Answering the door with a candy bowl in one hand and a dog's collar in the other is an awkward way to spend Halloween. Before the first visitors arrive, decide where your pets will spend the evening and how you'll keep them away from the entrance. If you're going out yourself, arrange Halloween pet care around the meals and bathroom breaks your pets will need.
Choose a room away from the entrance
The ASPCA recommends a separate room away from the front door for pets who find Halloween visitors stressful. Set out water and bedding, and give cats access to a litter box and somewhere to hide. Try the arrangement before Halloween so you know how your pet responds with the door closed. If being separated from you causes distress, ask your veterinarian for advice before the holiday.
Tell guests which doors stay closed
Everyone in the house needs to know where the pets are, including the guest looking for a place to leave a coat. Tell visitors which room to leave closed, and put a note on that door as a reminder. Before letting a pet back into the hallway, check that the outside door is shut and that nobody is about to open it.
Walk before the sidewalks get busy
For dogs worried by Halloween activity, the RSPCA suggests walking before dark. Check when trick-or-treating begins in your neighborhood and choose a time before the sidewalks fill up. Allow for later bathroom breaks, too, and put the leash and harness where whoever takes the dog out will find them. Check that your pet's identification carries your current contact information before heading outside.
Give your sitter the details that change
If a sitter is coming, write down which entrance to use, where each pet will be, and who else will be home. Tell them which doors need to stay closed and where you've moved any supplies. Send those updates before the visit and ask the sitter to confirm they've seen them.
Assign meals and walks to a specific person when family members and a sitter are sharing the evening's care. If someone feeds the pets before leaving, pass that update along so dinner isn't served twice. Keep the details in your pet sitter instructions, along with current contact and veterinary information and an emergency plan.
Put the candy away
Store candy in a closed cupboard, including the bags children bring home. Chocolate and candy containing xylitol are dangerous to pets, so remind everyone to keep sweets off beds and floors. Clear small costume pieces and decoration cords from the area your pet will use. If you suspect your pet has eaten something toxic, contact your veterinarian immediately.
If you’ll be out for the evening
Stable Hands Pet Care & Services provides dog walking and in-home pet sitting in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake. We begin with a meet and greet to review your pet's routine, care instructions, and home setup. You receive visit notes and photos through Time To Pet. If you need help with Halloween pet care, contact us with the hours you expect to be away and what your pets will need.