5 Simple Tips for Keeping Your Pets Safe This Halloween

Halloween might be one of the best holidays of the year, but for our pets, it isn’t necessarily all that fun. If your four-legged family members get spooked easily, or tend to scavenge for stray sweets, this holiday can actually be extremely dangerous.

Here are some safety tips to help you get into the Halloween spirit and keep your dogs and cats safe.

1. Don’t overdo it with the costume.
2. Watch your candy.
3. Be careful with your Halloween decor.
4. Keep your pet in a secure, quiet location.
5. Make sure your pet’s microchip and identification tag information are up to date.

Don’t overdo it with the costume.

Despite pet costumes being adorable, some of them might put your furry friend in distress. When picking out a look for your animal, make sure not to cover their eyes, nose, or mouth. Avoid any possible choking hazards, such as buttons or necklaces. And above all, make sure the costume actually fits them so that they can still walk around normally and not feel constricted. And if wearing a silly costume is causing your pet stress, just take the whole thing off—their wellbeing is more important than a cute photo opportunity, anyway.

Watch your candy.

You may be able to bring your dog trick-or-treating or have them with you while you’re giving out candy to your neighbors, but you have to be careful they’re not consuming any of the sweets. Chocolate, macadamia nuts, raisins, and the artificial sweetener ​Xylitol can be deadly for dogs and cats. Candy wrappers can become choking hazards, so make sure to dispose of those properly.

If you do take your pet trick-or-treating, make sure to have a trusty leash on them, so if they get scared, they cannot escape (or dive into someone’s pillowcase full of candy) easily. And keep in mind that streets full of excited kids in strange costumes may be overstimulating for your dog, so it’s best to stay close to home until you're confident your pup can handle the situation.

Be careful with your Halloween decor.

Candy isn’t the only potentially dangerous thing your pet may try to snack on. Your spooky decor can cause issues as well. An excited dog may knock over a candle with their wagging tail or chew on a battery-operated flame. Glow sticks, fake cobwebs, artificial blood, and small items like rubber eyeballs and plastic spiders (potential choking hazards) should be carefully tended to as well.

Keep your pet in a secure, quiet location.

If your pets spook easily, especially at noises and strangers, keep them in a quiet area of your house, ideally away from the door. The sound of a constantly ringing doorbell and the fact that unknown people in costumes are seemingly trying to come into your home can create extreme stress for your furry friend. Make sure your animals have plenty of water, food, and toys available while they’re tucked away in a safe space.

Make sure your pet’s microchip and identification tag information are up to date.

If your animal does slip out and go missing, it’s important that anyone who finds them is able to contact you. Make sure their microchip and identification tag are up to date with your current address and contact information. You should also have a recent photo of your pet that you can share.

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A version of this story originally ran in 2018; it has been updated for 2024.