These pet safety tips for Halloween may be common sense, but pet owners don’t always think about them!

Are you a pet owner who is celebrating Halloween this year? Maybe you’re going trick-or-treat with your pet or giving out Halloween candy. Just keep these tips in mind so that you and your pet can have a safe and happy holiday.

#1 – Don’t Dress Your Pets Up If They Don’t Like It

Cat owners know this all too well. Dogs are far more tolerant of costumes than cats are, but they can still get stressed out. The best thing to do if you want to have your pet wear a Halloween costume is to start young. Kittens and puppies can grow up liking pet clothes, but it’s much harder to train an adult pet to tolerate it.

#2 – Watch For Door Dashers

Hosting a Halloween party may not be a good idea if you have door-dashing pets. Cats are quite sneaky and can get spirited away before you realize they’re gone. Dog owners need to beware too; dogs may not be as stealthy, but they can run fast just like cats.

#3 – Halloween Candy Is A No-No

This is one of the most important pet safety tips, as Halloween candy can be deadly to pets. Chocolate is toxic to cats and dogs. If they ingest enough, it can kill them. This is because of the amount of theobromine in chocolate. Even non-chocolate Halloween candy can be toxic to pets, so it’s best to keep it well out of their reach.

#4 – Keep Your Black Cat(s) Inside

I don’t understand people. How some still hold onto the superstition that black cats are cursed, or bad luck, I don’t know. This is why a lot of animal shelters don’t adopt out black cats in the weeks surrounding Halloween. Even if your black cat is an outdoor cat, it’s best to bring them in for the night to avoid them being harmed or killed.

#5 – Only Take The Most Tolerant Of Pets Trick-or-Treating

If your pet is even the slightest bit uncomfortable about trick-or-treating, don’t take them out on Halloween. You may think it’s cute to parade your little darling up and down the street in costume, but to your pet, it’s terrifying. There’s also the possibility of someone harming your pet, either accidentally or on purpose. People are nuts.

Do you have any common sense pet safety tips for Halloween that you’d like to add? Let us know in the comments! Don’t forget to follow our Safety Tips For Cat Owners Pinterest board for more tips!

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