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PSI advises pet owners to consider indoor and outdoor pets when planning costumes and Halloween festivities.

Halloween continues to increase in popularity, with more than 171 million Americans planning to celebrate the holiday this year, according to the National Retail Federation. But for pets, it’s not all fun and games.

Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world’s leading educational organization for professional pet sitters, recommends that pet owners take special care to ensure the safety of their four-legged family members this Halloween.

PSI offers several tips to keep pets healthy and happy this Halloween:

1. Avoid “pet”rified pets by keeping them away from trick-or-treaters. For pets that are easily frightened or not used to being around a lot of people, especially children, Halloween can be a real nightmare, explains professional dog trainer Teoti Anderson. Anderson is the vice president of A Dog’s Best Friend, a dog training company in South Florida, and author of multiple books on pet training.

“Imagine a pet who thinks children are scary, then put those kids in costume and to the pet, they truly become monsters!” Anderson says. “If your pet is shy, timid or wary around people, make sure he or she is kept away from trick-or-treaters. You can put your pet in another room with some soothing music and toys until the event is over.”

PSI also recommends that outside pets be brought inside on Halloween night to avoid becoming victims of malicious tricksters who might try to frighten or harm animals. A neighborhood that is normally quiet but becomes busy and loud on Halloween night can also cause undue stress to outside pets.

2. Don’t let sweet treats and decorations become your pet’s nightmare. Halloween treats are another danger for pets. While most pet owners are aware that chocolate and other candies can be deadly if ingested by pets, younger trick-or-treaters or non-pet-owning guests may not know. Halloween party guests and other visitors should be reminded not to share chocolate with the dog, no matter how much he or she begs. Keep some pet-friendly treats on hand instead.

As the popularity of this holiday continues to increase, so do the many Halloween and fall themed decorating ideas. Pet owners should take special care to keep pets away from Jack-o-Lanterns with real candles inside and other Halloween décor that could cause harm if chewed on or ingested.

3. Plan ahead so dressing up isn’t a scary occasion. Pet costumes are an increasingly popular item at Halloween and throughout the year. Of the 171 million Americans who will be celebrating Halloween, 16.2 percent plan to dress a pet in costume. While Fluffy or Fido may look adorable as Cat Woman or Superman, Anderson encourages pet owners to think about the pros and cons before putting a pet into a costume.

“It can be fun to dress your pet up for Halloween, but it’s not for every pet,” Anderson says. “We may think they’re adorable, but if your pet is miserable then that cute photo opportunity is really not worth it. You want both ends of the leash to enjoy the holiday.”

Safety and comfort are the first things to consider for those who do plan to dress a pet in a Halloween costume. If the costume constricts movement, blocks vision or has multiple parts that could easily be chewed off, then it is not a good choice.

“Once you make sure a costume will fit comfortably, introduce it to your pet—gradually—at least a week before you want him to wear it. Use lots of treats to associate it as something fun,” Anderson explains.

“For example, if you have a costume that wraps around a pet and is fastened underneath his belly, first lay the costume across his back. Give him some treats and remove the costume. Repeat a few times until the pet is comfortable. Then put the costume on, fasten it, give him some treats and remove the costume. Do this in short stages so he can get used to it. Keep your sessions short. If you take this time to get your pet used to wearing his costume, he’ll enjoy it much better and be less likely to find it frightening.”

4. Don’t be tricked by pseudo-pet sitters. If your Halloween plans should keep you away from home, your pets could benefit from the services of a pet sitter. PSI advises pet owners to only use the services of professional pet sitters.

“Often times pet owners, and even news outlets, use the term ‘pet sitter’ carelessly, referring to anyone—from a family friend to the neighborhood teenager asked to walk a dog—as a ‘pet sitter,’” explains PSI President Patti J. Moran. “It is important that pet owners understand that pet sitting is a professional career and professional pet sitters offer peace of mind that other pet-care options cannot.” 

Pet owners can download a free Pet-Sitter Interview Checklist and search PSI’s Pet Sitter Locator free of charge at www.petsit.com/locate to help them follow PSI’s advice to “Get A Real Pet Sitter^®.”

“Allowing someone into your home who is not insured, bonded or trained in pet care and giving them access to your pets—now that’s a truly scary thought!” adds Moran.

To learn more about PSI, visit www.petsit.com.