Halloween may be the source of many fun celebrations, but for pets, the day can be particularly stressful.
To help your furry companion deal with fireworks, constant bell ringing and confusing costumes, the BC SPCA has several recommendations.
First of all, keep in mind that your pet may be disoriented and even display some out-of-character behaviour including jumping, biting, scratching or hiding.
To help keep your pet safe, consider keeping them indoors throughout the evening. This will give them fewer opportunities to confront trick-or-treaters or encounter fireworks and loud noises. Another option is to even keep them in a separate room with a radio or television on to hid Halloween sounds. Be sure to leave them with lots of toys so they don’t see their isolation as punishment!
Of course, be sure to keep the Halloween candy out of a curious pet’s reach. Chocolate is particularly dangerous for both dogs and cats as it contains theobromine which is toxic for them.
Putting your pet in a costume may seem like a fun idea, but costumes can actually inhibit your pet’s ability to communicate. This could lead to confusion and those previously mentioned out-of-character behaviours.
Even with the best intentions, pets may still get nervous and try to flee to a quieter place. It’s important, therefore, to ensure your pet’s identification is up to date. If you see “a dog at large,” the City of Richmond encourages Richmondites to contact [email protected] with the exact time and location where they were spotted.
#Halloween is fun, but it can be frightening to our four-legged friends. Please keep pets indoors tonight, especially in neighbourhoods w/ scheduled firework shows. If you see a dog at large in #RichmondBC tonight, please email [email protected] w/ time + exact location. pic.twitter.com/qZus3fuMs7
— City of Richmond (@Richmond_BC) October 31, 2018
