Halloween is for watching spooky films, dressing up, and snacking on sweet treats – and many of us will want to get our pets involved. There are a few things to keep in mind when including our four-legged friends in the festivities, though. 

PDSA Vet Nurse, Nina Downing, explains: “Many of us love celebrating the spookier things in life by throwing parties, going trick-or-treating, or decorating the house. But there are some things that could be a danger to our pets that you may not have considered before. 

 So, here is our guide on how to have a safe and happy Halloween with your pets."

  • Should I dress my pet up this Halloween? One of the best parts of Halloween is dressing up, and a lot of people like to get the whole family involved – including the pets. So, you may be wondering if it is it ok to dress up my pet? It may be tempting to have a matching costume with your pet, but Halloween costumes for pets do more harm than good to our furry friends.   
  • The likelihood is your pet just won’t like it! It’s important to remember that pet Halloween costumes are for our enjoyment, and that pets would never wear them if given the choice. In fact, costumes can cause harm to the pet wearing them. Some outfits can just be uncomfortable, but others may stop your pet from doing their normal and essential behaviours, such as going to the toilet, grooming themselves, and controlling their body temperature.   
  • What are the dangers of dressing a pet up? Dressing your pet up over Halloween can also stop them from displaying important body language signals to other people and animals. This can put pets at risk of not being understood by others, which can result in conflict, fear or injury. 
  • Our pet dress up advice applies to all occasions, not just Halloween. Everything considered, we advise not dressing your pets up for Halloween, or any time of year. The only exceptions here are for practical reasons, such as keeping them warm or safe in the dark. If you do want your pets to follow a Halloween theme, we suggest picking up themed collars or leads for your dog, or some Halloween-themed beds and pet safe toys for your cats and small pets. 

Any other advice to ensure a happy Halloween for our furry friends?  

  • Make sure your home is Halloween pet safe. Just like Christmas and Easter, you must be extra vigilant at Halloween when it comes to pets and eating things that they shouldn’t. All the sweets, costumes, and decorations lying around, as well as lots of people coming and going, can potentially increase the chances of your pets getting their paws on something harmful. If your pet eats something they shouldn’t, you should contact your vet right away as it could be poisonous or cause a blockage – both can be fatal if left untreated. Also, with all of the coming and goings, scary people at the door pets can get frightened and panicked, so are at risk of running away.  Make sure pets are kept inside where they are safe and that dogs are wearing a collar and ID tag and that microchip details for both dogs and cats are kept up to date in case they get out and lost. 
  • Can they eat sweets?  You should never give your pets any sweets as they may include the sweetener xylitol (aka birch sugar). Xylitol is extremely dangerous for pets if they eat it and can very quickly become life threatening. If you think your pets may have eaten Xylitol or birch sugar, don’t wait for symptoms to appear and seek help from your vet right away.  
  • Remember that chocolate can be poisonous. We must not forget to mention the more widely recognised risk around chocolate poisoning – again, if eaten in toxic amounts, pets will need swift veterinary treatment. This doesn’t mean that your pets can’t have their own Halloween treat though! Read on to find out some pet-safe treats you can make for your four-legged friends.   
  • Give your pets somewhere to rest during Halloween. Things can become hectic at home during Halloween. It can be especially stressful and overwhelming for cats and dogs at Halloween with all the parties, excited children, strange creatures wandering around (people dressed up in costume) and knocking at the door throughout the evening and into the night. One way to limit the number of visitors you get on Halloween night is to leave a bowl of sweets outside for trick-or-treaters, with a note for them to help themselves – just make sure it’s out of reach from other neighbourhood pets.  

Nina said: “You can also help your pet during a potentially difficult time by giving them somewhere quiet to retreat to when it gets too much.

"We suggest a calm room that’s away from all the activity, which may block out some of the noise.

"Plug in a pheromone diffuser, play some soft music and leave them with some pet safe toys, water and treats to help them get through the evening.

"If space is an issue, you could instead create a safe space for them by making a den for your pet. If your pet is particularly anxious at this time of year, we suggest staying in to comfort them rather than leaving them alone.”