10/31/2026
Happy Halloween 🎃 👻
Keep your pets safe on Halloween by securing toxic treats away, keeping them indoors during trick-or-treating hours, and avoiding stressful costumes.
Candy and Food Safety
• Hide all sweets: Store candy in high cabinets or locked pantries. Dogs have a strong sense of smell and can sniff out hidden stashes.
• Watch out for chocolate and xylitol: Chocolate (especially dark or baking chocolate) and the artificial sweetener xylitol (found in sugar-free gum and candy) are toxic to cats and dogs. Raisins can also cause kidney failure.
• Throw away wrappers: Cellophane, foil, lollipop sticks, and treat bags cause choking or dangerous intestinal blockages if swallowed.
• Keep emergency numbers ready: Save the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center hotline at 888-426-4435 or contact your veterinarian immediately if your pet ingests something harmful.
Doorbell and Crowd Stress
• Create a quiet zone: Put your pets in a comfortable, separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours.
• Play background noise: Turn on a TV, play soft music, or use calming pheromone diffusers or vests to block out doorbell ringing and screaming crowds.
• Leave pets at home: Do not take your dog trick-or-treating with you. Costumes, masks, and loud groups can frighten even social pets and lead to bolting or biting.
• Update identification: Ensure your pets wear an up-to-date ID tag and have a registered microchip in case they dash out an open door.
Costume Safety
• Skip the costume if they hate it: Only dress up your pet if they genuinely enjoy it; otherwise, opt for a festive bandana or holiday collar.
• Check the fit: Ensure the outfit does not restrict breathing, barking, meowing, hearing, vision, or movement.
• Avoid choking hazards: Remove small dangling pieces, buttons, or plastic accessories that your pet could chew off and swallow. Never leave a costumed pet unsupervised.
Decorations and Open Flames
• Ditch real candles: Keep lit candles and carved jack-o'-lanterns out of reach. Pets can easily knock them over and start a fire. Use battery-powered flameless candles instead.
• Secure cords and glow sticks: Keep electrical cords out of paw's reach so pets won't chew them. Avoid leaving glow sticks around, as biting into them causes intense drooling and stomach irritation.
• Watch out for cobwebs and potpourri: Fake spiderwebs and potpourri can also pose choking or toxicity risks.
