How To Keep Your Pet Safe On Halloween

LONG ISLAND, NY — While Halloween is a time of fun and memory-making for families, the day and night might prove more spooky than sensational for four-footed pets.

Pam Green, executive director of the Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton, shared the following tips:

1. Keep candy out of reach. In general, chocolate, especially dark, is harmful to pets, she said. Xylitol is a common ingredient in sugar-free candy and even a small amount can be fatal to animals, she said.

2. Decorations are fun to look at, but if they are ingested, they can cause serious health issues and emergency situations.

3. Halloween celebrations can cause anxiety and stress for pets. The best idea is to keep pets inside and separated from the constant door knocking by trick or treaters with a TV on to drown out any noise.

4. Make sure your pet has a collar, ID, and ideally a microchip for identification in case they accidentally escape and go missing.

5. Pet costumes may be cute and fun for humans to look but if your pet chews on them and ingests the pieces you are going to end up at the veterinary emergency room, Green said.

In addition, added the American Veterinary Medical Association, pets should not be fed Halloween treats because raisins can cause a pet’s kidneys to fail. Often, you won’t be able to tell what a treat or piece of candy contains just by looking at it. In addition, the association advised keeping glow sticks, batteries and other holiday items away from pets.

"When chewed, glow stick items can release liquid that tastes really bad and can make pets drool excessively or act strangely (though it isn’t likely to be harmful). Other costume parts and decorations might cause choking, internal injury, or illness," the page said.

If a pet does wear a costume, the AVMA said, make sure it fits properly and is comfortable, doesn't have pieces that can be chewed off easily or cause choking, and doesn't block your pet's sight, hearing, breathing, mouth, or movement.