Halloween is Saturday with scary decorations, children in costumes and plenty of candy. While the night can be fun and exciting, the Nova Scotia SPCA says it’s not just children’s safety people need to think about; four-legged friends also need some help. Sarah Lyon is the chief communications and marketing officer for the Nova Scotia SPCA. She says one of the most important tips is remembering chocolate and xylitol can be toxic to pets. “Halloween brings a lot of chocolate, a lot of candy, a lot of wrappers around the house the day of and after. We want to make sure we clean those up so our pets can’t get into them,” she told CTV Your Morning Atlantic’s Crystal Garrett. Lyon recommends skipping candles as part of your Halloween decor as they can easily be knocked over by pets. “If you are going to light candles, cats in particular like to jump and can knock them over, burning their tails or whiskers so be careful.” Watching the door is also important as frequent visitors can cause stress and increase escape risks, said Lyon. “If you are opening the door for trick-or-treaters you want to make sure that your animals are safely away in a room where they are comfortable and less stressed.” Lyon says putting costumes on your pet can also cause stress and restrict movement. “I think you have to figure out the stress level of your animal. It’s best to maybe go with a festive collar or leash. Definitely something that is not restricting and if it’s making them stressed, take it off.” When outside trick-or-treating, Lyon says its up to you if you bring your pet along. “A lot of people have animatronics that pop out now, we got those cobwebs that people are using for decorations that they can get into. There are also a lot of people and kids in masks that might be running up to them,” she said. “It’s best to keep them home but if you are going to take them out watch their stress level.” For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
