If ghoulish sights and grim delights await your family this Halloween, please remember not all of your little ones may enjoy the festive season. The unsuspecting sights, sounds, and smells of “Tricks and Treats” may excite your children, but these scary enchantments may cause undue stress to your four-legged friends.

Round Rock Animal Control officers ask you to consider these precautions to keep your pets safe this Halloween:

Candy is for the kiddies, not the kitties (or puppies). Try to keep candy and Halloween treats away from your pets. Put your bowls of goodies in places where they cannot be accidentally knocked over and consumed by your animal. Keep in mind that chocolate is highly toxic for both dogs and cats, and candy that contains the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Eating the foil and cellophane of candy wrappers can cause choking and/or intestinal blockage. If you still want your dog to be part of the tasty treat experience, consider some yummy, dog-friendly, alternatives that can be hand made or bought in stores.

Your pooch may be cute in costume, but is it really necessary? Dressing is a terrible experience for some pets. Please do not put your animal in a costume UNLESS you know that your animal is okay wearing one.  If you choose to dress up your pet, make sure there is no restriction to either the animal's movement or hearing, and that it does not impede their ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also, take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that they could choke on or get tangled in. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting them go au naturel or donning a festive bandana.

Bring them indoors and keep the monsters out. The best place for your pets this Halloween is the safety and security of a well lit, quiet room, out of the way of seasonal activity. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets, and could provoke unwanted behavior (like biting or bolting) from even the most well-behaved animals.  Please make sure your pet has proper identification, like a name tag or a city registration tag, in case they get out. Halloween features high records of “pet-napping” — especially black cats. Keeping your pets indoors will keep them out of harms way.

Decorations can lead to disasters. Decorations add a spooky effect to your house, but remember that anything open, dangling, or on fire can become potential problems for your pet. Cover extra cords and electrical wires to prevent chewing and possible electric shock or choking. Suspended spider webs and dangling streamers should be tucked away when your pet is out to avoid tangling. Place Jack-o-Lanterns and open flames where they cannot be accidentally knocked over by a curious cat or wagging dog tail to avoid both burns to your pet and your house.

On behalf of Round Rock Animal Control, we hope that you, your family, and your furry friends have a safe and Happy Halloween!