Halloween is a great and spooky time of year for people, but for our pets it can really be scary.

Just for a second imagine that everything around us is two to ten times bigger than you. Suddenly one night there’s more activity outside, strange faces, loud noises, candles and new things to eat. Well, the new things to eat may not be scary to you and I, but to our pets these new treats can be deadly.

All you pet owners should keep them inside on Halloween, preferably in a room where they can’t see the front of the house. This is good for the dogs because they won’t bark at and possibly scare anybody that comes to your front door. You’ve spent lots of time being a good neighbor and having children be scared of your house because of a barking dog won’t do anybody any favors. It’s good for the dogs too as it won’t upset them because of any activity on the streets. For the cats this is great because this eliminates any chance of them escaping out the front door while you’re treating (or tricking) a young goblin.

Maybe you’re having a party inside your house? While everybody wants people to enjoy our pets to the same degree that we do, but it’s best to isolate the pets on this night. Either you’ll have candy, open flames or open doors. It’s guaranteed that one of those variables will be at your party and any one of them can be fatal or severely harm our pets.

At a party one time some friends had loads of candles on the floor, as well as two long haired cats. Sure enough, about half way through the party one of the cat’s tails brushed the flame and the cat went screaming off into the bedroom. Thankfully, the cat wasn’t on fire, but their tail did suffer minor burns. However that situation had ripe potential for massive property damage, in addition to harming people and killing the cat.

Is candy fatal for pets? There are huge amounts of research, studies and stories out there. Best case scenario is that your pet gets sick and the worst case is that it’s fatal. In the case of our pets and Halloween, it’s best to put all of the candy away when you’re not eating it.

You have the best dog in the world, are dressing them up in costume and then going trick or treating with the kids. Outstanding, but be advised that other people do not know your dog, may fear them and this night is like no other for our best friends. It’s best to leave your dog at home, you’ll be thankful that you did.

For more pet safety tips or information, visit PAWS Atlanta.