Printer-friendly version

Halloween can be a scary time for humans, so it shouldn't be surprising that our loveable fur friends might also be at least a little bit scared of all of the commotion and excitement of Halloween and Trick or Treating.

If you have a scared pet on Halloween, there are a few things you can do to help them get through the night.

Always keep your pet indoors when people are out trick or treating. There will not only be a bunch of strange people coming to your house, they'll be dressed up in costumes and masks and won't be recognizable to your pet even if your pet might know them. Plus, with your pet indoors, you don't have to worry about anyone purposely frightening or playing tricks on him.

Be careful when opening the door to trick or treaters so your pet does not slip past you into the night. A scared pet would be likely to run off or not know what to do once he leaves the safety of his home.

If people coming to the door causes your pet to be anxious, restrict his access to the door that you'll be opening. Sometimes people put their pets in a kennel, bedroom or basement during the trick or treating hours. Strange or loud noises can make the friendliest pet nervous, so make sure to give your pet a favorite blanket or toy to help comfort them.

Avoid dressing your pets in costumes if they don't like it. Not only might this frighten him, he could hurt himself trying to get clothes or accessories off.

If you take these steps, you won't have to worry about dealing with a scared pet on Halloween in addition to all of the trick or treaters you're likely to get.