Make Halloween safe & not-so-scary for pets!

​Trick-or-treating —going door to door in costume and asking for a treat —has been a tradition in the United States and other countries for more than a century.

Kids love it as do many adults who get into the spirit of Halloween by decorating their house and dressing in costume to hand out treats.  
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However, some family members may find it stressful rather than fun-filled: that is, the four-legged ones! 

​The constant ringing of the door-bell, laughter and noisemakers can make your pet very nervous.

Here are a few tips on how to make Halloween safer and less scary for your pets: 

• Keep pets indoors in a crate or a quiet room to cut down on their anxiety.  Never leave them outside on Halloween night. Just like the 4th of July, when you protect your pets from the noise of fireworks, you need to protect them from the additional activity in the neighborhood as “Trick or Treaters” crowd the streets.
• Make sure your pets have ID tags or are microchipped in case they wander off. 
• Make sure that candle lit Jack-O-Lanterns and halloween treats and candies are out of your pet’s reach. Sugar is not good for your dog and we all know the dangers of chocolate which can be fatal. 
• Cats are especially vulnerable at Halloween.  It is unfortunate, but they are often the victim of wicked pranks, especially black cats. Just make sure that your cats are safe inside.   
• If your dog is high strung and people coming to the door make him more so, you might consider setting a time, perhaps an hour of the evening, to welcome the kids and then turn your porch light off to indicate that you are not participating in Trick or Treating. 
• If trick-or-treating with your pet, keep them on a leash or in a crate. 
• Use pet-safe Halloween costumes for yourself and your pet if you're dressing them up (i.e. no choking hazards) !  

Have a safe and fun Halloween for the entire family, including four-legged family members!  

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Shelia Huffman, Contributor/MHC Board 
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Shelia recently moved to the Greenwood community of Midland from Dallas where she was a staff writer for White Rock Lake Weekly and a columnist for Bubblelife Media.  A retired travel agent and event planner, she has  been an animal activist her entire life.  Shelia  has a daughter and son-in-law in Midland, a grandson in Dallas and a granddaughter at Texas Tech. She lists cooking and writing about food, and,  of course, playing with her Terrier Mix rescue, Penelope, as some of her favorite things.