Wear bright/reflective clothing. Carry a flashlight. Look both ways before crossing the street...and only cross at the corners. Never go trick-or-treating alone. Let your parents inspect your candy before eating any of it. We school our children about staying safe on Halloween every year. But what about your pets? They face certain dangers this time of year as well. Here are a few Halloween safety tips for your San Antonio pets.
Halloween Safety Tips for Your Furry Friends
Chocolate is toxic. Even a lick can make pets very sick. But they smell great and entice dogs to inspect them further. So, keep them out of reach at all times. And let the kids know that they can't slip a sweet treat to your pet either. Emphasize that feeding sugary treats to pets can do serious harm to a pet's tummy. They don't want to hurt Fluffy or Fido, right?- Many treats come in bright plastic, cellophane or foil wrappers. Lollipops and candied apples often include small sticks. Dogs and cats can choke on these. So, don't leave them lying around. Throw them away as soon as you're done with them.
- Loud noises frighten pets. This includes the constant doorbell ringing or knocking. Keep your pets in a calm, safe place away from the constant back-and-forth to the front door.
- Another one of my Halloween safety tips to keep in mind is to leave Fido at home when you go trick-or-treating. Add brightly colored costumes to a large crowd of children and even the calmest pet freaks out. Some costumes might even feel imposing, making your pet feel threatened. For their sake as well as yours and the community's, let your furry family members stay at home during this time.
- Is your pet more of an outdoor animal? You might want to bring them indoors for the night, especially if neighbor kids enjoy the "trick" portion as much as "treat" time on Halloween night.
- Keep decorations up and out of reach of all pets. The bright lights and noises tweak their curiosity. This could cause harm to them and your decorations. Better to put temptation out of reach.
- Finally, humans love to dress up. Pets? Not so much. The last of my Halloween safety tips for this year is to forget the cute costumes. Stores provide fun Halloween-themed treats for pets. You might want to pick some of these up instead so that they can still join your family in the holiday festivities.
LUX Move Up* by Christine Aldrete Banks, CRS, SRS, RSPS
www.StoneOakLiving.com
830-279-8678