Halloween Can Be Scary for Pets. Here’s How to Keep Them Safe
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Halloween might be a favorite night for families, but for our four-legged friends, it often brings more tricks than treats. Between tempting candy, loud doorbells, excited trick-or-treaters, and unfamiliar decorations, the holiday can be overwhelming and even dangerous for many dogs and cats. It’s also a time when cats in particular should be kept safely indoors and supervised to prevent escapes, fright, or accidental injuries around seasonal décor.
Nicole Ellis, a certified professional dog trainer with Rover, has seen firsthand how easily pets can get into trouble on Halloween. Many pet owners assume their pets “would never” steal candy or bolt through an open door, but the unusual excitement of the night changes the rules. “I’ve had many clients who say their dogs never get into stuff, and they still get into Halloween candy,” she explains. “The chaos of the night just makes everything more tempting and more unpredictable.”
Rover’s Halloween report backs this up: 45% of pet parents admit their pets have gotten into candy or décor at some point. Drawing on Ellis’s expertise , here are Halloween safety tips to keep pets calm and comfortable when spooky season arrives.
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Keep Candy and Hazards Out of Your Pet’s Reach
Candy is the number-one Halloween hazard. Dark chocolate tops the list, but sugar-free Halloween treats containing xylitol (birch sugar) can be equally dangerous, and even candy wrappers can cause choking or intestinal blockages. Trick-or-treat bags should be kept well out of reach as soon as the family returns home—especially in households with children who might leave their haul on the floor or couch.
Dangerous Halloween decorations can pose their own risks. Lit candles are fire hazards, fake cobwebs can entangle curious cats, and loose electrical cords are tempting to chew. Even “non-toxic” decorations can cause intestinal trouble if swallowed. Glow sticks are another often-overlooked hazard: the liquid inside can irritate a pet’s mouth and cause drooling if punctured.
Pumpkin seeds and stems from carved jack-o’-lanterns should also be kept away from pets to prevent stomach upset. When choosing décor or treats for the season, it’s wise to stick with pet-safe options. If a pet ingests something potentially toxic, contacting a veterinarian right away is the safest move.
Reduce Doorway Anxiety and Escape Risks
Halloween’s constant doorbell ringing can overwhelm even well-socialized pets, and all that opening and closing creates easy escape opportunities. Setting up an enclosed, quiet room, room away from the front door—stocked with a cozy bed and calming background noise—can give pets a safe retreat during peak trick-or-treating hours. Interior doors or baby gates help make the space truly off-limits to strangers.
Ellis emphasizes the value of practicing in advance to prepare pets for the unique chaos of Halloween. “I like to practice opening and closing the door with my dogs on leash so they learn to stay by my side,” she says. She uses a training platform by the door, teaching them to sit and stay each time it opens. “We don’t think about rehearsing because it’s not part of our daily routine, but preparing ahead of time can make a huge difference.”
Some families find that handing out candy from the porch or driveway can reduce doorbell noise entirely. Keeping pets secure in a separate room also minimizes the risk of startled animals reacting defensively in crowded entryways. And because even the best-trained pets can get spooked, ensuring that identification tags are secure and microchip information is up to date is essential to prevent a lost pet scenario.
Choose Costumes with Comfort in Mind
Pet Halloween costumes can be fun, but they should never compromise comfort or safety. First and foremost they should fit properly. Ill-fitting outfits can obstruct vision, restrict movement, or lead to chewing and ingestion of loose pieces. Introducing pet costumes slowly in the days leading up to Halloween—letting pets wear them for short periods and watching for signs of discomfort—helps set them up for success. A simple festive bandana can be a great low-stress alternative for pets who don’t enjoy dressing up.
Know When to Leave Pets at Home
Not every dog enjoys trick-or-treating. Age, stamina, and temperament all factor into whether they’ll find it fun or frightening. Senior dogs or those unused to noisy, costumed crowds often do best at home in their quiet space or with a trusted sitter.
For dogs that do join, high-value treats are essential for reinforcing good behavior and trading if they pick up something unsafe. Practicing walks around kids in costumes ahead of time can help desensitize them to what they’ll encounter on the night.
Prepare for Emergencies and Practice Key Commands
Even with planning, accidents happen. “If your pet ingests something dangerous, time is of the essence,” Ellis says. Keep your veterinarian’s number and the Pet Poison Control Center handy. Call your veterinarian immediately if your pet eats chocolate, xylitol, or anything questionable.
It’s also important not to hesitate out of embarrassment if your pet manages to get into something. Even experienced owners find themselves in this situation, and emergency veterinarians are there to help, not judge, assures Ellis. Acting quickly rather than waiting can make a critical difference in the outcome.
Ellis emphasizes that training simple commands like “leave it” and “drop it” before Halloween can prevent bigger problems. “If they do pick up something, and it’s a candy still in its wrapper, maybe we can get that ‘drop it’ and really reinforce it,” she explains. Carrying especially enticing treats during Halloween walks makes this easier: “It has to be something tastier than what they picked up. You’re not going to win with a carrot.”
Rehearsing these skills ahead of time gives pets a better chance of handling Halloween night calmly.
Setting Pets Up for Success
Halloween only comes once a year, but a little preparation goes a long way. From safe spaces and thoughtful décor to costume comfort, command practice, and ID precautions, small steps can prevent big problems. As Ellis puts it, “Whether it’s costumes, doorbells, or candy, the key is knowing your pet and setting them up for successful Halloween fun.”
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