Oct 24 2009
Pet Safety Tips for Halloween
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Unlike their owners, cats and dogs don’t always enjoy the fun spirit of Halloween. While we humans tend to get excited and go romping out into the neighborhood, frolicking through fallen leaves, ringing doorbells and bringing home the rewards of our labor in the form of sweet treats, many of our animal companions find this time quite stressful.
Your pet does not realize the costumes and sounds are make-believe and the people behind those get ups are just that…people. You may find that your animal will panic when you answer the door for trick-or-treaters or when you dress up in your Halloween costume.
Keeping Your Easily Agitated Pets Safe from Harm
If you’re hosting a party in your home or invite trick-or-treaters to your door, one of the best ways to keep Fido (and those who are visiting) safe is to remove him from the situation completely. You can kennel your animal somewhere else for the night or put them in a room that’s off limits to guests. If your cat or dog is normally skittish around people, it’s best to keep them away from all the commotion on Halloween.
While many animals will freak out from all the holiday hoopla, there are some who love it just as much, if not more than you do. Here are some tips to allow your people loving, socialite pet to get involved in the festivities in a safe way.
Let them enjoy your visitors – from a distance.
You may find that your pet is not bothered by the costumes at all. Maybe your puppy or kitty likes to go to the door and welcome your guests. If this is the case, make sure he or she does not dart out the door while you’re handing out treats. Try leashing your animal within a safe distance from the door so they can enjoy the guests while remaining safe inside.
This will also help the children who like to see the animals but don’t want to touch them or be close to them. Because animals scare some children while others get very excited and want to run toward them and be the aggressor, a leashed animal will help you stay in control of the situation and allow both the children and your pet to enjoy the experience.
Both our dogs are super friendly, but we keep them leashed when it’s time for trick or treaters to come around. It keeps them from getting too excited and either jumping on or heaven forbid happy tinkling on a little visitor. Unfortunately, we don’t get many trick-or-treat visitors in this new place. We’re actually considering skipping trick-or-treat and going to the movies on Halloween instead this year.
Candy and Pets Don’t Mix
If you have children who will be trick-or-treating, you’ll have to pay careful attention to your pets once you return home for the night with the kids’ treats. While sorting and eating the goodies from the evening, make certain that all candy, especially chocolate, is out of the cat or dog’s reach. Chocolate, even in the tiniest amounts, can be deadly to animals. Refrain from letting your little ones dump their trick-or-treat bags and buckets on the floor to sort their candy. Instead, head to the dining room table or a counter to pick through the yummy treats.
You Know Your Pet Better Than Anyone
As the “parent” to your pet, you know his or her temperament better than anyone else. If this is your first Halloween with a pet, don’t be surprised if he or she doesn’t find the day as pleasurable as the other members of the family. Keep these simple, yet often overlooked safety tips in mind this year. By taking simple precautions beforehand to prepare for the night, you can ensure everyone in the family and all your guests have a healthy and safe Halloween.
Do you stress out getting ready for Halloween? Do you want your house to be the most fun on the entire block this Halloween? Get ready for an easy Halloween party planning and treat making solution!
This recipe booklet is crammed full of 35 fun easy Halloween recipes for you and your family to make your Halloween party the spookiest most fun on the block without breaking your budget.
Even if you’re not having a Halloween party, you can still make great use of the fun Halloween recipes in thise recipe booklet to make your night special. Add a ghost story or two and you’re all set for the perfect October 31st with your family.
Easy step by step directions for each recipe! If I can make these treats, anyone can make them.
Keep it Simple Spooky!
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If you have a black cat, like we do, then you should also take special care to keep them indoors on Halloween. While there’s probably not a lot of danger for the average cat, it is really the one day that poses an almost institutionalized risk for black cats.
Of course, we plan to keep our orange cats safely locked up inside on Halloween as well, but our main concern is for our adorable, lovable black cat, who would not think twice about going up to Halloween costumers and checking them out.
These are some good tips. People forget that Halloween can be a scary time for their pets. Plus they make the mistake of sharing their candy with their pets.
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Great tips for pet owners. May I also say please don’t dress up your pets for Halloween especially if you notice that they don’t enjoy being garbed in them.