Halloween can be a fun and tasty holiday for people—but not so much for our pets. Door knocks, doorbell rings, people in strange costumes and lots of unusual activity and noise can put pets on edge or overexcite them. Here are some ideas for keeping your cat or dog safe and serene on Halloween.

• Put your dog or cat in a quiet place away from the front door. This will help prevent them from getting worked up.
   
• Keep candy and other treats out of paw’s reach! Chocolate and the sweetener xylitol—often found in gum and peanut butter—can be very toxic to dogs and cats. Kids should also be reminded not to feed candy to pets.
   
• If you’re putting your pet in costume, make sure they feel comfortable in it before taking them out. If the costume has bells, noisemakers or strings they can scare your pet or pose a choking hazard.
   
• Keep your pet indoors on Halloween night! This is especially important for black cats, who can be targeted during the holiday. Also, make sure your pets are microchipped or have a collar with current identification in case they get scared and run off.

If you’d like to schedule an appointment to get your pet microchipped or have further questions about Halloween safety, give us a call at 908-312-4228.