Keep Halloween fun,
not frightening.

Halloween is one of our favorite times of year at Wishbone. The costumes, the treats, the monster toys taking over the shelves. We love all of it. But every year we also hear the stories from the day after: the Lab who found the candy bowl, the cat who chewed through a glow stick, the dog who bolted out the front door when the tenth group of trick-or-treaters rang the bell.

None of that has to happen. A little planning goes a long way, and most Halloween emergencies are completely preventable. Here's what we tell our customers every October.

The candy bowl is the #1 danger

Let's start with the big one. More pets end up at the emergency vet from Halloween candy than anything else this time of year, and the riskiest moment usually isn't the bowl by the door. It's later that night, when the kids dump their haul out on the living room floor to sort it.

The fix is simple: keep all candy up high or in a closed container, and make "candy goes on the table, not the floor" a house rule on Halloween night. Remind the kids that sharing their treats with the dog isn't a treat for the dog.

Doorbells, strangers, and open doors

Think about Halloween from your pet's point of view. The doorbell rings every few minutes. Strangers in masks appear, shout, and disappear. The front door keeps swinging open. For a lot of dogs and cats, that's the most stressful night of the year, and it's also when a lot of pets slip out and go missing.

• Set your pet up in a quiet back room during trick-or-treat hours, with water, a favorite bed, and some background music or TV
• Give them something to do: a stuffed chew or a lick mat buys a lot of calm
• Check that ID tags are on and readable, and that your microchip contact info is up to date
• Keep cats indoors in the days around Halloween
• If your dog is a door-dasher, use a baby gate or leash them before you open the door

Costumes: cute, but comfortable

We'll be the first to say it: pets in costumes are the best part of Halloween. (That's why we're holding a costume contest!) But not every pet is a fan, and a costume that doesn't fit right can go from cute to dangerous pretty quickly.

Watch your pet's body language. Flattened ears, a tucked tail, freezing in place, lip licking, or yawning are all ways of saying "I'm not having fun." If that's what you're seeing, take it off. A festive bandana is plenty, and your pet will still look great.

Decorations to watch out for

• Glow sticks and glow jewelry: Cats especially love to chew them. The liquid inside tastes terrible and causes a lot of drooling and panic, but it's usually not serious. Wipe their mouth and offer a little food or water to clear the taste
• Candles and jack-o'-lanterns: A wagging tail or a curious cat can knock over a candle in a second. Battery-powered LED candles are a much safer choice
• Fake cobwebs, string, and tinsel: These can tangle up a pet's intestines if swallowed, which is a real emergency, especially for cats
• Rotting pumpkins and decorative corn: Moldy pumpkins can upset the stomach, and dried corn cobs are a classic blockage risk for dogs
• Cords: Tuck away the wires for lights and animated decorations, especially if you have a puppy or kitten who chews

If your pet gets into something

Don't panic, and don't wait to see what happens. Call your vet or your nearest emergency vet right away, even if your pet seems fine. Many of these problems are much easier to treat early. If you can, grab the wrapper or package, and have a rough idea of how much your pet ate and how much they weigh.

Put your vet's number, your closest 24-hour emergency clinic, and one of the poison hotlines in your phone today. It takes two minutes, and it's the kind of thing you really don't want to be searching for at 10pm on Halloween.

Treat them the right way

Your pets shouldn't have to sit out the fun. They just need their own treats. We've got Halloween-themed treats and spooky seasonal toys in the store right now, and they're the good stuff. Real ingredients, no mystery fillers, and nothing on the list above.