MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Halloween is upon us, and while this spooky holiday is fun for families, but keeping your pets safe doesn’t have to be tricky.
Here are some simple, common sense precautions from Broward County Animal Care to keep your pet happy, healthy, and safe for your four-legged family member.
KEEP YOUR PET AT HOME
Preferably in a safe, quiet room surrounded by his or her favorite bed and toys during Halloween festivities. Do not take them out to trick-or-treat and do not leave them outside in the yard or patio while children are going from house to house.
KEEP PETS AWAY FROM THE DOOR
During trick-or-treating hours pets can easily slip through the door when it’s opened to hand out candy. In addition, dogs may bite children out of fear or nervousness.
WATCH THE CANDY DISH
Do not feed your pet any candy — especially chocolate. Pets have a keen sense of smell, so be sure candy is safely placed away from your pet. As a reminder, foods such as chocolate, grapes and raisins can make your pet sick. In addition, sugar-free candy might even be worse, because it contains xylitol, a common sugar substitute that is toxic to dogs, even in small amounts. Because of these dangers, bags or bowls of candy should always be out of reach from pets, and children should be taught never to share their treats. If you suspect your pet has ingested something harmful, contact your veterinarian right away.
ID YOUR PET
Make sure that your dog or cat is wearing their Broward County pet registration license tag on their collar. This will help ensure that your pet will be returned to you if he/she does get lost. If your pet has a microchip, be sure the chip is registered to your current contact information. Microchip numbers – no matter the make and manufacturer – can be registered for free at www.found.org
BEWARE OF COSTUME HAZARDS
Your dog or cat may look very cute, but be wary of pet costumes that use rubber bands to hold it in place. If you mistakenly leave rubber bands on your pet after the costume comes off, the band can burrow into the animal’s skin and cause infection. In addition, the pet may swallow the elastic, which can result in intestinal problems.
WATCH THE DECORATIONS
While a carved jack-o-lantern certainly is festive, pets can easily knock over a lit pumpkin and start a fire. Curious kittens are especially at risk of getting burned or singed by candle flame.
KEEP GLOW STICKS AWAY FROM PETS
While glow sticks can help keep people safe on Halloween night, they can add some unwanted drama to the holiday if a pet chews one open. The good news is that the liquid inside glow sticks is non-toxic but it tastes horrible. Pets who get into a glow stick may drool, paw at their mouth, become agitated, and sometimes even vomit. If your pet does chew on a glow stick, give it fresh water or a small meal to help clear the material out of the mouth.