Happy October!
It’s hard to believe but Halloween is just around the corner! Soon the streets will be flooded with little ghouls and goblins looking to fill bags full of sweet treats. Halloween is a great opportunity to meet your neighbours, admire some creative costumes and, of course, enjoy some sweet treats!
While Halloween is a fun time for people, it can be a scary time for pets! The strange visitors, ringing doorbell and unusual costumes may cause stress or even frighten a family pet. To make sure Halloween is fun for the whole family, Calgary Humane Society wants to remind you of a few safety tips for your pets!
- Keep candy out of reach of pets! Chocolate, artificial sweeteners and certain types of nuts are toxic to animals.
- Set up a safe space! Setting up a room with your pet’s favorite items in a quiet area of the house will help to block out some of the stressful aspects of the holiday.
- Leave Fido at home. Including the family pet on trick or treating may seem like fun, but strange costumes and fast moving children could cause your pooch a lot of stress.
- Put a sign on the door asking trick or treaters to knock. Many pets may react to the doorbell more than knocking.
- Be cautious with your costume, especially if your pet is easily frightened. Consider setting your pet up in a safe space before getting changed into your festive duds.
- Be careful with Fido’s costume. Keep dress-up sessions short and watch for signs that your pet is becoming annoyed with their costume. Most pets do not like costumes so if you must dress up your pet, consider snapping a few photos and removing the costume right away.
- Do not allow your cats to roam. A popular myth is that cats can fall victim to foul play on Halloween. While we have not seen that occur in Calgary, roaming cats can fall victim to the increased traffic or may become lost if they are frightened by all the little ghouls and goblins collecting candy.
- Looking for more tools to help a stressed out pet at Halloween? Contact our FREE behaviour helpline at 403-723-6019 to speak to one of our behaviour consultants about different products and strategies that may work for your pet.
From all of us at Calgary Humane Society, have a safe and happy Halloween!
