Halloween dangers for pets – what are they? How can you avoid a tricky situation and keep your pet calm? We are here to help.

Although Halloween is a fun time of year, we must put ourselves in the paws of our pets to take a look at how they might perceive Halloween. When we think about Halloween, what do you think of? What does your pet think at the same time?

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Tip 1 in our Halloween dangers for pets – Trick ‘O’ Treaters

Situation: You hear a knock on the door from Trick ‘O’ Treaters. The door knock has intrigued your pet.

Your thoughts vs your pets:

Human: Trick ‘O’ treaters – Children dressed in spooky outfits looking for sweets

Pet: Someone is at the door. My owner is going to the door. Is this safe? Do I need to intervene?

Halloween dangers for pets: Your dog may see someone innocently in costume at the door, but see this as a threat. Your cat may get a fright and bolt out the door.

Solution: When you put this situation as simple as a thought trail you can see why your pet may have concerns. Locking your dog or cat in a safe space while you answer the door is the easiest solution here.

Tip 2 in our Halloween dangers for pets – Chocolate and sweets

Situation: You have stockpiled sweets and chocolate for the incoming Trick ‘O’ Treaters. Wrappers and smells will make your pet curious.

Your thoughts vs your pets:

Human: I’ll leave the treats by the front door as it will be easier to access them.

Pet: What is that smell? Why can’t I have one? How come those little folk in fancy dress get one and I don’t?

Halloween dangers for pets: Chocolate contains Theobromine which is toxic to pets. Even a small quantity can be harmful and may require veterinary intervention. Sweets contain Xylitol which is also toxic to pets and again will require veterinary care.

Pets have an incredible sense of smell and are naturally curious, so if you combine their instincts with a delicious treat like sweets then they can find themselves in a tricky situation.

Solution: Ensure all chocolate and sweets are kept out of reach of your pet, in particular dogs. Height, or a kitchen work top is advisable!

Tip 3 in our Halloween dangers for pets – Carved pumpkins

Situation: You have carved your pumpkin, and now the spooky glow sets the scene in your window, hallway or front door.

Your thoughts vs your pets:

Human: I want to set the Halloween scene so my pumpkin will be centre piece to my decorations.

Pet: That smells good, it looks funny, what is it. Maybe I’ll just poke my face in their for a closer look.

Halloween dangers for pets: Fire! This is a danger for both your pet and yourself. A pumpkin is a staple of any Halloween celebration, but it is also a curious item to a pet. They will only see this once a year, so it is a new smell, shape and they will wonder why you spent so long with this thing in front of them.

A lit pumpkin will have a flickering candle, which is a huge temptation to cats! Dogs are more likely to wonder if it is something they can eat, or play with. Either way, the risk of a curious nudge means your pet may find themselves with a burn, or knocking a candle over which is a huge fire risk.

Solution: Make sure your pet cannot reach your pumpkin, or if they are too curious, consider using a battery tealight.

We don’t want to appear as fun sponges or overly serious, as we love Halloween too, but these are tips in relation to cases we have seen, and do see every year. Many situations are innocent and can happen to anyone, but we always give danger warnings so you can enjoy an event and not need veterinary care!

That concludes our top 3 tips to keep your pet safe this Halloween.

For more information we have compiled a few specific tips for dogs, cats and rabbits.