Although a fun time for humans, Halloween can be a scary time for pets!

  If you have pets, you probably already know that Halloween can be an incredibly anxiety inducing time. Fireworks and bangers are terrifying, particularly when an animal has no way to understand what's making the noise. We spoke to Gillian Bird from the DSPCA to get some top tips on how to make your pets feel safe this Halloween. https://www.instagram.com/p/CVP0r2EoYNN/ Already this year the sound of bangers and fireworks can be heard all over the country, and this is incredibly frightening for pets. Gillian shared some insightful dos and don'ts for us to pass on to our readers.

Dos

• Keep your animal indoors and ideally in a quiet room where the noise isn't as loud.
• Keeping the radio or television on can help drown out the noise of the fireworks too and keep your animal calm.
• If you suspect your pet may have ingested something bad for them, do bring them to the vet just to be sure.
• If you have young kids, educate them on how Halloween can affect your pet.
• When out walking, keep your pet well away from Halloween decorations.
• Make sure your animals have identification and are ideally microchipped in the event they get spooked and go missing.

Don'ts

• Avoid dressing your pets up for Halloween - although tempting, it can be hugely distressing for animals.
• If you're going trick or treating, don't bring your pet with you. It only serves to frighten your pet, as there's often a lot of commotion on Halloween night.
• Don't let your pet anywhere near a bonfire or anything else flammable.
• If building a bonfire, don't remove wooden pallets or large pieces of wood from hedges and gaps in fences. This is often put in the gaps to stop horses escaping onto roads.
• If the wood has been set aside for a period of time, don't forget to check it thoroughly before lighting as small animals may have burrowed inside for shelter.

Final Thoughts

Whether you have an animal or not, you may witness one in distress. If you notice this, please report animal abuse and neglect immediately to the Garda or contact the DSPCA at 01-4994700. You can still enjoy the holiday and the season; the main thing is to be mindful of your pets this Halloween and make sure keeping them safe is a priority. Header image via Shutterstock READ ON: The Spongebob Musical is coming to the Bord Gáis this summer