Trick-or-Treat Safety for Oregonian Pets

Halloween is fun scary for us humans, but it can be SCARY scary for pets.
Fortunately, it’s easy to keep your pet safe and relaxed in your Hillsboro home if you take a few simple precautions

Costumes
Make sure your pet is comfortable and can breathe freely. Pets should only wear costumes when you are able to supervise your pet; pets trying to remove their costume may ingest small parts and torn fabric which can cause dangerous digestive blockages.

Candy
Chocolate, raisins and some nuts are toxic. Xylitol can be deadly, even in very small amounts. Wrappers, lollipop sticks and the like can cause a digestive blockage. Keep both the candy you’re giving out and your kids’ haul out of your pet’s reach!

Decorations
Use flameless candles, and keep decorations like light strings, spiderwebs, glitter and costume accessories away – these can be toxic or cause intestinal blockage if ingested.

Trick-or-treaters
It’s best to keep pets safe at home! Even social dogs can be frightened by crowds of people in scary outfits. At home, keep your pet in a safe, calm area away from trick-or-treaters because strangers and doorbells can frighten pets, leading to escape.

Leash/ID
It’s an unfortunate reality that many pets get loose and lost on Halloween. If you must take your dog out, keep your leash secure. All pets, even indoor pets, need ID in case of escape – a secure collar and/or microchip ID.