It’s a night that your kids wildly anticipate: free candy, spooky decorations and the chance to dress up like a Ninja. For your pets, it’s a night of being jolted repeatedly by the ring of the doorbell and scared silly by those strange beings just outside the door – yes, even this year.
A few precautions can lower stress levels for your whole family and help keep your dog or cat settled and safe. Take a look at these tips to help you and your pets courageously conquer a fear-provoking night:
1. Stash the Chocolate. There are a lot of candies and treats that pose serious dangers for your pet. Chocolate, raisins, sugarless gum and those shiny wrappers are tempting danger for pets.
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2. No-Glo. Glo sticks and glowing jewelry can be a great accessory for children, but endanger cats, in particular. Their curiosity may prompt them to bite a glow-stick open and release dubutyl phthalate. (We can’t pronounce that either!) This clear or yellow oily liquid can cause irritation to your pet’s skin or eyes. Watch for excessive drooling, gagging, or retching.
3. Masked Dangers. In the pictures, your pet totally rocks the look. However, before you start going door to door, please make sure that the costume doesn’t limit vision, movement, or breathing. Also look out for beads or any small part your pet could ingest.
4. A Bad Wrap. Candy-flavored wrappers may be too much temptation for your sniff-happy dog or your curious kitty. Once ingested, these wrappers can block the GI tract and cause all sorts of problems.
5. Burn Notice. Avoid placing real candles in jack-o-lanterns or in your decorations. One lightning-quick move by your cat or dog could accidentally start a fire.
6. Scary MakeUp. That make up you are wearing makes for a great costume, but it could contain ingredients harmful to a curious pet. Keep it far away from where your curious animals might wander.
7. A Valid ID. Are your pet’s tags up to date? Is she chipped? If your pet bolted and ran a few blocks from your house, updated tags and a microchip could ensure the return of a worried (or oblivious) wanderer.
Halloween doesn’t have to be a scary night for your pet or a headache for you. Take a few precautions for a fun, Fear Free holiday for you and your family.
Happy Halloween from everyone at Town N Country!
