Halloween comes every year complete with ghosts, goblins, parties, and bags full of treats to tempt both people and pups. While fun for those who celebrate, it can be both a scary and even dangerous holiday for our dogs.
In the spirit of having fun while keeping our best friends safe, I thought that perhaps a few pointers from the ASPCA might be helpful..
Halloween Safety tips excerpted from the ASPCA
1. No tricks, no treats: That bowl of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy.
Chocolate in all forms–especially dark or baking chocolate–can be very dangerous for dogs…. Candies containing xylitol can also cause problems. If your dog has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888)426-4435.
2.Pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, but they can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.
3. Wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach of your (dogs). If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.
4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire.
5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up. Please don’t put your dog in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it as……wearing a costume may cause undue stress.
6.Make sure the costume isn’t annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal’s movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark…try on costumes before the big night. If (Fido) seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or donning a festive bandana.
7.Take a closer look at the costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.
8. All but the most social dogs should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful.
9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your
…. dog doesn’t dart outside.
10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver, increasing the chances that he or she will be returned to you “END ASCPA.ORG