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When celebrating Halloween be sure to include your pets.
The National Retail Federation reports that 7.4 million families will buy costumes for their pets for this year’s Halloween celebrations.
Pets, both dogs and cats, love to celebrate the holidays with their owners. Halloween can be a dangerous holiday for pets, so enjoy the day but keep your pet safe with these tips.
Halloween pet facts
Make sure pets have tags with the owner’s contact information on their collars. All the excitement of the holiday can cause pets to get excited or scared and get separated from their owners.
Do not take pets trick or treating. They are most likely to be lost during this time. Keep pets in an enclosed area when trick-or-treaters come to the door. A frightened cat or dog could easily escape out the door.
What happens to black cats on Halloween
All cats should be kept indoors during October and for a couple of weeks of November. Keeping them indoors will keep them safe from being stolen and harmed.
Halloween safety tip for pets
Keep all candy safely secured where pets cannot reach it. Chocolate is toxic to both dogs and cats. Even candy wrappers, especially aluminum foil, are often swallowed by pets so place them in waste receptacles which pets cannot open.
Keep pets away from lighted candles, jack-o-lanterns, and other fire hazards. The pet could be severely burned and even set a home on fire.
If pets are in costumes never leave them alone. Make sure they can breathe comfortably and see well too. Some pets will chew on the outfit and get sick from ingesting it. Elastic or ties can be uncomfortable or even choke a pet.
Have fun with your pet during Halloween and remember safety for pets comes first.
Author Marilyn Pokorney
Copyright Marilyn Pokorney 2019
