(Radio Iowa) – Just like Fourth of July fireworks can stress out Iowans’ pets, Halloween can also be a night of horrors for our dogs and cats. Jessie Phillips, director of development at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, says to keep your animals calm during trick-or-treating, you will likely want to find a quiet place for them to camp out. “It really is best if they are kept in another room, maybe in the interior of the house, so they’re not seeing people come to the door, ringing the doorbell,” Phillips says. “Some pets prefer to be crated, if they’re crate trained, so in their safe space or maybe in a bedroom that is their safe space. Read your pet’s cues.”
It may look adorable to dress your dog in disguise for the spooky season, but Fido may think otherwise. “Not every pet loves to be dressed up in their Halloween costume,” Phillip says. “But regardless, any costume that you do put on your pet, they should be able to move freely, it shouldn’t restrict them. Make sure that their eyes aren’t covered and that they can see clearly. That can be really stressful for pets if their vision is blocked in any way.” Whether your dog will be staying home or accompanying you while trick-or-treating, it’s always important that there be an I-D tag on their collar, as they might manage to dart off.
“Making sure that their tags are updated, that the number on the tag is up to date,” Phillips says. “We get new cell phone numbers or move addresses, so always make sure that information is up to date. And then microchipping is a great way to make sure that if your pet does happen to get loose or get out, that your pet will be returned safely.”
Bowls and bags of Halloween candy should be kept in a cabinet and away from pets, as Phillips says chocolate and other sweets can be dangerous — and even deadly — to a pet.
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