AC Pup offers some Halloween safety tips for pets

It’s almost Halloween or in pet vocabulary, Howloween. It’s such a fun time of year with costumes and candy everywhere.

But I won’t be having candy and I won’t be going out. My parents understand that, even though this is a festive time, it’s important to take precautions to make sure I’m safe. It happens every year on every holiday.

That’s why I don’t go out trick or treating on Halloween night and my parents keep me secure inside while the doorbell rings repeatedly. You may want to consider some of the same precautions for your fur babies to make sure they stay safe, too.

Ghosts and goblins intended to look scary may actually be frightening to your pet. They don’t understand why so many masked or creepy creatures are heading their way. That’s why I would urge you not to take your pet out to trick or treat. The chance they may be spooked and escape is too great.

So please plan to keep your pets at home. Even then, please take extra care to prevent stress and opportunities to bolt out of the house. To avoid the terrifying experience of seeing the trick or treaters put your pet in an enclosed room away from an exterior door.

Since the exterior door will be opened frequently please make sure your pet cannot escape from his enclosed room. Pets may do unpredictable things when they’re scared so keep them safely tucked away from the evening’s activities.

Even though you’re going to keep your pet confined, make sure he has on a legible ID tag in case he does escape. If you’re pet has been wearing an ID tag for quite a while, actually take a look at the engraving on it to make sure it hasn’t worn off and you can read the information.

Take special measures to protect your pet if you have a black cat or a dog in a fenced yard. I wish I could tell you everyone in the world loves animals and would not hurt them but that’s just not the case.

Black cats are historically targeted for abuse in the days leading up to Halloween and even for a few days after it’s over. Dogs confined in a fenced yard or on a chain, which you should never do anyway, are also at risk on Halloween. Malicious people have been known to inflict torture on animals who can’t escape.

One of the biggest threats to pets during Halloween is candy. Just to be safe, keep all candy out of reach of your pet. Please monitor your children to make sure they don’t share their candy with pets.

Chocolate is especially dangerous to pets and can even be fatal. Make sure the candy bowl by the door is not within reach of a curious pet too. Pets can be very resourceful and will figure out a way to get to the candy the minute you turn your head.

Chocolate is not the only danger either. Xylitol, a sweetener found in chewing gum can be a terrible hazard as well. Just keep all treats away from your pet to be safe.

Halloween can be fun and the treats are yummy. But this is one holiday in which your pets do not need to participate. Stay safe.

This story was originally published October 28, 2016 at 5:23 PM with the headline "AC Pup offers some Halloween safety tips for pets."