Plano: Keep Your Pet Safe This Halloween!

Press release from the City of Plano:

October 20, 2020

Help your furry family member stay safe and comfortable this Halloween with these tips.

1. No tricks, no treats. Candy is for trick-or-treaters, not your pet. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also cause problems. If you do suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

2. Avoid popular Halloween plants. Pumpkins and decorative corn can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.

3. Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. Be careful with candles. Carved pumpkins lit by candles are festive. However, pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it. Wearing a costume may cause undue stress for those who don't love it.

6. Make sure your pet's costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, then a costume might not be a good idea.

7. Eliminate bling. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.

8. Create a quiet refuge for your pet. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. Brace yourself when opening the door for trick-or-treaters. Take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside in all the excitement.

10. Make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver, increasing the chance of your cat or dog being returned to you.

(source: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA))

This press release was produced by the City of Plano. The views expressed here are the author’s own.