time to get your pet accustomed to the costume before Halloween.
Finally, in case of a ghoulish getaway, make sure your pet is properly identified with a registered microchip, collar and ID tag.
